Okay, here I sit (briefly) with my wrapped and splinted foot elevated and an ice pack on my ankle, on day one two of my recovery from foot surgery. Yesterday Monday afternoon I had a screw put in a break in the fifth metatarsal of my right foot.
First thing I will assure you I will not be posting photos of the incision, so don’t worry about following me on Facebook or Twitter.
You might be curious how I did such a thing to myself. I’m not real sure. I did a lot of walking through airports to get over to Illinois, did a lot of walking at my destination to run errands and such, and then walked again at O’Hare — halfway to my gate I stopped for caramel corn and then for lunch. And when I started to continue my journey to my gate, I was hit with excruciating pain in my foot and could not put my full weight on it. The rest of that walk was awful, and by the time I got to DIA, I had no choice but to order a wheelchair. I have been on crutches and a walking boot until yesterday Monday (and had instructions not to put weight on the foot even with the boot). And after a few days of the dressing and splint, I will get a cast which will stay on for a while. It will not be a walking cast.
Now I’m either in a chair on on the couch with the foot elevated, and when I have to move about the house, I stand, pivot on the good leg, and sit in the wheelchair. This will be my life for the next few weeks.
And once again, my knee replacement surgery has been postponed. That’s life.
We have more guest bloggers here through April 2nd and then I might be doing the transfer to the new website/blog. I’m not sure of the timing yet, but when I’m ready to schedule more guests, I’ll let you know.
I’ll be doing lots of reading now and have a list of movies to watch. And of course, I’m hoping for some writing time if I can sit up long enough. I’ll post here when I can.
If you have some great book recommendations or must-watch movies, let me know.
Thanks, Patricia. I’m reading an alternate history post-apocalyptic novel right now, so I’ll definitely need a light happy movie to follow.
Hi Joanne — Holy cow, I’m glad I didn’t do something like that to my foot. Isn’t it crazy that yours was such a big break and had no pain at first and mine was a teensy break and I couldn’t put my weight on it?
Glad to get a recommendation on a new Colorado author. I don’t know Colette but it sounds like I should. I’ll get “Jumped” right away. Thanks!
I’m so sorry this happened to you! I once broke my foot when my heel slipped to the side and fell out of my clog. It went off like a rifle shot and I felt very sick for a moment, but there was no pain at all. I walked around on it for a week before it started to hurt again. It turned out I’d pulverized the bone on the side of my foot by walking on the break.
So be glad you got treatment before you did further damage!
As for books, I’m reading “Untamed: The Wildest Woman in America and the Fight for Cumberland Island,” by Will Harlan. It’s one of those “truth is stranger than fiction” stories, and it’s told remarkably well.
If you’d like to try a new Colorado author, you would love my friend Colette Auclair’s books, published by Pocket in e-book. Start with “Jumped” and keep going. She’s one of the funniest, wittiest writers I know. We need to rope her into RMFW!
Egads, Pat! What terrible luck, and what a perfectly awful time to have it happen—away from home. Hope the healing goes much faster than you anticipate, and that you’ll enjoy all your fantastic reading opportunities! If you love romantic movies, get your hands on Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. One of my favorites!
Oh, Eileen, that sounds bad. I hope your therapy works wonders and gets you back on track in a hurry. Back and neck pain are the worst.
Allan — I know some people love to show those photos and lots of people like to look them. I cringe when I see them in the same way I cry when someone posts about putting their pet to sleep. I guess I can imagine the pain and suffering too well. And I’ve definitely stopped taking the bones for granted, as well as the joints, muscles, tendons, etc. The little devils cannot be trusted.
Margot, your words remind me of the hope I expressed before my trip that I would have safe and uneventful flights. I guess I should have added a wish for safe and uneventful travel through the airports. LOL
These things happen, especially as we get older. I’m currently battling compressed discs in my neck and lower back. Not sure I will survive the grueling physical therapy. The PT tells me he sees people who had their back go out from coughing or sneezing. It doesn’t take much! So sorry you’re having to go through this, Pat. Feel better soon.
