jterri, that's what maire-cate had suggested. Looks like a lot of fun. I hadn't thought about CL to see if they have them. Right now I'm in the wheel chair and the crutches and it seems to work pretty well...both from the sr. center loan closet so they are no cost.

graywings, sorry to hear about your knee...sounds painful.

I've been doing my own PT at home by trying to up my distance and balance with crutches. But my shoulders are really feeling it as they are not used to carrying the weight of the rest of my body around for sure. Stairs are rough though...I still use my tush as it's so much safer than trying to balance on the crutches and lift the good leg to the next step...going down is a little easier.

OK, maire & jterri, you all convinced me on the rolling knee walker. I talked to DH this a.m. and he said, just order the thing already. So I ordered one from walmart and with rush shipping it should be here Wed...just in time for me to practice before I head to a play and dinner on Thurs and an xmas dinner on Fri. I think I'll feel a lot more secure with it with 2 points of contact rather than the crutches and the awkwardness of the wheel chair. He said, we can then always donate it to the senior lending closet for the tax deduction...and maybe they'll still have it for the next time I need it!! Yikes!

Annie you are going to love it, especially the basket. Graywings turned me onto the scooter in my travel post and IâÂÂm so glad because I didnâÂÂt know of such things. I can actually contribute to the remodel again by painting doors that are setup in the undercover patio on saw horses. I can even fine tune some reachable areas around the windows we installed and other areas. I still use the crutches off and on for tight spots and if I think I need them I can carry them upside down on my scooter. Before the scooter husband was a nervous wreck watching my balancing acts and was worried I was going to break another part of my body. Even though I have been VERY delinquent with my exercising for a while all those years of Pilates, balance and ball work comes back to you real fast when you have one leg and the determination of a Jack Russell. Still, that was all wearing me out.

I think forearm crutches are much easier to use than the under arm type. Not sure which you are using. Of course I've used crutches for over thirty years so I'm very proficient and my opinion may not be entirely useful to someone who only uses them for the occasional broken foot/leg/ankle.

gibby, I agree. I've been trying to crutch daily to build up my upper body strength, but it's hard and my arms and pecs are sore.

Sounds like a possible good side effect of the unfortunate accident - exercise to build the upper body. I was noticing some older ladies at church today with "shrunken" shoulders. I'm hoping nearly a lifetime of crutch use will help me retain broad shoulders. I use my prosthetic leg nearly all my waking hours but even a little bit of crutch time each day apparently maintains the upper body strength I guess.

So sorry you have to deal with this. Hope the knee walker gizmo is a help. I've always wondered about those.

gibby, thanks for the input. I'm sure your use of crutches does help maintain your upper body strength for sure.

My concern is more of the weight gain in the tush! It's easy to keep eating the same amount while I'm so much less active. That's why I'm hoping the knee walker will get me up and moving more...I think it's better for my legs and tush as well as make it a lot easier to get around outside of the house. I just don't see how a month of no xmas shopping is going to be good for me! I've always thought the hustle bustle and the "treasure hunt" for just the right thing for someone was as much a part of the xmas season as the holiday itself.

Now I know what it means when they give you the boot!

So sorry to hear about your accident, Annie. I tore my ankle tendon in a car accident, and that knee scooter saved me! Crutches hurt and are so difficult. Hope you heal quickly! I also got the attached cover for showering, and it worked great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cast/Boot Cover

This post was edited by texanjana on Mon, Dec 1, 14 at 12:08

Texanjana, DH bought one of those for me a couple of days after my ACL surgery! He called it my leg condom, lol! We got weary of trying to tape a plastic bag up over my knee to keep the stitches dry (didn't work so well), so he went out and found one of those covers. About 8 months later, he had his knee scoped and used it himself. Great thing to have. They make them arm-sized too.

Thanks, TJ and OP. Fortunately I can remove the boot for showering and sleeping, but I sure wish I had that for when Mom busted her ankle and was in a cast for 4 months.

Ok folks, I'm rockin' and rollin' now. My knee walker came a day early. Wahoo!

Is that the best thing ever or what? I'm going to attempt a trip to the paint store today. I just need to figure out how to go about loading all my gear by myself. Sheesh, its like I'm a toddler in the amount of time it will take me to get me out of here with all the jumpers skippers and hoppers.

Yeah, I don't see how to get it out of the back of the car without help. I'll be having friends on both ends if I drive anywhere as I'm sure I can't handle lifting it out of the car on one foot.

Well I made my trip and I have to say it was sooo good to get out. I carry my crutches upside down on the front of the scooter. My ID and C.Cards go in the zip pocket of shorts. Phone goes in my waist band. I scooter out with the gear, open my van trunk by hanging off a crutch, sit on the bumper, toss the scooter in without folding and then use my crutches to get in the van. Next I toss the crutches over to the passenger side. Easy Peasy! The only hard part is finding a way to rest my bad foot while driving.

Whoa -- Annie you need some tinsel on that!

Happy rolling.

Maire-cate I think I need some racing stripes and a raccoon tail! I feel like I'm riding on a segue.

