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.....

History - Part One

I decided to start this blog in order to keep track of and share the "adventures" of an ankle sprain which becomes or develops into an OCD lesion. This has been a almost two year adventure for me so far - though as I understand from communicating with others - it can be much longer.

With that said, I figured the first thing I have to do is start a history of what has led up to the present day. I titled this as Part One only because I'm not sure how many parts it might take to actually get up to speed. I tend to be VERY verbose and detailed when I write - so this could take quite a few parts....

So - without further ado.....

It was June 30, 2008. Ashley (our youngest child) and I worked concessions at the university for a high school level special invite football game. (Our marching band program raises funds by working a concession booth at the stadium - so this is what we were doing). We were parked in a lot the the northwest of the stadium.

When we were finished at the stand, a bunch of us were allowed to leave the stand. Ashley and I walked back to the parking lot. When we had almost reached the lot, I stepped on the edge of a pot hole, lost my balance and fully wrenched my right ankle. I really did a number on it - not just twisting it, but also going over it sideways as well. Ashley had to help me walk back to the car it hurt so bad. We got home and I pulled out the ice pack, parked my behind on the couch and spent the night with ice on and off.

The next morning, it was no better, swollen and the bruising was starting to spread that I decided to go the the ER and get it checked out. For once, my husband didn't let me drive myself (should have hit me that it really DID look pretty bad for him to go that far) - so he drove me to the ER - and dropped me off. By the time he and the kids came to pick me up, I had been through X-Ray and the ER doc was just giving me the downlow...

The doc said I had sprained it - that was all. He gave me an air cast, a set of crutches and told me to stay off it for a few days and it should be better - but if not, follow up in two weeks with an orthopedist.

I played the good patient and stayed off it for about a week. Wore the air cast for another week while I limped around. At the end of two weeks, it was not much better so I opted to call for an orthopedic appointment.

Not having any insurance at the time made this a challenge - so I called the orthopedic clinic at the hospital. Silly me - I thought having been an ER patient I would be seen in a timely fashion. Couldn't get an appointment for another two weeks.