Help Needed: Femur Spiral Fracture Experience?

[SkiGAP]

Hey speaking of crutches, do you have under-arm crutches or forearm crutches (not sure of the proper term). All I ever see here anymore are forearm ones, and a friend of mine who unfortunately needed them at the hill a few weeks back said they are actually quite tiring. If you have to keep all weight off of the leg, I just wonder how you are managing it. This is for @snowski/swimmouse, but anyone else as well. Are both types offered? Do you have a choice?

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

Hey speaking of crutches, do you have under-arm crutches or forearm crutches (not sure of the proper term). All I ever see here anymore are forearm ones, and a friend of mine who unfortunately needed them at the hill a few weeks back said they are actually quite tiring. If you have to keep all weight off of the leg, I just wonder how you are managing it. This is for @snowski/swimmouse, but anyone else as well. Are both types offered? Do you have a choice?

At the hospital they first were going to give me a walker, but that would never have work for the plane or in my small bathroom, so they switched to the under-arm crutches, which I'd used before. I can only see me crashing with the forarm one. Particularly when I'm trying to carry food & beverage I can do so much with the underarm that I wouldn't be able to do with the forearm. One of the therapist said my kind can have complications if one isn't careful to support at least some of the weight with the arm. Maybe that's why you're seeing the other?

 

[SkiGAP]

Yeah, dunno. I mean, even in the pharmacies and hospitals, they just seem to have gone extinct (underarm). I am with you - the stability is not the same, I can't imagine. Anyway - heal quickly!

 

[contesstant]

Oh yes, getting up off the floor is impossible unless you have a railing, strong arm, SOMETHING to grab onto and pull you up! Funny, I sat down on a very small bucket (maybe 8 inches high) to wrap my horse's hind leg, then used his leg to pull me up. He's a very good boy :D

I am coming up on 8 weeks and hoping that's it. I am REALLY nervous to walk but also know how strong I was prior to my injury and am pretty hopeful those muscles will wake back up very quickly. I also start PT next week on it.

Spring is here and it's gorgeous and I want to go out and hike and mountain bike so badly!

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

What's your boy's name?

 

[canski]

Good luck at the 8 week point. As my ortho kept reminding me (pelvis) - 8 to 12 weeks (stressing 12) - and that's just for the bone healing, soft tissues and rehab take longer. Felt REALLY strange to walk again, at least for me. (or try to walk - mechanics took a while - strange how it doesn't take much down time to 'lose' the mechanics - but they come back quickly, too) - and fatigue sets in, too, once the normal walking begins. Baby steps! Graduating to one crutch and then to cane was great! A free hand to carry stuff!

 

[contesstant]

What's your boy's name?

Carangi, but we call him Chachee. He's very funny.

Good luck at the 8 week point. As my ortho kept reminding me (pelvis) - 8 to 12 weeks (stressing 12) - and that's just for the bone healing, soft tissues and rehab take longer. Felt REALLY strange to walk again, at least for me. (or try to walk - mechanics took a while - strange how it doesn't take much down time to 'lose' the mechanics - but they come back quickly, too) - and fatigue sets in, too, once the normal walking begins. Baby steps! Graduating to one crutch and then to cane was great! A free hand to carry stuff!

I think what's scary is what IF the bone isn't healed all the way?! How does one know?
Oh, and a free hand to carry stuff sounds wonderful right now!

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

They took a long string of x-rays last Friday and I expect it will happen again.

@contesstant: May "Cahchee" continue to lighten your days! What does he look like? I've never had my own, but I taught lower levels at camp through the years and I've friend (also currently layed up-shoulder surgery) with a small horse farm who can always use help with the exercising, either at her farm or we've a great state park near here (largest army training base during WWII-Camp Croft).

 

[contesstant]

I've had follow-up x-rays and will have more, but it's the time between those x-rays that worry me. Probably because I'm not the model patient who just sits around ;)

If you can ride some of those horses for your friend, do it as soon as you are allowed! It is wonderful therapy (as if I need to tell you that!) Both mental AND physical.

I have a gazillion pics of Chachee and me. I've dreamed of owning a horse like him since I was a little girl

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

I've had follow-up x-rays and will have more, but it's the time between those x-rays that worry me. Probably because I'm not the model patient who just sits around ;)

+1 I already have one of the screws working its way out; Even laying in the bed I'm not still!

What a gorgeous guy; I know you two have much fun!

Living as far south as I do, I have a heated pool in the backyard that I'll have open in a little over a month; That will probably be my early "therapy". I don't need functioning legs for that. I was in it asap after I had surgery on both ankles (ski boots caused cysts to grow on the front into the tendons).

 

[contesstant]

Oh, a personal pool would be AMAZING right about now! Do you have a pull buoy you could put between your legs? Or you could put a swim fin on your good leg!

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

I have a comparatively large pool as home pools go and it's used by many friends and neighbors (see me call in markers for pool care until I can do it!) and I have either bought or mostly been given every pool device imaginable. Shall I put a very large hook with even larger sturdy rope on the edge of Utah and yank you closer?

(I actually have two cousins in Utah, one in SLC that we stayed with during the Olympics and hope to return there in a near year to ski there again...)

 

[bounceswoosh]

Hey speaking of crutches, do you have under-arm crutches or forearm crutches (not sure of the proper term).

I've only ever seen the underarm crutches for injuries. I know a guy who uses the forearm crutches, but he's quadriplegic and uses them all the time.

 

[contesstant]

I have a comparatively large pool as home pools go and it's used by many friends and neighbors (see me call in markers for pool care until I can do it!) and I have either bought or mostly been given every pool device imaginable. Shall I put a very large hook with even larger sturdy rope on the edge of Utah and yank you closer?

(I actually have two cousins in Utah, one in SLC that we stayed with during the Olympics and hope to return there in a near year to ski there again...)

No, I shall yank your pool closer ;) I like Utah! Come visit your family and we can ski together.

 

[litterbug]

I got to meet Chachee a few weeks ago and can attest to his charming personality. What a doll he is! I haven't spent much time around horses, but I tend to love critters of any kind, and there's something sweet about an animal that's big enough to lean on. I've been a good girl for several days now, sleeping and resting all the time, so, @contesstant, expect a text to see if I might come up to visit! I'd love to hang out with you too, of course...

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

No, I shall yank your pool closer ;) I like Utah! Come visit your family and we can ski together.

I figured it was a win/win situation: I pull your slopes closer to here and my pool closer to you!

 

[contesstant]

I got to meet Chachee a few weeks ago and can attest to his charming personality. What a doll he is! I haven't spent much time around horses, but I tend to love critters of any kind, and there's something sweet about an animal that's big enough to lean on. I've been a good girl for several days now, sleeping and resting all the time, so, @contesstant, expect a text to see if I might come up to visit! I'd love to hang out with you too, of course...

Yaay!!!!

 

[sorcamc]

I began reading this yesterday and got distracted, so I am not sure if I even replied, but I am SO SO SO sorry for this accident. It sounds horrendous. Sending you healing, loving vibes. It looks like you have a lot of support online and I hope you also do near home. Sending all my best

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

Thanks! My neighbor fills my ice cooler daily and a couple girls from the ski club came last night and brought dinners for the week. Yay! My elderly nextdoor neighbor leaves my newspaper at my backdoor, helping me avoid the steps...

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

mouse-sized progress: I can now put up to 50% weight on it, though some angles work far better than others. Needless to say, I'm quite skittish!