History - Part 2

So - I got my appointment at the Orthopedic Clinic the last week of July/first week of August. At that time I was told I had suffered a "Grade III Sprain" - the doc actually told me I would have been better off breaking it (and I did give him permission to break it for me!). He said these severe sprains often can take up to six months to heal.

Not news I wanted to hear with the County Fair almost upon us and another marching band season almost in full swing.

So - he put me back in an air casr - for another four weeks. Told me to go BACK on the crutches and be as non-weight bearing as I could for about the next two weeks and come back again if it wasn't better.

So - I played the good little patient and as much as I didn't like being non-weight bearing - I did my best. The county fair wasn't too bad - I sit alot anyway "protecting" our exhibits. But trying to navigate the fairground in crutches was pure danger. People just didn't care and more than once I got a crutch kicked out from under me. Thankfully I could stand so I didn't hit the ground.

I kept myself to "doctor's orders" and the ankle still hurt. I made a follow-up appointment.

While I waited for the follow-up appointment, I researched grade three ankle sprains, and found that much of the research called for total immobilization of the ankle for a period of time. This intrigued me since my ankle was never fully immobilized. I never felt that the air cast did enough to mobilie or support the ankle - there was still too much movement in it.

My appointment came and went. I got there and because it is a clinic situation, even if you have an appointment, you are seen on a first come, first seen basis. While I was in line to sign in, several people cut the line because they were on crutches or canes (I wasn't at this time)and so I sat for hours waiting to be seen. I finally gave up and went downstairs to the ER and begged for a cast. They told me I would have to wait for the orthopedic docs from the clinic to be finished and come down before that could even be considered. I have another university game to work and couldn't give that much more time to waiting for them. So the ER docs did another set of x-rays and gave me a new air cast and said - buh-bye.....

Pain in my ankle and a pain someplace else as well.....