Lovely Bones

It's been a hot minute and for that I do apologize.  February has been an inordinately busy month with work, work travel, and visitors so I'm using my February bonus day to catch up with you all. 



Last Sunday, I slipped on mud while walking Bowie in the trail system in a neighborhood park.  The instant I looked down at my leg, I knew something was terribly wrong.  Unfortunately, Bryan was traveling for work but he called our friend who lived in the area to try and find me.  In the meantime, I called 911, providing the most absurd directions to the operator with where I was.  An impromptu/unofficial search and rescue party of dog walkers was sent out to comb the trail system, while the paramedics tried to find the best way to get the ambulance down to me.  When the search and rescue team finally found me, one kind gentleman gave me a piggyback ride out of the woods and to the closest spot the ambulance could get to.  I was loaded into the ambulance coated in mud, with Bowie barking at being left behind and the other dogs running amuck.

Bryan had called my parents while I was in the ambulance and let them know what hospital to meet me at.  My leg wasn't swelling up massively, however they did a round of x-rays and it turns out I broke both my tibia and my fibula and would need surgery.  The earliest an orthopedic surgeon could get me in was the next morning, so the hospital splinted up my leg, wrote me a prescription for painkillers, and sent me home.  Meanwhile, Bryan's parents who were headed down from Michigan for their snowbird getaway in Corpus Christi, also received a panicked call from Bryan and he asked them to arrive a day early to our house and go to get the dog and my car from our friend at the park.  Luckily, since the ER process took a lot less time than expected, my parents and I were able to retrieve Bowie and my car and my dad filled my prescription.  Bryan's mom is a retired nurse and my parents gratefully turned me over to her care when they arrived later that afternoon.  Bryan got home that night to two hyper dogs (Bowie and Bryan's parents' dog Coda), his parents who hasn't seen in four months, and one very broken fiancee.

That night, we discovered that I was very allergic to the codeine that the ER had prescribed, so I showed up the next morning to the surgeon's office completely covered in a red rash and in pain.  They took another set of x-rays, and he probably took some pity on me while looking at my tomato-red face (as I said, covered in rash), saying he could squeeze me into a late afternoon operation the same day.  However, he cautioned me that there may have been excessive trauma so there was the chance that we would need multiple operations on my leg.  That afternoon, we showed up to the hospital, I got checked in and prepped for surgery, and Bryan and his mom waited while the surgical process took over three freaking hours.  Luckily, they were able to fix everything all in one go.  The surgeon told Bryan and his mom that my foot was completely disconnected from my leg and it looked like I tried to amputate it.  Amazingly, it was an outpatient procedure and they gave me a nerve blocker for my leg, so I was able to go home at around 7 pm that night and get one good night's rest before I would start taking the heavy duty painkillers.

I am incredibly lucky to have had Bryan's parents and Bryan at home all week while I tried to rest and recover.  They kept me well-fed, distracted, and as comfortable as they could make me.  People sent food, flowers, and cards.  I'm fortunate that I was found in the woods, able to get stabilized and into surgery so quickly, and cared for so well after.  This was a really quick summary of everything that's happened.  I have quite a lot of thoughts about the accident that I haven't fully processed yet, but please kiss all of your unbroken bones for me and be grateful for simple things like being able to stand in the shower or walk across the room.  I'll be keeping y'all posted throughout the recovery process.  Stay safe out there.


Comments

  1. Oh my gosh!! I'm so sorry, but I'm glad they got you in right away and that your parents and his were able to provide such good support! Fingers crossed for a smooth recovery 🤞

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  2. Oh my gosh!! All you were trying to do was go on a nice walk! You should milk this down time for all it's worth. Have everyone serve you left and right. Request they peel grapes and fan you with palm branches. If your engagement can survive that level of neediness your marriage will be golden.

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    1. Ha - I'd have better luck hiring people to do that for me!

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  3. Eek! That sounds absolutely terrifying. I'm really really glad that you were able to get out of the woods and to get care so quickly. I hope recovery goes well and that you don't have to have multiple surgeries to fix any damage done.

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  4. Oh man, broken bones are no fun and I'm glad you have such an amazing support system and good dr's and nurses on your team!

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  5. Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry to hear about the broken tibia!:( Please do keep up posted. That's great to read though that you have such a great support system. XOXO

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    1. Hey Ruth! Just wanna say hi and hope you're doing much better. XOXO

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  6. Yikes i didn't want to bother you but saw your insta. How scary at least you had Bowie with you but of all times to have Lassie with you ( go get help girl, go now) alas Bowie wouldn't leave you :) (Kidding on you sending Bowie for help). I am glad they have fixed you up and your healing now. Thank goodness for all the people trying to find you and both sets of parents and friends etc. Thank goodness you had your damn cellphone and you had a signal (if i fell down here on my property buzzards circling would be the only way I would get help). Now that I made you laugh, heal fast you!! Can't wait to hear more....ugh on your foot not being attached (SHUDDERS)....

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    1. LOLOL my dad joked that I need to start carrying around a LifeAlert. Thanks for the positive thoughts and vibes

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  7. OMG that's so bad. I'm so sorry. Fingers crossed for a fast recovery.

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  8. This sounds like one helluva nightmare - I'm glad that you're through at the other end. What a horrendous thing to happen - and THEN find out about codeine not being good for you???? I hope that you start to get a lot better soon, but at least the worse is over now.

    Hope you're having a good week! :)
    Amy x Wandering Everywhere

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    1. Nightmare just about covers it! Thanks Amy

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  9. Oh no, I hope you feel better soon. Ugh. I take codeine for migraines but try not to take it very often

    Allie of
    www.allienyc.com

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    1. All of those painkillers make me feel fuzzy headed. I can see why people avoid them if they can!

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  10. Take care and wishing you a speedy recovery

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  11. Oh my gosh, I am so sorry this happened! This is truly my biggest fear when I'm walking Prana by myself. I've fallen before on ice when I've walked her, and it definitely freaked me out. But I am so glad you received help quickly and that you have such a wonderful support system to help you through this difficult time! Definitely keep us posted! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

    http://roadesque.com

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  12. Ooof, too much excitement! 'Hope it's all going better now!

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