On October 23 2000 I was walking down some steps carrying my four year old daughter and I slipped on the edge of the step. My immediate thought was was daughter ok and she was fine but then I thought oh my goodness what an awful pain and I looked at my left foot and instead of being the same as my right foot it had totally gone to the right and was incredibly painful. My husband tried to help me up but I was in too much pain so eventually got help and got me to the hospital where I was given painkillers immediately and then told I would have to be xrayed. After being xrayed I was told that I had badly broken my ankle and also disclocated it too. I was told the disclocation would have to be put back in and then another xray to make sure it had gone back properly and then I would be admitted as the ankle would have to be operated on because it was a bad break. (Well actually I only have a vague memory of all of the above because I think I was in shock and an awful lot of pain).
Anyway I had to wait five days before the ankle was operated on because it was very badly swollen and the surgeon need to wait for the swelling to go down. So the operation was done and then my leg was plastered from below the knee down to just before the end of my toes and I had to keep the plaster on for six weeks and obviously use crutches to walk. So after the six weeks the plaster came off and I started having physiotheraphy to try and get the ankle back to normal, as you can imagine it was pretty painful trying to get it to work properly but I did my best. After a couple of months of physio everything seem to be going very well and I was discharged and told I could get back to normal and start running again which I did before I broke the ankle so I was delighted. So in the April of 2001 I started running again and it was a little uncomforable at first but then seemed to be ok until about 6 months later and the ankle started getting very painful to run on and eventually after one run I came back in tears because the pain was pretty bad. My husband and I decided it would be a good idea to and see our local doctor to find out why the ankle was so painful. He referred us to a very good consultant and off we went to see him. After examining my foot and asking why I was wearing scandals in November as the weather was getting colder I said I couldn't get any other shoes on because my ankle was too swollen. So after an xray and a detailed looked I was advised that the two bones at the front of the ankle which gives it the up and down action where rubbing together because there wasn't any cartlidge between them due to arthitis breaking down the cartlidge which inturn obviously caused extreme pain when walking because basically I had bone rubbing on bone. So after alot of discussion the consultant said my best and really only option was to have new screws put into my ankle so the two bones would fuse together which would inturn stop the pain so another operation and 3 months in an airboot while the bones fused together so this I did. The pain I was in went straight away which was just wonderful but it was hard work being in the airboot and on crutches for 3 months. This all happened in March 2002. So after coming out of the airboot life then got back to normal apart from the fact I was told by the consultant that I wouldn't beable to carry on running and wearing high heels wouldn't be an option either so I was pretty upset about not be able to run anymore but not too bothered about the shoes. Anyway another year or so went by and I started getting pain in the very back of my ankle (the subtalar joint) so went back to see the consultant and he said best way to stop that pain was to fuse that part of the ankle too so another operation and in plaster for another three months would sort that out so I had that done in May 2004. So know my left ankle is full of metal and totally fused (so no movement at all apart from in my toes) but doesn't hurt well sometimes it does but certainly not in the way it used too. I do have to walk with a walking stick because it helps with the balance etc, also I am going to start having some physio on my left leg soon because there is alot of muscle wastage on the leg and I need to try and build it up a little. I do walk alot because we have a dog. Most of the time I am ok with my ankle apart from in the mornings when I get out of bed and I not sure how easily it will be to get started. I do everything apart from running which I can live with. I have been getting a little frustrated lately with all the lovely shoes that are in fashion, mainly being high heeled and I cannot wear them and I do get a little worried about wearing shorts because I know there is quite a difference in the size of my legs. Well that's my story. Oh yes I am nearly 41yrs old so I have been living with this for nearly 9yrs.