Fractured my foot

[Scaredofmyownshadow]

On Tuesday I fell down 15 stairs, I fractured my foot and am bruised from top to to and ache in places I never thought I could.
They put a back slab on, gave me crutches and told me to come back the next day to the fracture clinic
They put a lightweight plaster on and it's to stay on for 4 weeks, ended up back at the clinic last night for them to loosen the plaster as I was panicking about the tightness .
I'm really struggling to get about, I have crutches and a zimmer frame and I'm really struggling, I hate feeling so helpless, I don't have the energy for all this.
I have to go out tomorrow and even now I'm struggling to breath.
My kids have been great but they are exhausted as well and between trying to help me and do their homework there isn't a lot of time for them and I feel so crap over it all
I don't know how to make things easier for us all or the kids mainly.

Are you on your own dealing with all this?

It's onlt for four weeks. Get DP and the kids to look after you and take it easy. Let housework go, eat take away and make life easy for or a while.

Poor you.mdo you have adequate pain killers? Bad bruising can be really painful as well as the fracture.

How old are your DC? You don't mention a DP so will assume it's you and the DC.

Firstly,mthey CAN help you.mthats what families do. Sit and write a really simple meal plan that can be prepared with hardly any effort and sitting down. Then do an online shop and include all the household stuff.

Make a list of essential household jobs, daily, weekly etc and sit as a family and divy them up. Some things can slide, some not so much. The DC might moan but hey ho.

Hopefully you will get some offers of help which you MUST accept. Any friend will be happy to shove in laundry,mdo some ironing while chatting to you, run the Hoover round, help with school runs. Otherwise ask around for a local cleaner for a few weeks. No lots of people will make vague offers, ask them what they can actually do. Get organised and it feels much less overwhelming.

Then settle in and stop fretting. Box sets, mumsnet, admin chores and loads more can might get done. I know how hard it is but honestly you need to rest and allow your poor body to heal.

Take care.

Can they swap the plaster for one of those boots that you can walk on or is the break somewhere which means they can't do that? Being able to walk on it would help loads and make everything less of a struggle.

Do you have friends, family, partner who can help out a bit? Even simple things like picking up some shopping for you or giving you a lift or having the kids for a few hours after school?

One thing that meant a lot when I broke my ankle was something as simple as a friend picking me up in their car and taking me for a coffee. Just escaping home and getting out to do something that wasn't an enormous physical struggle really lifted my spirits.

Like Matilda said, some things can slide - the world won't stop turning if the floors aren't hoovered or the DC's uniform isn't ironed (or if they're old enough let them try and iron their own clothes), nobody's health will suffer if you temporarily eat "bung in the oven" food or phone for a takeaway.

My kids are 15, 17 and 21 but the 21 yr old doesn't live at home anymore, no partner.
They mentioned the boot at A & E but I've not to put any weight on it and it wouldn't give me much support.
I don't have any family that can help, my friend has been good, I just struggle with accepting help.

I have had to sleep on the couch, mainly because my bathroom is downstairs, but I can't manage the stairs yet. The nurse at the clinic said I had to go upstairs, but I really can't, apart from even looking at them brings me out in a cold sweat and panic.

You poor thing.

K9 orthopaedic scooters are great for below the knee injuries. Google it - some companies rent them.

Ring your local council - in our area we have community rehab teams - physios can help you with the stair climbing, OT's can look at any equipment that might help - commode for upstairs, perching stool for in the kitchen etc and can even provide carers if you need help to shower etc.

Please do accept any offers of help from friends, and get your kids doing a bit more than usual. At their ages, they should be able to empathise and understand that it's not going to be forever.

You have to push aside the fact you struggle to accept help and just say "Yes Please". Nobody will think any less of you.

Thanks, I will look into these things,
Kids have been good, I'm just trying not to lose it with everything and everyone

It is frustrating suddenly losing your independence, freedom and mobility like that.

Thinking back I'm pretty sure that I had a teary and emotional day 2 days after breaking my ankle. I think it was the sudden realisation that I had 4-5 weeks ahead of being in plaster, on crutches and sod all chance of "normal" life.

After that it wasn't that bad though, honestly. You do build up your confidence using the crutches and going up/down stairs.

Well the stairs you go up and down on your bum. You get the hang of it.

This time next week you'll be able to weight bear on your cast probably. Atm though you really should keep it elevated even in bed as much as possible.

Your kids are old enough to take the weight of the house for the minute.

I'm really struggling with this plaster.
I can kind of get about although not the stairs yet and I still need someone with me when I've had to go out to appointments but the feeling of the plaster makes me feel like I'm suffocating, it feels really tight even though they split the plaster a few days ago and I can't breath.
It's making me panic, I'm trying my best not to rip it off.
I don't know how to do this.

Can you wriggle your toes and feel them like normal? Are they warm and pink, and if you squeeze them does the blood come back within a couple of seconds?
If so then the plaster's not too tight. If not then it would be a good plan to get to a+e for it to be reviewed.
Xxx