What doesnt kill you makes you stronger

The boredom has begun to set in now along with frustration.  The first area of frustration is not being able to exercise properly.   I am finding it hard to read the comments on the Regency Runners Facebook page of the great runs people are having.   I have worked so hard in the last year getting my running pace up, and improving my fitness.  I managed to knock 7 minutes off my 10k time at the Regency Run in April from the last race I did. I also ran a half marathon in March, raising over £500 for Cancer Research.  My race time wasn’t much too write home about, but at least I completed the race and ran it all.  I don’t intend doing another half marathon either so that will remain my personal best! Right at this moment in time I can’t imagine ever running again and that breaks my heart.  It is my main stress buster and energiser.  I actually enjoy running now, whereas I never used to!  Plus I have a pair of Brooks Glycerin 9 that cost £100 sitting in my wardrobe, that were prescribed to my gait at Warwick Sports, my left foot gait will have changed by the time I am back on two feet! The second area of frustration are the things I cannot do for myself, such as carrying things around, tidying up, popping up/down stairs, going out to the shops.  Every time I try to tidy up in the kitchen or lounge Andy tells me to sit down, but he doesn’t realise I need to feel as though I am still able to do some things for myself.  I appreciate every trip I make out of the house, and this week I have managed to go to Neros’, the pub, friends for dinner, hair salon and out for cooked breakfast so it’s been great to feel as close to normal life as I can get at the moment. I am grateful every week for the help of my friends & family I don’t know what I would do without them all.  We had  a laugh about all the weirdo's in Leamington Spa when we went out for breakfast, we all seem to know them which is quite worrying, and what is even more worrying is that we might end up as one of the weirdos one day!  I'll be the one that drags my leg behind me as I wander around the shops trying to find a pair of shoes in 2 different sizes to fit my deformed foot ;-))

I finished reading a kindle book this week that I had started before we went to Cornwall called "She Won't get far her bag's too heavy" by Marie Stamp, its a true story about Marie, who is in her 50's and she decides to walk the South West Coastal Path, having previously done Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. The South West Coastal Path starts in Minehead, follows the north coast of Devon into Cornwall through Bude, covering our 10 miles section, onto Lands End and back along the south coast to Poole, a total of 630 miles.  Its quite amusing as she tells the story of her journey, and how she refused to queue to pay for a jacket potato as it would get cold so she just left the shop without paying, and her exploits of wild camping in random fields on her route.  I decided to re-read the section covering Bude and Cracklington Haven to see if she mentioned any landmarks we had passed, or even Dizzard Woods where I slipped.  She mentions a section where she walked along a steep clifftop, which I remember was about 10 minutes before my accident spot.  Another walker and dog were approaching her and the other dog rushed past her and made her stumble down a rabbit hole, and she thought she had broken her ankle, luckily for her she had just twisted it! Maybe there is a bit of a Cornish triangle there!

I have done a bit more research on my injury this week, to try and find out how long its taken other people to heal and to understand a bit more about my type of fracture.  The trimalleolar fracture is also known as a Weber C, there is a Weber A & B too.  Approximately 70% of people suffer a Weber B, and only 20% manage a Weber C.  The direction I broke my ankle in is in the majority though, as I broke it in supination, as opposed to pronation (see pic).  I have made an enquiry about hydrotherapy, where you are in a small pool with water temperature of35c, with a physiotherapist.  This allows you to make normal movements but not fully weight bearing, so I am going to book this as soon as I am out of my cast, and luckily there is one in Leamington Spa.  I am hoping I can do this as well as the NHS Physio treatment I will start once I am out of my cast.  I found a blog the other day by a lady called Charlotte Ord, who is from Godalming in Surrey.  She is a well known personal trainer and has featured on lots of TV programmes such as ITV’s The Biggest Loser. http://www.charlotteord.co.uk/  .  She suffered the same injury, jumping off a rock and landing badly on her foot  in November 2010 and was back in the gym 4 months later doing squats & lunges, she then progressed to the cross trainer and finally running after approximately 6 months.  Its great to read a blog written by someone who is positive about making a full recovery, as I like to think I am.  She has made a full recovery and says it no longer affects her gait/walk but she doesnt have full flexibility in it.  Many of the other blogs I have read have been stories of people who are full of problems, pain & suffering for a year or more after.  These people seem to feel really sorry for them self and also don’t seem to help themselves by spending 16 hours a day on the sofa watching TV!  I am now doing daily leg exercises by squatting on my good leg, and leg raises on my bad leg.  I am also doing abdominal crunches & planks (on one leg!) and I also stretch my legs and toes daily using a resistance band and I am trying to walk a little further with my crutches, still non weight bearing though, this is my arm & shoulder workout!  I might try and walk around my road this week!  I have set up a forum site this week for people with broken bones as there isnt any such thing, so I need members who have a broken bone now or have had one previously, or a serious knee injury that required plaster!  http://www.brokenbones.ning.com/

Mine is a Supination break

no excuse for no exercise!

toe stretching!

My cast is feeling looser each day as my calf muscle shrinks, I can get my hand half way down inside  it now and I think I can feel my metal plate!! Yuk!  I am keen to see what my orthopaedic surgeon says on Monday and get a more permanent cast fitted.  I think I will also feel more at ease to know the bones have been aligned properly and are healing alright without the need for further surgery, so please all keep fingers crossed for me on Monday 14^th May!

My mum had her visit to her consultant in Faro yesterday, he was an English speaking doctor and has informed her she doesn’t need surgery at the moment, and has told her she can put a small amount of weight on her foot, but is not to remove the Cam Boot cast to move her ankle around which is what she had been doing.  I have recommended some hydrotherapy for mum when she is ready as there are some lovely spa hotels in Albufeira with Hydro pools. 

If my therapist is anything like this I am going daily!

I have a lovely display of flowers still, they smell gorgeous.  I have to ask my in-laws to tend to them every few days as I cant do it myself! I have had some fabulous funny/kind/rude cards too.  The kids have been keeping everywhere tidy in the house, Andy has had a bit of a moan this week as things have got a bit much, but its to be expected with myself and 2 kids to care for ha ha!

Flowers from work

I am now in week 3 and the time has gone quite quickly, which is surprising.  I am hoping the next 3 weeks go quick too as I am keen to get to the next stage at 6 weeks,  where I can semi weight bear on my foot as this will make life so much easier.  My right shoes are taking too much wear, I will end up with one faded converse in a few months time!

Next week, details of my visit to see the orthopaedic surgeon and my xray results...