to need a survival guide for DH's broken leg incident??

[SpareRoomSleeper]

DH has broken his tibia bone on his right leg, and has just come home from a week in hospital. He had an operation on the leg, where a metal rod and screws were inserted into the leg to give support to the bone. So as injuries go, it is painful and he is very very dependent on me at the mo. He's using a zimmer frame to walk afew steps to exercise, but at the moment its a big challenge for him as op was only done 3 days ago.

Anyway!

I just know that he is going to drive me bonkers sat on the sofa all day. I already told him earlier, (rather harshly) that he'd only had a leg injury, not a brain injury. ...

So ladies, am I being unreasonable to ask for some tips and advice on how to "manage" this situation over the next couple of weeks? Because DH takes ALOT of looking after. And I have a DD (2) (who has been taken out for the day by his parents)....

Those who think he should be seeing to his own needs, have any of you ever tried to make even a cup of tea balanced on one leg? Let alone tried making a sandwich!
I was on crutches for 6 weeks after breaking my foot, and after 2 days of trying to look after myself my hands shoulders and arms hurt more than my bloody foot! My hands were blistered and bruised and it felt like my arms had been through a mangle. I was a fit and active 35 year old at the time.
I needed help with food and drink, and with getting up and down stairs even though I did this sitting on my bum, I couldn't get from that to standing at the top and my cast was only to the knee.
Op, I agree give him the telly remote etc, make his cups of tea for him, carry food to where he can comfortably sit and eat it, and help him if he asks. Of course if he is taking the piss pull him up about it, but remember he is in pain, helpless when he is used to fending for himself and probably bored out of his mind and pissed off to boot. Actually, the duck tape might not be such a bad thing! No reason why he can't chop veggies, and keep an eye on the kids though, or anything else he can do sitting down.

Before I start, yes I have been NWB myself, it is hard work.
However, you do not need 'looking after', a bit of help yes. Don't pander too much to your DH would be my advice especiallyvas you say he needs a lot of looking after.
From what you've said, he's got another leg and two arms.
Sorry you're having a difficult time.

DH has gone to his parents, and so has DD...BIL came and packed them off into the car...Yeeeeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Ive got tonnes of stuff to do, because we're getting some work done upstairs in DD's bedrooms and I have to shift her stuff out (and there is LOTS of it), but oh the glory and bliss of being able to do it in silence

brightair...His leg isnt in plaster, it was initially put in plaster but then was taken out because its badly swollen.

Oh, and somebody else tipped me about going up the stairs on the bum (thank you SO MUCH whoever that was!), which he did last night, but what I wanted to ask was, how did you manage standing up at the last step? DH kind of dragged himself up by holding the banister but putting pressure on the bad leg was unavoidable and he was in pain after wards because of it. (but glad he could sleep in the bed).

< pops head back in >

SRS...put a chair or sturdy stool at the top of the stairs so he can get "halfway up" first instead of having to haul himself completely upright

have a look here

I never thought of that.

Thanks for that AF.

I am full of handy practical tips like that

Well if you had read into my initial post you would have seen that ^practical^ was exactly what I was after ...but never mind, you did me proud in the end, our lass have a on me

Okay-so a friend of mine had a bad break of her leg requiring surgery. She had a two year old at the time and with a perch stool in the kitchen and a loo surround, she managed to look after the toddler, including attending toddler groups and getting her to and from Pre school towards the end. Her parents helped one day a week and friend had toddler another day, but she did meals, and bedtime when her dh was at work. All this was very difficult and she couldn't have crutches because of balance issues. I would say that past first week or so, your dh could very well make cups of tea (might have to put in a flask to carry) and drinks are easy with a bottle. It will be very difficult but there is no reason why you should be dealing with an invalid for the duration of healing. Not to say that you should take his efforts lightly or not congratulate him for coping. But he will be able to. And don't underestimate how hard it will be for you either.

Ah, but my initial advice was entirely practical, and in your best interests

I think it came a few days too early for you, however, and your later posts with more detail sound like you have had a horrendous time, tbh. Always worse when people get injured when not in their own local area etc

No matter, this is delicious...have you any HobNobs to go with it ?

hormoneoverload...your friend sounds like a brave lady! And yep, it ^is hard for me, I didn't realise how hard it would be in fact. DH isn't the type to sit around on his arse either (just awkard in other ways at times; recovering(?) OCD clean freak, drove the nurses crazy buzzing them to come and wipe his table down^ every time someone brought him something at the hospital), but surprisingly, he's been very "good" at home so far . Been reading to DD and drawing with her on the sofa, and got up and around today in the kitchen taking meds (and wiping the worktops with one had on the zimmer, of course )

AF, no but DH has have loads of chocolate boxes....

yummy

You have my greatest sympathy - as does your DH. My DH is 9 weeks post-operative (two knee ligaments replaced involving plates, screws and re-using part of hamstring), and I'm still shell-shocked at how painful and debilitating this has been.

Only just gone back to sleeping in the marital bed as DH has been getting up in the night, the pain was so severe and he'd either read for a few hours or need to stretch out completely.

Luckily I'm an SAHM and we don't have any babies or toddlers needing care, but it's occurred to me more than once that if I did work DH would have been really stuck - I guess we'd have had to get his dad, who lives half an hour's drive away, to come over daily.

Haven't read the whole thread but it sounds as if you've had lots of practical advice. The 'seeing to' does wear a bit thin, also the enforced staying in, and having to move at a snail's pace when we do go out. DH has just started to be able to make the odd tea or coffee, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate having a hot drink handed to me that's been made by someone else!

I hope it heals soon.