It works pretty well. I made dinner tonight and love that the knee rest can be used 2 ways...only thing is the wheels keep me far from the counter so my back was complaining by the time I was done. But I really think getting upright and moving is so much better than the wheel chair.

Jterri, that's great that you were able to make it alone! More power to you!

Thanks. I fell over in the house with my crutches and prevented a serious fall using my bad foot. I think I undid any healing that may have started..

Uh oh...let's hope not! But better than injuring something additional!

My neighbor is an acupuncturist and into Chinese medicine. He gave me "The Great Mender Teapills" and told me to take 8 twice a day (they're small).

Hard to know, but it sure seems like the swelling in my ankle is going down faster than last time and my level of discomfort has also gone down quickly, so maybe it's helping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Mender

Oh no! I'm so sorry, Annie, for you and everyone else who is or has suffered this way.

My friend who is blind told me the same thing, that we are temporarily-abled. She became progressively vision-impaired in adulthood. The saddest thing was when she was told there was a potential cure. They gave her massive amounts of prednisone, and her vision started returning. We were so excited, thinking of her being able to drive again. (She was/is single, always very independent, etc.) And then . . .after a month . . .it worsened again, and she was left with terrible bones as a side effect from the prednisone, and defined as legally blind.

Your photo is beautiful. What paradise. I'm glad you followed Jterrilynn's advice and can now get around! Yay to you both! (But so sorry for your setback, Jterrilynn!)

I got yelled at by my friend's daughter who is an EMT/ski patrol person. She said I should've called for help and not walked out on my broken ankle. She said there are ways of getting someone out and people who do these things. But I told her I didn't want to spoil anyone's Sunday...they need to be home with their families.

I'm thinking though I should've gotten a stick to mark the hole in the trail for the next hiker. My bad. But I guess I had other things on my mind at the time....

Thanks, anele. I'm actually anxious to do the trail again...hopefully next time with a different outcome. It was such a lovely day and hike.

I have ordered a walking stick and it should be here soon...hopefully that will help keep me out of holes!

I figured I walked over 5,000 steps to reach that hole. What are the odds that with just that stride length and just that heading on that path that I would hit that freakin' hole. Of course, who knows how many others I avoided. There were lots of felled trees in the woods from the bad wind storms we've had, and I'm always careful to skirt around uprooted trees because they always leave a hole where the root ball was that you can't see because of the leaves.

I took this shot because the tree was so interesting...the blue hatches are trail markings. But you can see what I was walking on....hard to avoid the leaves in the woods in the fall...

Nice to see progress. The knee walker will keep you moving.

Thanks ellendi!

Go Annie! Yes, and you probably need some fuzzy dice to go with that 'coon tail! Can't help but laugh at the visual.

Sorry for your setback, jterrilynn! Hope it is a temporary one.

Annie...glad to see you are up and about again.....well, sort of. Just let your fingers do the shopping this Christmas!

Annie...glad to see you are up and about again.....well, sort of. Just let your fingers do the shopping this Christmas!

OK, update on knee roller. I LOVE it! If any of you ever get foot or ankle problems, just get one. It has drastically increased my mobility. I went to dinner and a show with friends on Th and out to dinner with other friends on Fr and I was able to get every where so easily. It is fabulous.

I think I'll be able to go xmas shopping with DH's help!

Thanks so much for encouragement!

Wahoo! Completed week 2 of my presumably 4 week ankle confinement! Can't wait to get back on 2 feet again!

It's been cold and crappy so I haven't really missed any good hiking days, but I did buy a walking stick to use on my next hike. Hopefully it will help keep me out of holes or help me catch myself should I find one....

Today is 3 weeks since I broke my ankle. A week from tomorrow I see the doc and find out my next steps. Can't wait!

Jterri...how r u doing?

I came to check in and see how you were, keep us posted on your next steps indeed !!

Thanks, mitchdesj, I sure will!

Hi Annie, my next appointment isnâÂÂt till the end of the month. At that time I get the evaluation on my progress. I was set back a bit when I sprained my foot falling after two weeks in or so. IâÂÂm starting to climb the walls and run across the ceiling.

I have so much work to do around here when I get the ok. ItâÂÂs a long list of baseboards, one more door, finishing the inside of new window, caulking, paint touchups and the list goes on. IâÂÂm the designer, order-er/buyer, painter and finisher detail person on our remodels. On a good note though the tile guy came and finished the master bath tub wall tile. ItâÂÂs looking pretty good in there even though IâÂÂm going half mad by not being able to keep the work area clean and tidy. I have this thing where I like everything spotless when on rare occasions we hire people for jobs. If the work area is not clean they do not always take care with perfection. So, even though the tile guy tidied up I had to crawl and drag my bad foot around with a razor blade in hand to carefully remove the lighter wall grout that he got into the dark grout of the floor, especially in the corners. Then my husband thought he could get away with putting part of my closet up with scrap wood for supports. That all had to come down. Sheesh, I guess they all think I fell on my head instead of my foot.

How are you holding up with being partially disabled at Christmas?

