On the mend...

My apologies for being out of the blogosphere for a while...I find that sitting with a computer in my lap for extended periods can be really uncomfortable.   I'm also feeling a drain in creative thought...probably because of the drugs I'm on (far out dude!).   While I'm very thankful for good pain meds, I really look forward to getting off of them.   I am ready to move on and get going with things...but ugh, I probably have another month of bedrest.  After 3 months (post accident) I will be able to bear weight on my ankle.

It has been about a month since the "fall" and a lot has happened.   I had my second ankle surgery last Wednesday, in which they removed my ex-fix and attached plates and screws into the bones interiorly.   I guess the surgery took 3 and 1/2 hours...but it was successful in the sense that (in the words of my surgeon) the "architecture of the ankle bones was restored."   There were a few small pieces of bone that needed to be removed because they had been crushed, but this did not compromise the integrity of the ankle.   Functionability is still in question, as it sounds like some flexibility will be lost.

Recovery has not been very easy.  The evening of the surgery I was in the most intense pain I think I have ever felt in my life.  There was some concern that I may had suffered something called compartment syndrome, but after opening the wound dressings and waiting for a while, it appeared that the pain and swelling was the result of my ankle being wrapped too tightly.   The type of injury I sustained to my ankle is called a pilon fracture , and from what I understand, the expected recovery from this is very difficult due to the crushing nature of the fracture and resultant swelling.   Ugh...

I am now ex-fix-less!   My pelvic ex-fix needed to be removed a couple of weeks ago due to an infection in the pin-sites.   That removal experience was quite interesting.  Right in the office as the doc was examining things, he stated "Hmm...this has to come out.   Her body isn't liking it in there."  I had thought this would mean yet another surgery.  NOPE!   The tech (a guy named Gary who has worked in the orthopedic unit for 40 years) brought out a Sears Craftsman wrench and seriously went to town unscrewing this apparatus from my pelvic bones.   Yup, I was conscious, and chose not to watch (Scott chose not to watch either).    It was the oddest sensation...feeling something becoming unscrewed from within my body.   I commented that I felt like a 2x4.   There was a little pain, but more odd discomfort.

I WAS able to be home on Christmas!  I couldn't wait to be home with the kids and Scott after having been in the hospital for so long.   We enjoyed hosting Christmas at our house with Scott's family on Christmas Day.   Scott played host while I laid in my bed in the living room.   It was very interesting to watch him take on these roles (the host, the multitasker, the maid, the nurse, and Mr. mom).  That's material for another blog post.   Here's the view of our Christmas tree from my bed:  

Jade thinks I'm pretty lucky to be able to sleep by the Christmas tree, and asked if I got to see Santa on Christmas eve.    ("Nope..." I said.  "I was snuggled in, fast asleep.")

Every day is a new one.   I have felt blessed to have so many people...fantastic friends and family that have come to visit or send caring thoughts.   These are the little messages of hope that help to get me through each day.

Of course, then there are the hoodlums.   My husband too.  All blessings.

Legends of the Fall

....FINALLY getting around to writing a blog post.    It is odd how those "lucid moments" of writing clarity can become incredibly scarce....mainly as a result of the cloudy-headedness of pain medications and such.  So, if my writing seems to be a little off today, blame the meds.

As many of you know, on November 30th I fell about 27 feet while climbing at our climbing gym.   I must have gone over the story hundreds of times by now.....with nurses, doctors, and friends.    The common question is always "Arent you clipped into a rope or something?" and my answer is always "yes...yes....we are.   And this was one very stupid example of what can happen when you're preoccupied and in a hurry."   (I only had an hour before getting my son to an appointment that afternoon.).   Yeah, I totally forgot to clip into the autobelay and climbed as if I was clipped in.   When I was about three feet from the top I lunged for a handhold and, well.... found myself on the floor with several folks around me, gawking.   My son included (while asking "mommy what happened?")    

Surprisingly, I never lost consciousness (I'm way too stubborn).   I do remember wiggling my toes and moving my body a bit to assure myself that I did not suffer a spinal cord injury.  Of course, folks asked me to lay still, and the ambulance arrived quickly.   I also remember apologizing over and over to Craig, manager of the gym, who was holding my head steady.    I kept reassuring him that his staff do a great job, I made a stupid mistake, and that I would never sue."    (I guess I also uttered quite few swear-words and eplitaves, which folks from the gym were surprised to hear coming from me [I guess shock will do that to ya.].  

Before very little time had passed, the ambulance had arrived and Craig mentioned that my husband was on his way.    The EMT's started an IV of dilaudid, checked vitals etc., loaded me onto a backboard, and brought me to Froedtert Hospital's ER.   

The experience was a blur really...although I remember bits and pieces of it.   I remember the ER folks having to cut off all of my clothing, including my harness and climbing shoes.  I was taken to get CT scans and x-rays, while the pain meds kept comin', which was quite a relief.   Eventually Scott showed up with Kai, lookin' scared and very concerned.   (Kai did not appear to know what happened and continued to seem pretty clueless, which is not a bad thing.).   When the doctor came into the room to tell us the results of the CT and x-rays, Scott became white-as-a-ghost.   One of the nurses stated "get another room prepped, I think we have another patient on our hands."    Scott sat down and started twitching and yawning.... and even in my dilaudid-enhanced state, it was really quite comical to watch.   Even the ER staff chuckled about my "knight in shining armor" passing out with our son in-tow, while I continued to let folks poke and prod.

It was most gruesome when the doc informed me that my leg would need to be in traction, therefore he would need to drive a long metal pin through my femur to attach a 20 lb weight.   I was told that I would receive local anesthesia and a sedative (no, I could not be put under.).   I did not watch....but I did see the nurses faces cringe as the pin was screwed in. Once again, thank God for pain meds and chemistry)   
  
My diagnosis was as follows:  Pelvic Fracture (vertical shear-type), fracture of right tibia (pilon fracture), L1 vertebral body fracture, L1, L4 and L5 transverse process fractures, and boken rib on R7. Treatment to include an external fixator on the ankle and pelvis.   Plan to have additional surgery on the ankle in 3 weeks.  I also broke my nose and bit through my lip...probably kneed myself in the face on impact. (My thoughtful hubby lovingly snapped this photo of me, looking oh so very patient-like.   Here you can see the ex-fixes.   I also need to wear a TLSO (brace) any time I sit above thirty degrees.  We jokingly refer to it as my "turtle shell".

I remained at Froedtert for a week and a half, with the last four days in the rehab unit.   On Monday evening I returned home.    Our living room is beautifully decorated with a hospital bed and commode, not to mention a sleek black wheelchair.    

On Wednesday I return to Froedtert for a second ankle surgery, and it is expected that I will be there for 4 to 5 days.     We are discussing how to weave Christmas into this whole experience....it may be a little tricky.  We'll definitely have to be creative.

The silver lining in all of this has been the renewed sense of connection and support of family, friends, co-workers and community.  Scott's work has granted him leave through the Family Medical Leave Act up to three months.   My parents have come to stay with us Monday through Friday to help with the kids, and my mother-in-law helps out with the kids on the weekends.   So many wonderful people have reached out to us and it has been such a blessing!   (If you are one of those people reading this, I'm sending you a big cyber-hug!)