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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I have broken my leg

116 replies

littlebird55 · 29/12/2017 19:02

I have two young dc. My dh is working non stop and my nearest family member is nearly 200 miles away. All my lovely friends are away or visiting other family or sick. Literally no one is around to help me even a little bit.

I was doing okay up until this afternoon, I have been stuck inside this house for a week now and feeling the cabin fever. I have used up every last craft idea, movie idea and now I am just crying. I am in pain, I am tired as I can't sleep. We are snowed in and I don't think I can take much more.

Do you have ideas at all how I can get through this?
I am too scared to go out in the ice and snow with my leg in full plaster and crutches. I am trying to be positive but I have hit such a low, I don't think I can carry on with getting through the day much less another five weeks of this.

OP posts:
bluebottlebubble · 29/12/2017 21:58

Re pain, are you taking enough painkillers. Otherwise I would try and get kids friends to have them over and enjoy some Netflix or similar yourself, with foot up. It is ok to all be bored for a while.

rainbowduck · 29/12/2017 22:02

Oh no! This happened to me (I was pregnant, 1,000 miles from my family and had fallen out with the mums at school).

I am so sorry.

Netflix was my saviour...

littlebird55 · 29/12/2017 22:48

Thank you everyone. All the best to those in the same position (we have lots of ideas!) and to those with surgery planned good luck.

Really feel much happier now and the snow looks like it might even be thawing! A gasp of outdoor air will be bliss. Happy new year Flowers

OP posts:
mishfish · 29/12/2017 22:54

Oh OP.

I’ll be having surgery on my leg next week and of off it for a while. We can be bed bound buddies!

I hope it gets easier for you soon Flowers

MyDcAreMarvel · 29/12/2017 23:03

Homestart is only for people with young dc. It's not last minute either.

MountainDweller · 29/12/2017 23:31

I've had 3 big ankle surgeries and found the recovery hard - especially the first one which was much more serious than anticipated and left me non-weight-bearing for 6 weeks instead of the expected 2 weeks weight-bearing-as-tolerated. So I feel your pain!

Definitely hire a wheelchair. Use around house and DH can take you out at the weekend or when he's not at work. If only lower leg is in plaster a walker is good too - rest bad leg on knee on seat, easier than crutches.

Cinema is a good way to get out of the house - you can get a wheelchair space. We saw a lot of films during my recoveries!

Put your leg up as high as possible as much as possible. Lie sideways on the sofa and put it up on the back if you can. Will help with pain and swelling.

If just lower leg in plaster, an ice pack under knee can help. Or a really big one over the cast.

Ask to try different painkillers. I'm really woozy on codeine but fine on tramadol and oxycodone which are technically stronger, though it depends on dose. So people react differently to different drugs.

An office style chair on wheels is good for scooting round the kitchen if no space for wheelchair or until you get one,

Get DH to make a flask of tea/coffee in the morning and leave near where you sit.

A crossbody bag is good for carrying small stuff around.

Get a cast cover so you can have a proper shower. And a shower stool, and a second one to prop your leg on it room. I actually used a garden chair as we have a wet room.

Remember this is temporary!

Apologies for repetition of previous posts, I have read but have goldfish memory!

AdaColeman · 30/12/2017 15:14

How are you doing today littlebird? Are you feeling a bit more positive? I do hope so. Thanks

dorislessingscat · 30/12/2017 15:24

At 11 and 8 your kids should have some self sufficiency. You shouldn't have to amuse them constantly.

Your DH needs to take over all housework.

Best of luck for your recovery Thanks

Couchpotato3 · 30/12/2017 15:26

I found my "grabby stick" brilliantly useful when I was laid up with a broken ankle - you know those things with a squeeze handle that pick things up at arms length? I still use it now quite a lot Blush

RestingBitchFaced · 30/12/2017 15:27

Haven't read the whole thread but been in a similar position. Firstly try and arrange some different painkillers if the ones you are given are making you feel sick, and don't take them on an empty stomach. Call any family or friends to come round to keep you company, or take the children for a few hours on a play date. Also children are old enough to help with basic chores etc, so get them doing more to help. Hope you feel better soon

Loadedllama · 30/12/2017 15:31

You poor thing. I’m in west yorks. If you are anywhere near I’d gladly help out with cooking, cleaning shopping etc.

JacquesHammer · 30/12/2017 15:32

I'm a single parent and came out of 8 weeks in cast/crutches just before Xmas.

My 11 was amazing. Washing/loading dryer, carrying it up and I put away, helping cook. We made it fun by doing it together.

I think you just have to get on with it really but I certainly wouldn't expect to have to bribe an 11 year old to help around the house

kaytee87 · 30/12/2017 15:37

Oh op it sucks doesn't it. I've broken my ankle on both sides and fibula bone further up. Am almost 5 weeks post op (plates and screws), still in cast but hope to go into an airboot. My ds is just 17 months and hasn't slept well the past 5 weeks so I'm permanently exhausted whilst trying to recover, then when he's sleeping I'm too uncomfy to sleep!
I do have a lot of help with Mum, MIL and DH has been off for Christmas but I've still found myself getting quite depressed having to rely on everyone else and my house is never how I want it Sad
Could you give your kids a list of small jobs to do each day to help out (even if you have to bribe them)?
Buy a limbo cast, they're great. Get it from their actual site so you know you're getting the right size.
DM if you fancy a chat.

RB68 · 30/12/2017 15:39

Not being funny but an 11 yr old shld be able to make a simple meal and a cup of tea. If not maybe make that a mission to teach the kids some simple cooking.

Meals my 12 yr old can do

Baked potato beans and cheese
Sandwiches
Pancakes (still getting the hang of swirling the pan but pretty much there)
Bake cakes
scrambled egg on toast or beans (microwave heating)
Soup

Other amusing ideas

Treasure hunt - you write the clues and if you can hide them or get hubby to, you may need different levels of clues)

Fill a mini box - we used to use match boxes but the idea was to find minute things to fit in the box and see who could get the most - no more than 3 the same (e.g. beads)

Reading out loud to each other - schools encourage this to give kids confidence in reading things - do the voices and everything!!!

Get them to do do pictures for thank you notes to rellies

Find some worksheeets online for them - maths etc

Teach them to clean - wiping down, sweeping or polishing rather than loo cleaning etc

dig out some old favourite films and do a quiz afterwards

Some things you are going to have to let go in terms of what is and isn't done around the house. Hubby doesn't have alot of time at home and rather than asking him to take time off ask if he can start a bit later or finish earlier to take some of the pressure off you. Do the kids have friends they could do play dates with - this last week of school hols can be a bit tedious broken leg or not and other parents may be able to take one or other of them off your hands for a few hrs.

Etymology23 · 30/12/2017 15:43

If you're rural can you send the kids out in the snow to have fun and wear themselves out? I built an igloo when I was a little older than 11 using an old walls ice cream tub as a mould and I'm still proud of it now!

Keeping my fingers crossed for the thaw though!

slimyslitheryslug · 30/12/2017 15:48

Does your school have class FB pages or something similar? Put a shout out on there. In this sort of situation, I'd be happy to have someone's DC's for the afternoon or take them out somewhere even if they weren't particularly good friends of my DC or I didn't know the parent that well.
How "old" are the neighbours? Are we talking frail and infirm so risky to ask them to come over or that they just happen to be 20 or so years older than you?
I do live in fear of breaking a limb and being housebound.

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