In 1988 I took the kids to a Student Council roller skating party. I mainly went along to make sure no one got hurt. I ended up nearly tearing my foot off. Triple ankle fracture, lots of soft tissue damage, and dislocation all rolled into a fraction of a second. It sounded like someone breaking a Louisville Slugger. I looked down at the foot dangling from my leg and knew I wasn't walking out of there. Someone called an ambulance, someone else volunteered to take care of the kids and call Tina when she got home from a meeting she was attending. ( Pre cell phone days). Actually things moved pretty smoothly and I was quickly attended to at the hospital. The Dr. took one look and said" That's what we call the Humpty Dumpty fracture" The humor was lost on me. Anyway they set it for the night and the next morning he tried to put the pieces back together. He was happy with his work but it wasn't his ankle that was hurting so bad. Without belaboring all of this, It eventually healed and after teaching for 3 months out of a wheelchair and a couple more months on crutches I could limp around without additional support. It got better but it never got right. I was told to expect arthritis and it came. Gradually the ankle stiffened and hurt more in response to activity.
Jumping ahead to December 2015. Standing most of the hay at a show and a 6 mile death march off a mountain in Tennessee ( see previous posts) finally pushed things over the edge. A month of all day and all night discomfort that ranged from an ache to me screaming assorted F-Bombs every time I moved set me to an Orthopedic and Sports Med center last week. The first response from the doctor as he looked at my X-Ray was literally " Man that's ugly" The cartilage is worn down so thin that there is no room to get a needle into the joint for a cortisone shot. That surface that is supposed to be polished looks like the surface of the moon and there are bone spurs from arthritis all abound the edges. I was put on Prednisone for the immediate swelling and put into this brace that I will have to wear until I have something else done.
Next option is either an ankle fusion or a joint replacement. Good news is that the current regimen has helped and I am no longer screaming expletives each time I move. It's still sensitive and I am using a cane but it beats no foot at all. Hopefully I will be able to keep kicking the can down the road a while longer but I will probably have to do it with my left foot.
Oh man, that sucks. Nothing worse than pain all day and then keeps you up all night. I didn't even know they did ankle replacements... I guess they can replace most things these days! Glad to hear the current treatment has given you some relief.
ReplyDeletewhat a bummer, things from the youth revisit with a vengeance in our later years. I've been pampering my knee since last march and it is finally good enough to go up and down the stairs without being stiff kneed and only bending the other knee occasionally, trying to avoid any medical bills hoping it doesn't affect the good knee, but mine doesn't hurt thankfully. Hang in there time does help heal.
ReplyDeleteOh man, no fun. Hope you get to feeling better quickly and keep kickin that can!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your pain, and of course the injury that caused it. Glad you've got some temporary relief. That whole thing about old injuries is scary as heck, cause I tore one of my ankles a few times...just sprains. Yours sounds just awful.
ReplyDeleteSpeedy repair and healing. I hope it all goes well.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone.Your good wishes did encourage me to get out to the studio for a couple of hours yesterday.It's not going to go away anymore than a crushed fender on your car will fix itself but it is feeling a lot better.
ReplyDeleteGo listen to Terry Allen's ( any relation?) Peggy Leggy. Her one leg's so pretty so don't need one more!. T
ReplyDeleteBig ouch! Fortunately it can be fixed. I know, because my two hip replacements are working great! We're fortunate to live a time where we have that option Glad to hear they got you into a comfortable place and am hoping you can get a permanent fix soon!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your accident - heal quickly!
ReplyDeleteAwww, dang! Having chronic pain is just the worst. I can sympathize with you, my shoulder has bothered me every day for a year now. I know that screaming out in pain very well:) best of luck with the ankle!
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