The Real Questions People want Answered

Sure, it’s good to know the best supplements, mobility devices and warning signs of DVTs. But the questions I see online in my ankle fracture and surgery support groups – and my own questions-- are more like these:

· How long does the pain stay bad? How long did you stay on pain meds? What did you take? What helped the most?

· I feel like I’m in a black hole, like I’m all alone. I cry when someone looks at me sideways. Does anyone else feel like this?

· When you were allowed to weight-bear, were you scared? How long was it after your surgery? Could you walk normally at first?

· My foot swelled and turned purple after I walked on it. Is that normal?

· How long should I expect to be like this? Will I ever get back to normal?

While the FAQ are relatively easy to compile, the answers are not. And they almost always start with, ‘It depends.’

What was your injury? Was your fracture simple, or was it trimalleolar or bimalleolar? Was there soft tissue damage? How old are you? How tough are you? How lucky are you? These are only a few of the myriad factors that make your healing journey unique. Plus, any answer has to start with, ‘Ask your health care professional.’

What I do know is that usually the journey is hard and frustrating and scary. What we can do is connect with others to see that a lot of people are scared to start walking again, a lot of times peoples’ feet turn purple and swell, and that depression is anything but uncommon.

The other thing we can do is to help ourselves, to maximize our speed and success of healing. We can take supplements. We can find mobility devices that make our non-weightbearing days at least a little less miserable. We can lift weights while seated, question our health care professionals, and find comfort and strength in other’s experiences.

Here’s to you and here’s to me, ankle fracture survivors.

Lauren