Kay, I purchased a new lighter weight laptop in December, so that will be my workstation for a while.
Susan, I think it’s pretty strange too. O’Hare Airport often makes travelers angry and frustrated, but it doesn’t usually break a bone in the feet…at least as far as I know.
Thanks Kenn in Colorado (I also know a Ken in Colorado). I didn’t even know there was a sequel to Cannery Row, so I’m moving that one to the top of my list.
Oh, Pat! I am so sorry to hear about this!! How frustrating for you, and painful too! I wish you a very, very speedy and uneventful recovery. Rest up!
Sorry to hear about your foot problem. We take our bones for granted, don’t we, until they stop doing what they’re supposed to.
Your reference to not posting pictures made me laugh. A friend once regaled a party crowd with the x-ray of a fractured elbow held together with a screw. I don’t know, it was kind of interesting, in a weird way.
Hope you’re feeling better soon. All the best,
Allan
Sorry to hear about your problem. You’ve probably read every book I have and then several, but a couple of ideas: Many Steinbeck fans haven’t gotten around to the sequel to Cannery Row, “Sweet Thursday.” Very fun, and it’s Steinbeck, and therefore comfort reading. I just finished “Shakespeare by Another Name” which makes the persuasive case that the Bard was really Edward de Vere. If you love Shake, you might like that one. Otherwise, no. We enjoy a couple of British TV series, “Doc Martin” and “Larkrise to Candleford.” Both funny in that oddly literate British way and available via DVD or (maybe) streaming. Also kind of gotten into “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, an Australian series set in the 1920s. It streams on netflix. We’ve watched the first half dozen episodes and notice that it’s growing on us. Hope you feel better.
That’s a strange injury and wheelchairs and crutches are no fun. You’ll be well-trained for that knee surgery.
Hope you’re hobbling around on your feet sooner than later.
So keep the foot up and write. Laptops make it possible. 😉
I do have a huge TBR stack, LD, but am always looking to add more. I haven’t read J.D. Robb yet. Maybe now’s the time to start. And thanks for the Miss Pettigrew recommendation. I love Frances McDormand.
Alex — I think I was constructed with used parts, too, Alex, because some of my joints act way too old for my age. Thanks for mentioning The Princess Bride. That’s one I have not seen all the way through yet.
Thanks for warm wishes, Hilary. I’ll probably be blogging more as a result of this mishap. Watching TV gets boring in a hurry…
I’ve heard good things about The Nightingale, Madeline. I’m moving it to the top of my list.
Hi Karen — wow, 7 places in your ankle. That must have been a really horrid experience. I think I’ll be grateful it was just this one little foot bone. At least with the knee repairs, they want me up on my feet and moving, not stuck on my rear end.
Oh, and for a great movie – Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day staring Frances McDormand and Amy Adams. Very funny.
I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Hope you heal quickly.
But I know you have a TBR pile you’ve been dying to get into (don’t we all?) so know you have a great excuse.
I don’t know if you’ve read any of these but I love JD Robb’s In Death series (first one was Naked in Death). I highly recommend you read them in order if you can. The development of MC Eve Dallas and her friends from book to book is the best part of the series.
Oh, Patricia, so sorry. It is very hard to stay down when you’re recovering from something like this – believe me, I know. I fractured my ankle in 7 places one time and the recovery was long and hard. Here’s wishing you a speedy one. Then you can prepare for your OTHER surgery. Oh, the woes of aging. Take care.
Oh no! That sounds terrible! But you have such a positive, fighting spirit. Hang in there!
If you enjoy historical fiction, I would definitely recommend THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah. It might help sweep you away from your couch and/or wheelchair for a bit. 🙂
Oh Pat – that sounds really unfortunate and how very painful … I certainly hope you can get through these first few days til the cast gets put on.
I think healing is on the cards without too many worries re the blog but I’m sure you’ll take care of you … go well and I’ll be thinking of you … all the very best – Hilary
One of those weird things that happens when you get older – you injure yourself just by moving wrong.
Keep the foot propped up and let it heal.
I recommend watching The Princess Bride a few times. It will make you smile.