OH has fell down the stairs

[comeoneileenn]

Just moved into our new house today and OH has just gone and fell down the stairs the ambulance has just taken him to hospital.

I've got a job interview tomorrow and everything is still in boxes.

How bad are broken ankles will he still be able to look after the kids while I go?

Bummer, OP. There's probably a Mumsnetter who'll help you out but maybe you don't want to say where you live?

Btw I just told DP about the poster's comment "When I broke my foot in several places I hopped on the other one until I got to the hospital" and he's still laughing.

my husband has done this.. twice. the first time was super bad he couldn't put any weight on it for nearly 4 months in the end! the second time it was around a month, so basically its like having another child for a period of time because they cant carry anything for themselves. my husband was dispatched with nothing but paracetamol so i doubt he will be off his head on pain killers as someone mentioned, but he wont be much use help wise if he is non weight bearing

Can't understand why they wouldn't do an X-ray because it was too swollen, that makes no sense. Swelling doesn't effect the image quality whatsoever. Hope he's ok.

When I broke my ankle, I simply walked on my hands to the hospital. They said it was an excellent form of resistance training which would strengthen my arms against future injuries. Of course, if I break my arms I’ll just walk on my feet again.
At least I’ve got options.

@comeoneileenn

Sorry guys rough night last night he rang me at 2:30 to go pick him up. He has to go back today as they couldn't do the x-ray as it's to swollen so he has a splint and crutches.

Don't know how I'm going to manage I've got boxes of clothes everywhere the new drawers aren't up or the dining table. Our family are an hour away and MIIL won't go on the motorway so we're fucked.

Well it seems you'll have to postpone the interview. Can you bring him plus kids to MIL for the weekend and get some friends in to help you unpack?

Did you really get two toddlers out of bed at 2.30 to collect him, op? That was one time he could have gotten a taxi??

It depends on the fracture and what has to be done to mend it.

My sister needed her lower-leg bones and ankle set - all done under nerve-block and she was active soon after.

I had my re-set done under local (just ankle and heel), in a fracture boot, and needed to care for some others soon after (albeit, not lively, very young children). That said, I had also strained and sprained the ankle as well (wasn't just the fractures).

So, a lot depends on the nature of the fracture/s and other injuries.

Crap timing OP.
Hope you get things sorted.

Some of these responses are painful remainders that even obnoxious twats are allowed an MN account 🙄

Broken ankles are incredibly painful - I broke mine when I cam off a motorbike nearly half a century ago. I was in plaster with splints for what seemed like forever, but I can't recall how long it actually was, I'm afraid - as I was only early 20's I expect I healed more quickly than your average ankle-breaker.

How old are your children?

Well done TheNewLook I broke both arms and both legs and I simply rolled all the way to the hospital.

Sorry to hear this is happening OP. I agree that you should ignore the boxes for now. Hope you’re able to get someone to help with the children or rearrange the interview. 💐

The biggest issue is getting the kids on and off the toilet and nappy changes if the 2 year old is still in nappies. How do you hold crutches and lift a toddler at the same time?

Sitting on the couch with Cbeebies is fine the issue is kids that age need physical care.

what do people do when theyre single though-my friend broke her arm had to look after her baby alone-we were all to far away to help

@GabsAlot

what do people do when theyre single though-my friend broke her arm had to look after her baby alone-we were all to far away to help

The difference between a broken arm and ankle is broken arm puts one limb out of action. Broken leg ties up your hands with crutches too. Even making a coffee is a struggle. How do you get it from the worktop to your seat?

Totally depends on how your kids are will they sit and watch a film, and how oh feels
I would get back up just incase
I broke my foot ( not the same o know ) but was in a boot and on crutches and couldn't weight bare when dc were 4 and 6 and managed but they were older 2 and 3 needs a lot more quick reactions etc

@GabsAlot yes exactly, lots of people seem to not be able to manage but if you have to you do. My best friends broke her ankle and badly damaged the ligaments. It wasn't just a straightforward fracture. The next day I was able to come and collect her as she urgently needed to get in to town (lived rurally) however I had to leave after that because I needed to collect my own dc and we don't live in the same area. She was left to look after her toddler, 5 dogs and 4 horses. She did it because she had to. There wasn't another option. I'm certain a couple of hours would be manageable.

The biggest issue is getting the kids on and off the toilet and nappy changes if the 2 year old is still in nappies. How do you hold crutches and lift a toddler at the same time?*

Sit on the sofa and do it there?

'Not as odd as an ambulance for a broken ankle.'

I don't think people realise that a broken ankle usually means a break to the lower end of a leg bone. When my OH did this he was told that a broken femur was easier to fix. He need up with 2 metal plates to repair and was on crutches for weeks.

People do know that a broken bone can cause internal bleeding right?

100% isnt wasting Ambulance’s time...

I'm sure it's too late for this to be helpful, but could you could get a babysitter for the interview? Sitters.co.uk for instance?

Are you in a completely new area where you know nobody who could take the kids for the time you'll be at the interview?

At the risk of coming off as an unfeeling bitch, my inclination would be to prioritise the interview above all else, and avoid doing or saying anything (i.e. postponing because of a family emergency) that would prejudice them against you before you've even had the interview.

Your DH can presumably get to the hospital in a taxi and handle himself on his own at this point, right? My Dad broke his ankle and went in in a taxi the next day to be patched up and was in and out fairly quickly. I went along because it was his first time using a British hospital, but apart from having someone to talk to on the (very short) wait, I wasn't needed at all.

The biggest issue is getting the kids on and off the toilet and nappy changes if the 2 year old is still in nappies. How do you hold crutches and lift a toddler at the same time?

Am confident that if a woman had broken her ankle, men on a men's chat website wouldn't be agonising over how she would manage to change nappies while her husband was at a job interview. If this job is necessary for their family finances, and they can't get childcare, I think he just has to cope for a couple of hours. Just because it's a supermarket job and not an interview to be Financial Director at Lloyds Bank doesn't make the interview disposable.

yes i get an ankle is different but she still struggled-im sure he'll cope for a couple oif hours its not forever

It's what ambulances are for. Very silly to say otherwise. Probably only joking, I expect.

I am having such a laugh here at the idea that OP's DP should have hobbled to hospital after FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS. It shouldn't be funny, but it's just so ridiculous. The only reason he knew it was 'just' a broken ankle was because a paramedic arrived in an ambulance and established it. Otherwise he would have had no way of knowing the extent of his injuries. A friend of mine was in hospital for weeks after falling off a chair she was standing on.

I think you will have to make alternative arrangements, OP, with regard to your interview. Your DP will be in no fit state to supervise children that young. It would be different if they were older. What a horrible thing to happen and the timing couldn't have been worse. Hope your DP is up and about soon.

Your not fucked you are just in for a difficult couple of days.

Postpone interview.

Take him back to hospital later you won't be allowed in anyway so leave him there.

Come home via shop to buy toddler distracting snacks. Stick tiny ones in front of t.v and get on with all and any unpacking jobs you can.

Boxes can stay unpacked for a couple of days and you are capable of putting a set of drawers together yourself.

You will manage.

I think I'd ask MIL (or a helpful family member who isn't working) if she'd be willing to come and stay for a few days, even if I had to go and collect her myself.

Two hours driving with the toddlers in car seats is a trade-off I'd make, especially if DH ends up having to stay in hospital.

@Prettybluepigeons

Bedpans

I read the beans and bed baths and that made me laugh!