broken tibia and fibia and now freaking out---any good stories???

[Krischaser]

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[MomRN]

I am an RN on an ortho floor. A lot of it is the surgeon and their technique. I've seen broken tib/fibs go home the day after surgery with relatively no complications and moderate pain relief, and others have a 3-5 day stay where we couldn't get enough pain meds in. Unfortunately, most people with breaks get the luck of the doctor on call.

I always suggest 3 pillow elevation and frozen peas for swelling at home.

Also, and this is very important, especially the first week.... don't try and be a hero. If you start to feel aching and it's time for pain meds, take the pain meds. After you get to a certain intensity of pain it is very difficult to bring it back down. It easier to stay on top of it than chase it down.

Be careful for infection. Keep the area around your leg clean, clean, clean. Wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer frequently. Infection is the #1 complication I see that causes major complications.

Good luck to you and your healing!

 

[Junebugwv]

My DS12 broke his tib-fib in a skiing accident one year ago. Long, painful recovery for him with 10 weeks of no weight-bearing. He limped badly for a few months, but his ortho said he doesn't order therapy for kids his age. We bought him a ripstick and after a week of using that, his limp went away. He has been fine ever since and has enjoyed skiing quite a few times this winter.

 

[PatsMom]

Like you, I fell on my stairs and had a fracture of both the tibia and fibula. They were bad breaks with the bone shattering. I had about four hours of surgery to piece everything back together. I was fortunate that I had an excellent surgeon. He is one of the doctor's for the US Ski Team. It was just good luck that he got called. The emergency room doctor asked if we had a choice of surgeon and my husband asked him to contact whoever he would call if it was his wife with the broken leg.

I wasn't in the hospital long. Went in Saturday night, surgery on Sunday, home on Monday. I hate hospitals. The nurses were somewhat surprised that I was willing to give up the morphine pump and go to oral meds but I did OK. As someone said, don't be a hero. Use your pain medication. I had two cast changes before the staples came out. Still pretty swollen at that point. It was worse than giving birth! My husband had to literally hold me down while they took the staples out.

I was several weeks in a long cast, then in a walking boot. I was non-weight bearing for about two months. Physical therapy for quite a while afterwards. I still have swelling and the ankle is obviously not normal. I never had the pins and plate taken out because I haven't had time for my right leg to be out of commission. I have some issues still with swelling and I have arthritis in the joint. But I have osteoarthritis in lots of other joints too so the doctor said he would be mure surprised if I didn't have arthritis.

I was walking around Disney within a year. Never used an ECV. I walk a few miles a day now and I am in training for the 3 Day Breast Cancer walk this summer. Sometimes I wear a brace on the ankle. And I have learned not to take my shoes off until I am done for the day because the ankle and foot will swell almost immediately.

Everyone is different so no telling how you will do. Get help with the baby! If you are non-weight bearing it will be almost impossible to take care of her. There are some things you can't do that you don't think of until you are trying to do them. Like carrying a cup of coffee - it can't be done. Some things you can put in a pocket. I also had a cell phone that I attached to my crutch so that if I fell when I was home alone I could call for help if necessary. That was my husband's idea because he is a worry wart.

I learned something very important about Christmas that year. I fell on December 14 and basically anyone who's present wasn't bought before that time got an IOU. And no one was upset. So I learned that it wasn't the end of the world if you don't have the perfect present for everyone. Just give them a card and your best wishes!