well i'll have plenty of time to catch up on the last few years of journaling sitting over the next few weeks. I went jogging with Sarah Tripp on Wednesday and we both slipped on ice and when I fell I heard a loud crack and when I tried to get up my foot was just dangling so I knew something serious had happened. I've told the story 25 times already but Sarah ran to get help--going from house to house trying to get someone to aswer their phone. It felt like she was gone such a long time--a few cars even drove by and saw me in the middle of the road and kept going (that made me sad). Sarah finally got back and had to call a few times to wake up Ryan, he got dressed and drove to pick us up. He and Sarah helped me into the car--she had packed ice around my ankle and wrapped her sweatshirt around it. We drove to instacare and got me into a wheelchair--Ryan holding my ankle steady and me rolling the wheelchair's wheels. Instacare was closed. I started whimpering--it had hurt so bad to get in there and now we had to get back out, into the car and get to the ER 10 minutes away. We went to Intermountain Medical Center and within an hour I was in a bed with my foot up and feeling so much better that it was stabilized. They did a reduction after sedating me and lined my bones back up. They put a temporary cast on it and then after awhile sent me home--once we had decided to use the trauma orthopedist--Dr Robert Hillyard (who turned out to be a miracle he was the one that was on call because he is one of the best around here from all we've heard and read). Surgery was scheduled for Friday because he was so busy and the operating rooms packed. They gave me Oxycodone for pain meds. I got so sick from them, slept in 1/2 hour increments all night and in the morning just started throwing up and couldn't stop. My toes were tingly and I was so miserable. I called the doctor and he said "why don't you just come in and we'll figure out a way to get you into surgery today." I felt so relieved because it hurt and I wasn't keeping pain meds down. Eva was here and she wrapped me up, braided my hair, got me in the van and into the waiting room and stayed with me in full on nurse mode until Ryan got there. They gave me medicine to stop me from throwing up that helped immediately. The doctor cut open the cast and checked things and said, "now we wait till there is an operating room open and we'll get you in--it will probably be a few hours." 10 minutes later one opened up, they got me ready and Ryan and I met with the anesthesiologist. Doug had told us to ask for a leg block (dont remember the name) that would numb it all for 24 hours. Which was genius--I slept so good after surgery and most of the next day because of it. They were joking around with me in the OR about being a runner and then I was out and don't remember the next 5-6 hours. Everything seemed to go so well, they put plates and screws into the 3 breaks and then 2 screws to pull my two main bones together to try to get ligaments to heal (Which is why they say no weight bearing for 3 months instead of 6 weeks). He also made two extra incisions into my muscles just in case I had compartment syndrome (which he was a little worried about with the swelling). So there was a lot of burning from the incisions. Pain meds helped and I slept as much as possible. Eva had the kids for both days. Then we went home and Liz and Jimmy came up for the night and Saturday to help out. Clara has been clingy probably because all of the sudden I've been gone and she is so confused. Aubrie was home babysitting while we went to the ER and we ended up being gone for 5-6 hours. She had the house cleaned, everyone practiced the piano, all in order and was checking in on me all day. It made me feel extra close to Aubrie. She is my sweetheart girl.
I just wanted to remember all that has happened since of people helping out.
- Eva dropped everything and watched the kids for 2 days-and made it seem like it was a pleasure to do. Did our laundry, and cleaned the house
- Michelle Caton, the Bishop and Ellen Jones all brought dinner over Wed night (I dont even know how they found out)
- Since then Carol Allred, Ellen Jones again, Dave and Karla have all brought dinner or snacks to help with constipation ;))
- Ellen texts at least twice a day to ask specific questions and then brings movies, her dvd player, Mary Bullock brought over an adult coloring book
- Sister Hadley has called multiple times wondering what signups she can send around
- Drummonds took Robbie to his basketball game
- Becs and Eva came by again to check up
- Tara came Saturday morning with flowers to visit
- Mike and Lori came over to visit and bring cookies
- Anna came and took Aubrie to her karate show that was the night of my surgery and bought her a uniform and cheered her on and then she is taking the kids over night tonight and all day tomorrow.
The reality of it is that broken legs, hips, wrists, etc happen all the time and it shouldn't feel like such a big deal, but it is a total life changer for me. Having kids that need help, a house that needs cleaned and a very busy husband, makes recovery sound like one of the most challenging things ever. But I feel like things have been as good as they can be and we have felt so loved and supported and that there will be so much empathy and good that we will all learn in our family. So, we should feel grateful!
