Hi everyone,
I fractured my patella nine days ago slipping on a wet floor - I didn't actually fall, I recovered and landed on my right foot with so much impact that my knee just split in two. Pretty unbelievable really but the doctor reckoned that I may have had an existing hairline fracture from a recent knock on my bike. After my mum broke her leg in five places tripping over a flip flop and my Dad smashed up his finger pressing his piano teacher's doorbell a little too forcefully I now understand that this sort of thing can happen at any time, to anyone, and there's nothing you can do to protect yourself!!
Anyway, it was horrendous and resulted in an operation four days ago. Only now am I really getting to grips with the reality and severity of the situation.
I am a 31-year-old woman, usually very fit and active. I walk everywhere, usually around 10-16km a day (this is how I get to work and around the city), swim two or three times a week, and go to the gym at 5.30 every weekday for classes. I manage a big department of teachers, so although there is a lot of desk-based work, I am constantly out and about at meetings and traveling to London from Bristol on a regular basis. I'm also a musician, which involves a lot of standing up/moving around, lugging about gear and generally having a fun time...! I'm also youngish (!), single, it's December - this isn't exactly part of my plan.
Aside from having to press pause on pretty much all of the things that make me happy, I am hugely struggling with the loss of independence. I live in a shared house with a room on the ground floor, where there is also a bathroom, but my housemates are very busy and cannot be expected to look after me. Since the accident I have been staying with my best friend (ex-nurse and complete angel) and her young family. I am so grateful to them and fortunate to have such incredible support. However, I am keen to get home as soon as possible, to take the pressure off them and just to have a little freedom so I can make the most of this forced rest by hopefully doing some creative work/music/crafty things.
I won't need to navigate the stairs and there are enough folks about to help get me groceries etc. The main issue is getting in and out of bed! I can't lift my leg onto/off the bed/sofa and I was wondering how you do this by yourself?? My brace is currently at 0 degrees of movement and I am shuffling about very slowly on crutches by using my hip to lift my leg off the ground. I bought a leg lifter and have very tentatively tried this out on the bed - it's very painful and feels like maybe I shouldn't be doing it just yet? Or am I being overly cautious? I love the NHS of course, but the aftercare/guidance was basically nothing, got turfed out with a bag of drugs and a vague notion that I need to go back in two weeks to have the angle of my brace adjusted. As each day goes by I am getting more frustrated and miserable, but trying so so hard to approach this in the most positive way I can.
The one silver lining I have found so far is that I haven't had a cigarette (nor wanted to) since it happened. Smoking slows down bone reparation massively and even going to the loo is hard so not exactly nipping out for a fag every hour. I may turn into a beached whale over the next couple of months but at least my skin should improve!
Sorry about the essay! Any advice on independent living and staying fit(ish) whilst going through this recovery process would be most welcome.
Thanks
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