Tips needed for managing alone with a broken ankle

[flyingant]

Hi, I recently fell and broke my ankle and will need surgery. I'm currently using crutches and I'm struggling living by myself. Luckily I'm working from home anyway, but I'm barely leaving my flat (at least there's no stairs to contend with) or seeing anyone, which is not great for me mentally, on top of the physical challenges.

I have a plastic leg cover so I can shower without getting it wet and I have a trolley on wheels being delivered to hopefully make it easier to move things around. I'm currently preparing food in a plastic lidded box so that I can put it in a bag round my neck to carry it from the kitchen to where I'm sitting.

Does anyone have any other useful tips to help make life easier please?

Similar to your food solution; I made coffee/tea in a flask at the start of the day and put it in a small rucksack to get to my seat, then poured it in a mug there.

Do you have a chair with wheels? Then you can shuffle with things in your lap.

Great suggestions. I'm sure I have a flask at the back of a cupboard somewhere (or I will order one!) and yes, I do have a chair on wheels. I'd tried it but didn't get on with it. I've just given it another go and lowered the seat and it's game-changer! Thanks.

have you seen knee scooters op? That's what a friend had after ankle surgery and it was great.

My aunt got one of those scooter things when she had her foot surgery and it made her life so much easier!

An insulated water bottle for cold drinks to go with a flask/ insulated coffee cup for hot drinks. If you kitchen is hard to get to or get arround get bottles of water delivered and move your kettle to your living room and get sachets of combined coffee / milk or whatever you like to drink uHT milk can also be helpful. Do you have an insulated lunch box/ ice packs, to take things from the fridge and keep them cold, buy ready meals to pop into the microwave rather than trying to cook, you can improve them by buying fruit / ready made salads. You will be exhausted just hopping around so you need to plan ahead to reduce your movement. Do you have joggers or other trousers that will fit over the cast or are you happy to be in dresses or skirts. My feet always get cold if I can’t wear socks and slippers so I would keep a cosy blanket handy to put over my legs and feet. Make sure you have plenty of painkillers ready you may need them. Do you have an extra pillow available to put under your legs in bed a cast can be heavy and awkward.
Showering may be difficult even with a plastic cover, I would get some dry shampoo ready in case I needed it.

Speaking of knee scooter, you can get something like this.

I was 12 weeks, living alone and not allowed to put my foot on the ground. My recommendation is the knee scooter. It's easy, stable, and supportive. The leg brace thing looks clever, but you need great balance and if you fall, on your own, you are screwed. With my scooter I could do everything I normally did. They can be bought or rented. I'd advise getting one a couple of weeks early to practice, and get it perfected before you have to use it.

Tie a carrier bag to the handle of one of your crutches to move things around.

Also, you can hire mobility equipment, such as maybe a walking frame with a tray, very cheaply from the Red Cross.

I feel for you op, I had to be non weight bearing on my broken ankle for12 weeks and although I wasn't single my dh worked 12 hour night shifts ... so it was pretty grim

Thanks again for all the great suggestions!