Wow. It’s been a long time since I wrote on here, so I guess that means I’ve been busy! It has been a whirlwind year and everything in mylife has changed, but I’ll get back to that later. The reason I have time to blog? I broke my fifth metatarsal on my right foot last Thursday attempting a dance off at the office Christmas party. I wouldn’t have minded, except it’s a new job and not one of the 105 employees knew who I was before (see the video below)….
It is safe to say they ALL know who I am now, cringe! Anyway, I thought I’d write about my experiences for other people as it’s a confusing new world having a broken bone, particularly when you’re normally an active person. So….after my epic dance moves ended with a foot twist accompanied by agonising pain (which i hid well i think – see video above) a lovely colleague of mine promptly headed to the bar for an ice pack and a tequila shot. Despite the tequila shot I was still in pain and was promptly taken home in a taxi to put my feet up in bed. The next morning i got up for work and got ready as normal, but i was in a lot of pain and had to walk on the heel of my foot. How I got my boots on and made it to the bus stop i do not know. A lovely gentleman noticed me limping and offered me his seat. When I got to work I sat down, took my boot off (very slowly and painfully – my foot had doubled in size) and was promptly told to go to hospital.
So within 15 minutes of registering at A and E at LGI Hospital I’d been sent off to X-ray and told the bad news, I had a broken metatarsal ‘jones fracture’, and was sent to have a temporary cast put on. I was given crutches, given a brief demonstration on how to use them and told to keep my foot elevated as much as possible. I was booked in to the fracture clinic, 3 days later.
I can tell you now, that crutches are hard work! By the end of day one my good leg and foot hurt, my sides, stomach muscles, back, underarm muscles and palms hurt and I was exhausted. A friend advised sellotaping ‘gel party feet’ to the handles of my crutches to help with the bruised palms – genius. Anyway, a trip shopping proved too much for my aching body, so I opted for a wheelchair. The shopmobility service at the white rose shopping centre was a godsend, and my friend had a great time wheeling me round, using me as a shopping trolley and generally making fun of my vulnerability! It’s very interesting how people treat you when in a wheelchair. Some people are really nice, some people stare at you, some people assume there’s something wrong with your mind as opposed to your body and some completely ignore you/bang into you and don’t acknowledge they’ve done it. It was quite an experience that will make me view things differently in future.
So, after a 3 hour wait on Monday at the fracture clinic, a consultant cut my cast off, commented on the fact my foot was still swollen and bruised, and prescribed a walker boot. He said I needed to keep the weight off my foot (which is really difficult considering the sheer weight of the boot, coupled with the fact I have to go to work every day) and use my crutches for at least the next 4 weeks, at which point I’ll return to the hospital for another X Ray to see how the bone is healing.
Today is day 3 of wearing the boot and it’s not going well. I’m exhausted, aching all over and my foot is more swollen and bruised than ever. I have a cankle! Update coming soon, I promise….
Emma xx
Emma has lost the plot 