I'm doing great. We managed to get some xmas decor up, the shopping is done, except for DH. He'll get some "coupons" for some stuff and we'll hit the after xmas sales...hopefully I'll be walking by then, even if it's still in the boot.

I'm also doing some entertaining and have informed the cousins, 12-15 for xmas day, that I'm providing the venue, but they'll have to do the work. I think it will be good for me, control-freak that I am, to sit back and let it happen. Won't be easy, but it will be good.

Glad to hear you are still making progress...though I understand the frustration. Everything takes sooo much longer when you're laid up!

Annie I hope you heal soon and that Christmas Day is memorable in a good way, that the cousins do what is needed.

Thanks, Lucille, and may you have a wonderful holiday as well!

Annie, IâÂÂm not the person you are and would have a very hard time with others cooking in my kitchen and asking a bunch of questions on where everything is. I ordered a cooked turkey with a duck and stuffing inside and all the fixings from the Fresh Food Market.

And yep on the progress⦠just had my new hurricane proof windows put in today. DidnâÂÂt do much on holiday décor! However, my outside plants look sort of holiday-ish although unattended due to foot. Also, I canâÂÂt wait to do some more landscaping/planting once said foot heals. I love love being outside.

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Very nice! Looks so much crisper!

I know what you mean about all the ground-related things you can't do...like DH has to clean the kitty boxes! Aw gee, what a shame! :)

Good news....the bone is healing and I can start putting weight on my foot again. Doc said go slow, watch for swelling, try not walking on it but just adding weight. I'm glad to say that I did stairs today already! Wahoo!

He didn't give me an air cast, but I think I'll get one anyway...so supportive as twisting even the slightest is still pretty hurtful.

So I can gradually start using it again, and he doesn't think I'll need PT. Nice!

So not ok to run a marathon or anything, but it looks like I am getting a more useful ankle for Xmas!

Glad to "hear" that, Annie.
Hope your recovery continues smoothly.
Best wishes!

JTerri- Your roof is beautiful - now you can relax when those storms are announced.

And it's good news about putting some weight on you ankle. It won't be too long before you're back on the trails again. What type of hiking stick did you got - the taller 'staff' type or a cane?
Our getaway home is on 135 acres in the PA mountains and DH made a long hiking stick out of hickory for me to use.

This post was edited by maire_cate on Tue, Dec 23, 14 at 14:48

Congrats, Annie!

Thanks, mel and ellendi!

maire-cate, I got a long staff type. We had neighbors over for dinner the other night, and he made me a tall walking stick too. So sweet. He called it a 'hole finder'! Just what I need!

'Hole-finder'! Too funny! Yes, just what we ALL need, apparently. Glad to hear you are mending well. Be careful and don't overdo with your Christmas guests! They will never know if you don't tell them!

Annie, when you start using your walking stick try to switch arms to an equal amount of arm strokes on each side. I used a tall walking stick in my old neighborhood that had miles of trails. You will be surprised at how you can do some serious upper body toning with a light weight stick over time. If you donâÂÂt switch back and forth your upper muscles will become imbalanced and you will become noticeably more toned on one side. Also, try to gripe the stick in a way that disassociates your trapezoids for a nicer look. Unless you have a very long neck over developed trapes donâÂÂt look great on a women in my opinion. It gives more of a head sitting on shoulders look. If you practice with where you are griping you can tone your arms but also tone your back in a way that will give an illusion of a smaller waist. You can also go between using short strokes and very long strokes and use different muscle fibers. . And, of course you already know that you will burn many more calories this way.

This post was edited by jterrilynn on Tue, Dec 23, 14 at 12:20

jterrilynn - that's interesting advice. It reminds me of the summer I worked in the dairy store making ice cream cones - I had great muscles on my right arm. Now if someone teases me about my hiking stick i'll just tell them it's my 'Fitstick'!

Now I have to figure out how to disassociate my trapezoids.

Thanks, jterri. Somehow I don't think I have to worry about getting too many muscles!

I put on the air cast and I'm up and hobbling...so nice to be more mobile!

How are you coming along? Are you able to walk at all yet?

What is an air cast?

My appointment is on the 30th of this month. My foot still looks weird. Are you still puffy? I hope I'll be ready for light walking but since I screwed everything up with the fall...don't know. I am such a baby when it comes to this sort of thing though. Last time I went to the doctors and they unwrapped my foot I got myself so worked up about it I almost passed out. I can deal with blood, guts and all kinds of horrors on others but can't even deal with a cut on myself.

Marie, it doesnâÂÂt take a lot to build those muscles up either and I found that out the hard way. Even though a hundred years ago I was a certified instructor it took me seeing me in vacation photos to find out that I was using my walking stick wrong. I had that horrible head on shoulder thing going on and that was just for using the stick two or three times a week over a period of time. I mean no disrespect to Michelle here but my personal opinion is that over developed trapezoids do not do her any favors. To me her body type would look best with ball workouts, Pilates and light weights. Hallie has beautiful shoulders and her traps are not over developed, she does use light weights and IâÂÂm not sure what the rest of her routine is.

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An aircast is like this. Supports the sides of the ankle and lets you walk straight in it, while protecting it from any twisting or sideways movement.

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