I'm glad you were finally able to find a doctor to help you! I also was turned away by several b/c they were unsure about what to do with me. They all told me to go back to the original doctor who performed my first reconstructive surgery a decade ago, but he had moved and opened a new practice two states away. Finally, a bright young doctor who is an expert in ankle surgery agreed to help me.
About the external fixator - I wore one for four months as well after my first surgery (the one referred to above). I was in a horrible head on collision and I broke every single bone in my ankle, many were actually shattered & had a dislocation as well. I was told I faced amputation due to the extent of my injury & loss of blood flow, but my surgeon was able to save it in surgery & I left with an external stabilizer. It took quite a lot of getting used to! I do have a few tips. Find a place to lie down or sit with your leg elevated to prevent the swelling. Try to get it as high as you can. Keep your pin sites very clean. I had to clean them quite often. You don't want any infection to set in. Be very, very, very careful when walking around. You don't want to stumble or fall and put weight on it. Use a wheelchair as much as possible. I had a wheelchair in my kitchen just for fixing food b/c I was afraid I would stumble. I was lucky enough to have someone who was able to stay with me at all times, so I didn't have to walk on crutches too much. Another tip: find a small cushioned stool to have near the toilet so you can prop your leg up. Non-weight bearing means NOTHING, not even resting it on the floor. I found a way to shower with a plastic bag draped over my pin sites and my entire leg outside of the shower on a stool with a towel wrapped around my leg above the knee, and the shower curtain draped over. I had a hand held shower nozzle put in so I could still shower. I had to clean my leg (the part that I could not wash) outside of the shower. It was tough, but I got through it. Good luck with everything and keep us updated!!!
- Jessica
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I'm glad you were finally able to find a doctor to help you! I also was turned away by several b/c they were unsure about what to do with me. They all told me to go back to the original doctor who performed my first reconstructive surgery a decade ago, but he had moved and opened a new practice two states away. Finally, a bright young doctor who is an expert in ankle surgery agreed to help me.
February 6, 2012 - 6:52pmAbout the external fixator - I wore one for four months as well after my first surgery (the one referred to above). I was in a horrible head on collision and I broke every single bone in my ankle, many were actually shattered & had a dislocation as well. I was told I faced amputation due to the extent of my injury & loss of blood flow, but my surgeon was able to save it in surgery & I left with an external stabilizer. It took quite a lot of getting used to! I do have a few tips. Find a place to lie down or sit with your leg elevated to prevent the swelling. Try to get it as high as you can. Keep your pin sites very clean. I had to clean them quite often. You don't want any infection to set in. Be very, very, very careful when walking around. You don't want to stumble or fall and put weight on it. Use a wheelchair as much as possible. I had a wheelchair in my kitchen just for fixing food b/c I was afraid I would stumble. I was lucky enough to have someone who was able to stay with me at all times, so I didn't have to walk on crutches too much. Another tip: find a small cushioned stool to have near the toilet so you can prop your leg up. Non-weight bearing means NOTHING, not even resting it on the floor. I found a way to shower with a plastic bag draped over my pin sites and my entire leg outside of the shower on a stool with a towel wrapped around my leg above the knee, and the shower curtain draped over. I had a hand held shower nozzle put in so I could still shower. I had to clean my leg (the part that I could not wash) outside of the shower. It was tough, but I got through it. Good luck with everything and keep us updated!!!
- Jessica
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