Hurt my ankle on holiday wwyd

[Ankleidiot]

I am in a very big EU city with my DC and I tripped over and have badly sprained my ankle. I am not letting my DC know quite how bad it is, but I heard a loud pop when I did it, it’s incredibly swollen and painful so I am prepared it’s a bad sprain that will take a while to heal.

I’ve been to a pharmacy and am treating it myself (RICE method) as best I can in a hotel. I don’t have long of my trip left so I can sort the longer term ankle situation out when I get home so I am trying to suck it up as unfortunate. I am insured but I do not want to ruin my DC’s trip by spending all day in a medical facility sorting out an ankle sprain, or not being able to get out and about anywhere on our last day. However I can’t walk very far. I don’t think going to get medical help will change that either, they are just going to tell me to rest it. Rock and hard place.

I have a metro card to get about. Any suggestions of how to enjoy a city break without being able to walk very much? 😞 Put it this way, until I hurt it we could easily walk more than 10 miles a day sightseeing, and we do not have the money left to get taxis everywhere. We have 8 hours between checking out of our hotel and our flight!

SHE IS NEURODIVERSE. I did say this in a post. She is anxious and not very confident

I am really trying to work out the right thing to do. As expected DD and I are making our way around places that aren’t able to help me! I am on my way to the bigger hospital

there is nothing more than meets the eye I’m not hiding anything. I fly home tonight and can go straight to A&E. But I am trying to get seen now

If its any help I didn't need to pay anything, my insurance company took care of everything. I emphasised my vulnerability, I couldn't get food and that i would be stuck in the event of a fire so I didn't let them pussy foot around. Good luck, it's a faff especially with the language barrier but if you have Google translate that can help. Good luck.

I’ve been waiting for an mri on my knee for 4 months, not nonsense when you can’t walk!!!

For info the rules for flying and casts can vary from airline to airline..partial C&P from the rules at one UK/European airline here:

“If you have a broken bone and a plaster cast fitted you cannot fly within:

• 24 hours if your planned flight is less than two hours
• 48 hours if your flight is longer than two hours”….

“If you have a bi-valved (split) cast, you can travel at any time post injury, provided the cast is split.”

Good luck @Ankleidiot , get better soon.

A mri is not an x-ray. It will be done the same day in A & E.

I am in the ER in Madrid (Jiménez Diaz) and I just had to pay €400 up front. DD is with me. Just been checked in. I will claim it back but lucky I did have it in savings

Ankleidiot so sorry you are going through this.

I did very similar and my foot looked like yours. It did eventually get better so hopefully it is a sprain. How is the hotel staff? Will they let you stay in your room or another quiet place until the flight? Fingers crossed they do!

Morning ☺️ you need to take a deep breath and get things into perspective.
. Your holiday hasn't been a disaster as this only happened in the last day.
. Do not spend your last day trying to be seen medically. It will be much easier to go to A&E tomorrow at home.
. Find something chilled and calming to do with the rest of your day. Bus top tour was a good plan.
. The more you stress the more stressed your daughter will be.
. Write a short list of things your grateful for, I know it sounds weird but trust me, it will help to get things in perspective and ground you.

@justletmegetmyglasses I mean this was my original intention/sentiment but then by the time I posted on mumsnet I was stressed and tossing and turning all night worrying about DVT and walking on a break, and needing surgery, so I’ve just paid €400 to sit in the ER in Spain.

Well technically you can, but medical advice is not to. The reason I know this is that I broke my ankle last year and had to postpone my holiday because of it. We flew when I was in a boot and had stopped the blood thinner jabs.

I would get it looked at if at all possible .I have had a bad ankle on and off and believe me if you can avoid it I would .If it is a sprain it will be fairly simple to diagnose anyway,You need to have it checked though to put your mind at rest

I know I am probably super sensitive and not at my best but I’ve sat here a few hours, had an xray, nothing is visibly broken on xray so I have been sent away with ibuprofen.

I have no boot, no crutches, can’t walk far and £400 down and in the same situation I knew I would be in, I could have done this at home! I’m not spending any more money and I think I will rely on my instincts in future

Okay. Well I guess you can't change that now, I hope you get seen soon and nothing is broken 💛

For the future, some cbt for yourself would be really helpful in managing your thinking patterns. I have some experience with this and it's helped a lot. My daughter has autism and ADHD and after years of anxiety and overwhelm I was diagnosed with ADHD at 49.

@justletmegetmyglasses no I am more annoyed with myself for not just going with my initial instincts and posting on here asking for suggestions. think it’s natural if 5 pages of people are telling you to go to hospital that that’s maybe what I should do and going to worry you. I don’t need CBT but thanks

Just seen this, glad it's not broken. Don't dwell on the £400, it's done now, just chalk it up to experience. And don't ask MN for advice as people will always want to exaggerate for the drama.😜 Try and chill out before your flight 💛

Have you called your airline and booked assistance at the airport? Strongly recommend you do this.

They will help you from check in, through security to the plane and then at the other end from the plane to your onward transport

It might be worth trying to find a chemist that can sell you some better strapping and a cane.

The Prado Museum will loan you a wheelchair (ask at the cloakroom): https://www.museodelprado.es/en/visit/accessible-visit

It has a cafe and restaurant if you get hungry.

(Had to deal with a broken ankle myself on Isle of Wight many years ago).

Also in a major european city where the waits show that it is very much not a uk thing 🥲

Def try to get assistance at the airport(s), and take regular pain relief today, in preparation for the flight.
Can you contact GP to arrange to be seen as a priority on your return? Good luck!

I feel for you OP, as the veteran of many ankle injuries- though none abroad.

Don't be hard on yourself for asking advice. You were in a vulnerable position.

The crack you heard was in all likelihood the tendon in your foot snapping.

Dose yourself up on painkillers unless contra-indicated and try to get mobility support at both ends of flight.

All the best.

Oh you poor thing. What a thing to happen. I perfectly understand where you're coming from. I have ND sister and she would be just the same. Get me home now. No nuance. I hope you get some help. Probably will get a boot to wear home and then go to fracture clinic or similar when back.

I am going to minor injuries tomorrow for another opinion as yes, I agree I have done something to ligaments or tendons so would appreciate opinion on how serious it is. I also have had exams by them before and it’s more comprehensive than what I had today.

I don’t know who I saw in hospital here, if they were a doctor they did not tell me. They looked about 20, poked my foot a little bit with their finger and took an xray then told me in the corridor ‘nothing broken’ and handed me a prescription for an anti inflammatory but there was a language barrier so not like I was able to ask more questions. I don’t have the X-rays or anything. I have the invoice so I can claim.

I’ve spent today walking for 5, sitting for 5 or in a cafe. I don’t really want to spend more money on a tour bus now I’m wiped out.

I have a compression/support thing on already.

Phone the airline if you can explain your circumstances and they might offer you some assistance at the airport, getting on the flight??

If you read the thread - I did! I listened to everyone that it would help and it did not.

It cost me €400 and nothing was broken, I just spent all that money and time for no reason I am in the same position as I was when I originally posted apart from I spent all the money and time of our last day, and the trip was still shit and I have no diagnosis and no treatment.