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I took a trip to the big city to see my kids for my 65th birthday and was having a great time. The day after I slipped on the curb walking my overwhelmed country dogs and heard a pop. I was wearing dumb slip on sketchers so I wouldn’t get my good walking shoes dirty. Thought I rolled my ankle but I broke my 5th metatarsal at the ankle bone, nice and clean, so no surgery. This is my first broken bone though, and I’m pretty cranky about my loss of mobility. I was in a weird place mentally before this happened, and now I’m just slogging through the next 8-12 weeks hoping I heal enough to get my old life of gardening and hiking back. I’m just feeling really unlucky lately, although I know how much worse things could be. Still, nothing is easy, and not having two functional feet is really not easy.

I am hating the boot, it is heavy and painful and is rubbing on the other bones in my foot, so I’m keeping it off as much as I can. I’m hoping my two bored Aussie doodles don’t jump on it or cause me to fall again. Who knew crutches hurt so much, or how much work it is to get around on a knee scooter. My arms and leg are all sore from the overcompensating and hopping about. I’m doing all the things now that I’m home, resting, elevating and icing. I can’t bear the slightest weight on it yet, but I was told not to try for weeks until the bone sets. I keep waiting for the ugly bruising and swelling to go away, but they are taking their time.

Anyway, if anyone wants to chime in with their broken bone or rolled ankle stories, or offer suggestions or just agree that this too sucks, I’m wide open. Doing nothing is hard work. Puzzles, word games, tv shows, reading, I’m trying to keep myself from going stir crazy in this forced slowdown.

Be careful out there, it’s the dumbest stuff that gets us sometimes.

Oh, man! I hope you heal quickly.

Not a broken bone per se, but I had attended an NFL football game this past September. Walking to catch the light rail, I tripped on some uneven pavement and BOOM! Bruised the knee pretty badly. I probably should have gone to the doctor but didn't. Nice bruising down the leg, swollen, etc.

Oh shoot! I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve done looong stints in the boot due to foot issues - months at a time.

I cannot recommend enough this contraption called an Even Up to wear on your other shoe. You can get it on Amazon. BEST THING EVER. It’s adjustable for height and made it so I could walk normally with the boot.

Also, tall, cushy socks and gold bond powder are your friends.

Get well soon!!

Bummer. Hope you are on the mend!!

Definitely use the knee scooter and try a walker M
instead of crutches. Crutches are for kids. Otherwise they are torture devices. It also may help to see a PT to show you some tricks on how to do things with just toe touch weight bearing. Boots are awful. Personally never had to have one but probably should have due to a severe ankle injury.
Maybe try some crochet and make an Afghan or something to show for your downtime.

That’s so unfair. I hope you heal quickly and well!

Hi all, and thanks for the sympathies and suggestions.

I bought myself a stool for rolling around the kitchen to give my knee a rest from the scooter. I’m super grateful my knee and hip bursitis aren’t more aggravated, but my bad shoulders are pissed. Tush nurse is right, the crutches are torture, it just takes a day to realize how sore I’ve made myself. I’m working on sitting more, but it’s not my best trick. No weight on the foot for another month at least. Also working on the positive thoughts and trying not to get too cranky. Not the Spring I had in mind!

Everyone stay careful out there!

What a terrible time for a gardener to be incapacitated! I’m so sorry! My recommendation is to flex your patience muscles and do what the doc says so that you don’t set yourself back. Focus on the lesson. Maybe it’s about patience?

I broke small bones in my feet twice, both times when I was doing inappropriate things in flip-flops. I’m probably the only 40-something ever with a somewhat serious tetherball injury. (The other was practicing soccer with my daughter.)

[This message edited by SacredSoul33 at 12:38 AM, Monday, March 31st]

Ugh I guess I have to have surgery since there is no signs of bone healing. I guess my age and osteopenia and the location of the break mean it’s not going to heal on its own. I’ll find out more next week. This is definitely not what I had in mind for this Spring. I’m working on patience for the process.

Stay safe out there!