Broken Legs - My New Hardware

Here it is...

Boris has another seizure

Boris had another seizure today.  Its been over 2 years since his last seizure and I weaned him off the meds over 2 years ago.

Broken Leg - 4 months

Four months since I broke the legs.   I am walking almost normal and riding a stationary bike.

However, the ankle still feels stiff and the leg is still slightly swollen.  It swells a little more whenever I work it out.

Starting a new Job - Relay Health

I started a new job today.  The company is called RelayHealth and is a subsidiary of McKesson, the large medical services company.

Broken Leg - Walking almost normal

Its now been 13 weeks since the broken leg and I am now at the point where I am practically walking normal, without a limp.  I have to focus on not favoring the right leg, not because of pain, but because I am in such a habit of favoring it and also because the ankle and knee are still a little stiff.

Broken Leg - Elliptical trainer

Worked out on an elliptical trainer for 30 minutes for the first time.  Feeling pretty good.

Broken Leg - 3 Months

This is the point at which my surgeon says is the average time at which most patients resume normal activity.  The question is "what did he mean by normal"?

Currently, I am walking mostly without a boot and without the assistance of a walker or a cane, but it is still tentative strides, favoring the right leg.  There is no pain whatsoever, but the joints are tight and the muscles feel weak.

However, I am getting around quite well

Broken Leg - Riding a bike (recumbent)

Started riding a recumbent bike

Broken Leg - Mobile again

10 weeks - finally able to drive

Broken Leg - 2 months

Broken Leg - 6 weeks

Getting better day by day, but still on reduced narcotics to manage the pain at night.
At night, its been difficult to get to sleep due to pain and minor muscle spasms that trigger pain.

I have started putting some weight on the right leg, but not full weight.  So far, no pain.

Broken Leg - New Doctor

At this point, I had to go to a local doctor in Dallas in order to to get a medication refill as well as track the progress of healing.

The xrays showed some sign of healing, but not near what I was expecting.

The doctor said to come back in 3 weeks and that I could start putting some weight on it "as pain permits" in 2-3 weeks.

Broken Leg - 4 Weeks

Still lots of pain at the break site.  Still on 2 different narcotics.

But at least I can get around the house and do some things for myself.

Most of my time is spent laying down keeping my leg elevated.

Broken Leg - Return to Texas for Rehab

Alx drove us 13.5 hours straight through to arrive in Dallas on Saturday evening.

Broken Leg - Evaluating Options

After spending a week locked up in my room, unable to get around the house, I started considering options to make live easier.  Do I rent a handicapped motel room for a few months?  Do I return home to New Orleans to be with family for a while?  All had pros and cons, but the cons always seemed to outweigh the pros, mainly, how do I even get there in this state?
About that time, I got a call from Brigitte and Alx with a scheme they had been discussing that would save my life, in particular, my sanity.
The proposal was that I would fly Alx up to Colorado, then she would pack me up with a few necessities and Boris, and then drive me back to Texas.  Then she would hand me off to Brigitte, who graciously and generously offered me a room in her new home.   This house was prefect for recovery - 1 story, hardwood floors, and spacious walkways that would easily accommodate walker or wheelchair.  No brainer!  I was saved!

Broken Leg - 10 day post op checkup

My friend Brent was kind enough to pick me up and drive me back to Vail for a 10-day post op.
At this point in time, the soft splint/cast was taken off and the sutures removed.  All the sutures were well-healed and looked good, but the leg as a whole looked puffy, bruised and hurt pretty badly. Despite the look and feel, the doctor said it all looked good considering the extent of the break.

The really good news is that the break appeared to be completely contained within the tibia and there was no damage to the joint at either end - the knee or the ankle.  Nonetheless, the knee was stiff and sore since the implant of the rod required going through the patellar tendon just below the knee.  So now I have a long vertical scar just under the kneecap.

Broken Leg - Back in Louisville

My friends delivered me back to the house in Louisville, however all was not great.
The house is a tri-level, which means short staircases between any point A and point B.
This is no place for a person with 2 broken legs.

The compromise:  setup a mini-frig and microwave in the room and I live in the room until I have to return to the doctor (10 days after surgery and 6 days after return home).  The next 6 days were maddening - a prisoner in my room.  Thank god for pain meds!

Broken Leg - Hospital Stay

Surgery took 4 hours and due to having 2 broken legs, I was immobilized.
There was some pretty intense pain in the right leg, requiring pretty heavy pain killers.

I was in Vail Valley hospital for 4 nights and then had 2 friends come up to Vail to pick me up and also take my car back to Louisville.

Broken Legs

I broke my legs (both) skiing at Vail.
After skiing for 30+ years, the odds finally caught up with me.

The left was a minor fracture.  The right was a major break - a spiral fracture.