I have to admit that I was petrified to go home, because I just hadn’t felt very stable on crutches at the hospital. But, my first few days at home have been so much better than I expected, with each day getting easier and easier, just like they said it would. I was only even temporarily sad unpacking my climbing stuff.
My pain is basically gone, with the exception of the incision sites, where my skin just feels tight, understandably. I am getting better and better at crutching, and more significantly, I am able to put more and more weight on my bad leg. If I stand up straight with my feet parallel, I can almost get 50% of my weight on it. This morning (6.5 days after my fall) I tried to walk with only one crutch, and I could, albeit not particularly well.
Here is a picture of my leg from the first day I got home. I have eleven staples and seven stitches. These couldn’t get wet for a bit, but this morning I was allowed to take a shower. Yay. I am using gauze pads as cushions on my wounds, a giant tube sock they gave me in the hospital, and my Aircast boot to walk. Last night and this morning I started to crutch around my apartment with my bare foot , though putting very little weight on it. Basically I just didn’t feel like putting on the boot to go to the bathroom. This was okayed by the doctors in the hospital.
My mood is great, in part because I am so thankful to everyone who has been so supportive of and helpful to me in this ordeal, and in part because I’m so pleased with how this is becoming just a kind of pain the butt (or…leg), more than the life changing catastrophe it first felt like it could be when I was lying on the mat.
Now I have some tips for you! Here is what I learned in week 1:
Tip #1: Particularly if you are an athlete who loves being active and challenging yourself, do everything you can to get back to your normal routine. Get out of bed. Make your bed. Make yourself breakfast. Put on regular clothes rather than sitting in your pajamas. Leave the house. Run local errands if you can. Set yourself a goal of walking around the block. Be social! These things have been critical for me in maintaining a positive attitude and the motivation to get through this.
Tip #2: Get a tote bag to hang from the handle of your crutches. You will quickly learn that you can’t carry anything around any more. Use the tote bag for this. Use water bottles and coffee thermoses for liquids. Use tupperware to move food.
Tip #3: When being social, remember that drinking alcohol and crutching might not be a great combination at first. 🙂
Tip #4: Ladies, if it’s not summer, consider investing in some leggings. I found that my regular tights are too constricting right now for my swollen leg. Dudes…I don’t know, maybe sweatpants? You’ll definitely need something that works with your boot if you’re getting one.
Tip #5: Make yourself a new exercise routine, and look for opportunities to turn something in your daily routine into exercise. I’ve been continuing a lot of my old ab routine, doing dips in the morning between the kitchen counter and island, leg lifts in my boot, working on my single leg balance as I brush my teeth. If you miss climbing, have fun with trying to reach far for things while balancing. (Be safe of course.) Crimp on door moulding to pull the door shut.
Tip #6: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. People are awesome, and actually happy to help you.
Tip #7: Duh, but don’t obsess over other people’s stories on the internet, including mine. Everyone’s breaks are different, as are everyone’s recoveries. Not that I know this from experience, but I’ve kind of scoured the web at this point and have found people who are back to outdoor bouldering or playing college basketball in months and people who still aren’t fully healed after two years and are not interested in climbing again. So, no real point in thinking that what happens to one person will happen to you too.
I Broke My Leg Bouldering 