Can someone tell me what happens when you break your leg?

[BeerHunter]

My Mum has phoned me, to let me know that my brother has broken his leg. Apparently he has chipped the bone. A pin is being put in tomorrow. That is all we know at this point.

My brother has a lot of mental and physical problems. In part due to a failed suicide attempt. This is not helped by the fact that he also has diabetes. The reason we know so little at this point is because he lives in a residential unit under 24 hr supervision. They are dealing with the situation

Both my Mum and I are worrying a lot. He is in hospital at the moment, with 2 members of staff from the unit, who will be with him at all times.

Can anyone talk me through what is going to happen over the next few days? My main concern, is if he is going to have to have a G.A then will he have to be nil by mouth, (obviously not great with diabetes.) I would also like to be able to reassure my Mum a bit. He has been through so much, (is going blind, had part of foot removed due to gangrene, contracted MRSA, the list goes on.) Will we be able to go and visit him soon?

Sorry to hear this, it sounds so worrying for you all.

Usually when diabetic patients need a fa they are kept nil by mouth but have a glucose infusion set up plus an insulin infusion. Then regular blood sugars are taken and the insulin dose adjusted as needed, so control is pretty good.

I'd imagine your brother might need a plaster cast depending on where the fracture is. I guess visitors would be allowed once he's back on the ward, although it might depend on his mental state and how he is feeling.

Hope you get reassurance from the hospital soon and he makes a good recovery.

Do you know what ward he is on? You could ring the hospital and ask them what is happening, what treatment he will be receiving, and how he is, and say you are concerned because of his diabetes and other physical/mental difficulties. They will keep you up to date. (If you don't know the ward then ring the general switchboard and they should be able to find out for you). have the staff from the unit given you their numbers so you can keep in touch with them.

I'd also ask if there's anything you can take in for him to make him more confortable, if he went in as an emergency he may not have much stuff - toiletries etc.

I think if he is having a pin put in, he will certainly be having a GA, but as long as the hospital are aware of his diabetes, I would guess they will have him on nil by mouth for the minimum time required before they can operate.

Ask the hospital for visiting times, - there should be no reason at all why you can't visit as soon as you want to, unless he is actually in theatre at the time. If you feel that it would be in your brothers interests to have you or you mum with him to support him when he is waiting for his op. or when he comes round afterwards, then I would talk to the hospital about your concerns.

I hope you find out what is going on soon -it must be very worrying for you and your mum x

If he's having plates and/or pins put in, he will be put under GA. If he has swelling, they may wait until this has gone down, due to infection risk.

I've had pins and plates, and was off my feet for months. I broke my tib and fib, so my right leg was opened both sides to insert the pins and plates. I was on crutches, non weight bearing for about 3 months.

I have asthma, so the hospital was aware of this, and am sure your DBS diabetes will be taken very seriously.

Each operation is different. My df is in hospital ATM, and filling out forms, they ask about his mass of medication he's on, and there's things on forms asking about diabetic diets etc.

Definately ring the ward. We found the nurses very helpful with basic information, but couldn't divulge all the facts over the phone, so when we visited df, I could talk face to face with nurses to get all the information we needed.

hope he's better soon.

Thank you both so much for your replies. I am feeling very emotional at the moment and it's brought a little tear to my eye.

Matildathecat your post is very reassuring. Thank you.

KurriKurri Mum is on the case with trying to get in touch with the hospital and where he lives. Then hopefully we will get some more information.

I believe they are operating tomorrow. We are a couple of counties away and I am a single mum with a toddler, so no way we can get down tonight. Hoping for visiting hours tomorrow afternoon though.

It's good to know that he has staff with him and apparently they took his case file too. I'm thinking of they had time to get that, then they had time to gather up a few of his bits as well.

It was only a couple of months ago that he broke his arm. He has been through so much and he's only 33.

Oh bless you - it must be very hard. he is in the best place though and they will look after him, they will have given him something for the pain and to settle him down for the night, he's probably fast asleep now. Hopefully he'll have his op fairly early tomorrow so he's not waiting around for long.

Try to get a good night's sleep yourself, so you're not too shattered tomorrow x

You are right Long distance. They will be aware of his diabetes and will have protocol in place.

Why did I Google images of broken legs with pins in!

I am worrying that he will have to stay off his leg for a while and what that will mean for his circulation. I am sure he will be able to access some physio or something though.

KurriKurri I am taking your advice and taking myself off to bed, (when the football has finished.)

Bro's operation has been put on hold as they have found another break.

I'm so fucking worried about him. I know he will be distressed because he is out of his comfort zone.

The poor lad has 2 diagnosed mental illnesses, brain damage from his suicide attempt and that's on top of all the stuff mentioned before. I just want to give my big brother a hug.

And this was after being told this morning that it would be a straight forward op and he would be out the following day.

(Just putting things out here, don't want to add to the stress that my mum is already experiencing.

Oh no Beerhunter - I was just checking to see how things were going, -I'm so sorry it has all got more complicated.

Have you or your Mum been able to speak to the hospital, or have either of you been able to visit yet? Or maybe the hospital would let you speak to him on the phone?
I hope the hospital have at least got him on strong pain relief, and comfortable, and are being reassuring and making sure he understands what is happening.

Have they given you any indication of what they will be doing when they do operate - is it still a pin they willl be putting in?

I hope you get some better news tomorrow and things become a bit clearer - it must be very worrying and distressing for you and your Mum xx

Thanks for checking back.

Mum has spoken to him on the phone, (his speach isn't to sharp though, due to his brain injury.) She has also spoke with staff too. He is in a side room, due to the unusual circumstance.

He has got a few IV lines in. Insulin, pain relief and possibly antibiotics? I think the hospital are deciding what the next course of action will be, die to discovering the second break.

We decided that were going to go up tomorrow, as we couldn't be sure when he would be back up from surgery today. That went out of the window though.

Waiting to see what tomorrow brings!

How are things today Beerhunter - any progress on your brother's op?

He was finally operated on today. Has a combination of plates and pins in, ouch!

Went to visit him yesterday. He was a bit agitated but not too bad. Also going tomorrow. He will hopefully be getting discharged on Friday, with a wheelchair.

Feeling a lot better about it all, now he has had the op and come round okay.

Thank you for checking back.

Google limbo cast covers they will be the best £10-15 you will spend in the next few weeks. (I put casts on for a living)

So pleased he has had his op now Beerhunter - that will be a relief to you and your Mum. It sounds like a nasty break with plates and pins, but it's good he'll be getting out of hospital soon and back to a familiar environment. I wish him all the best for his recovery and hope he's back on his feet as soon as possible.