I broke my ankle...

It was Friday, December 10, 2010, and my family & I had just returned from our annual ride on The Polar Express. When we got home at approximately 8:30pm, I grabbed about ten photo frames & headed down the stairs. I stepped on the first stair, but I also stepped on a stuffed santa that decorates our stairs at Christmas time. Santa immediately became my sled, and my feet went out from underneath me so fast that I had no time to drop my photo frames. Needless to say, I did not break my fall with my hands. My left foot bent underneath me, and my whole body weight landed on this leg. I landed in the middle of the stairs, but quickly slid to the bottom. I still had all of the photo frames in my hands! I dropped the frames and knew I HAD to get my boot off of my left foot immediately. It was tingling & numb, but had excrutiating pain...all at the same time! My husband gave me 4 Advils. My children grabbed a square block ice pack & a Lightening McQueen booboo buddy, and gave them to me. I put the square ice pack under my ankle & the boo boo buddy on my forehead & neck (alternating back and forth so that I did not pass out from the pain). I have had 3 children & a broken wrist, and this was the most intense pain that I had ever felt! I called my friend, Michelle, and asked her to drive me to the hospital. This way my husband could stay with my children. I wasn't sure how I was going to get out of the house, but I took one moment at a time. When Michelle arrived, I was still at the bottom of the stairs. I still hadn't looked at the underside (outer) of my ankle. It hurt too bad to move it. I knew that I either had to make a splint or call 911. I slid a Dr. Seuss book (There's a Wocket In My Pocket) under the ice pack & I tied my 3 year old's Blue Clue's sleeper pjs around it all (photo below). I was able to use crutches to get back up the stairs and then down more stairs outside. The pain was unbearable!
Once we got to the CLOSEST ER, I had several x-rays (photos below) taken. No pain meds were given until they determined that I had a fracture. This took about 3 hours! The place was like a ghost town! The PA came in to tell me that I had an "impressive" fracture. I asked her if I would need surgery, and she said, "Yes, I'm afraid so." She explained that my fracture was not misplaced so I did not need surgery that night. I could wait until Monday (3 days!) to see an orthopedic surgeon in the office. I NEVER SAW AN MD! The "tech" came in to splint my left ankle & he also was the one who was called to push me out to my car. I'm not really sure what his title was. They sent me home with lortab 5's & I got home about midnight.
The next day, I sat with my foot elevated above my heart. By that night, the pain was so intense that I could not take it anymore! When my family would walk through the house, the vibrations from their steps hurt me so bad that I would cry. I asked my husband to drive me to a different ER. When we arrived at the second ER, the MD (finally!) admitted me for the amount of pain I was in. The x-rays were almost immediate. The three gentlemen who x-rayed my ankle, were baffled at what I had on my leg (the splint). They wanted to know who put that on there & what it was. They had never seen anything like that before. Great....
About 5 mins later, the MD came in. She looked mad! She said, "You have a trimalleolar fracture & you will have surgery in the morning." She followed with, "They should have never sent you home with this injury. You are one tough broad!" She left the room muttering to herself, "...and they only gave her lortab!"
The next day was Sunday, and I met my orthopedic surgeon. He explained to me what he was going to do (see drawing below) during surgery. He agreed with the ER doctor. He said if I had waited until Monday, that my injury would have been much worse. I had my surgery at about 1pm, approximately 41 hours after my injury occured. They inserted 1 plate, 7 screws & 22 staples. I'm not sure how many stitches were used. The stitches & staples come out in 3 weeks.
I stayed in the hospital for two nights after my surgery. This was a total of 3 nights. I was instructed to stop at my orthopedic's office on my way home from the hospital. My dressing was bloody & needed to be changed. The photos below are from the stop on my way home from the hospital.
It has now been 12 days since my fall & my ankle hurts just as bad as it did that first night. Pain medicine does not begin to touch the pain. In 3 weeks, I should get a boot, but no weight on my ankle for 6-8 weeks. They tell me it will take 6 months to walk & most will have a limp. Also, most people with this injury never run again. Not that I was an avid runner before, but the thought of never running with my children again is depressing to say the least. I am currently using a walker, but my knee walker should be here any day. Thank God for my parents, friends & family! I will have to lean on them more than ever over the next 6 months.