I'm sure you've had your fill of doctors, tests, and procedures, but I expect a full report - yes, I will bug you about this.

>:/

Sending this up, we are concerned

Inquiring Ex-Mo's want to know.

topping.

Thank you so much for asking.

DH has continued to insist that I do not need to see a doctor, and I am afraid to drive myself. Taxis are outrageous here, and to be honest, I don't know the first thing about Uber.

My ankle continues to hurt, but not agonizingly so. The swelling has gone down some, and the bruising is fading. I can get around without my walker or a cane, but limping. I have industrial-strength painkillers for my back and hip anyway, plus I have been wrapping the ankle and using topical Tiger Balm, which helps.

I have an appt. with my primary care provider next Wednesday, and we will see what she says at that time. I guess I am afraid of being bull-headed and going to the doctor anyway, and being patted on the head and told that "it's JUST a sprain. No biggie." I HATE being dismissed. (No, I don't think I am just a cranky old drama queen. . .)

Lol.

No one here would ever accuse you of being a drama queen.

ETA: Now Elder O’Dawg, there’s a drama queen!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2018 01:04AM by Lot's Wife.

<sniff> No one ever compliments ME on being a Drama Queen!!!


NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!


ETA:. Excellent editing!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2018 01:51AM by elderolddog.

Get the Dog House ready for Hubby if he's wrong!

Catnip, it's really okay to go to the doctor and to be told that it's no big deal. I've also had the opposite happen -- I went for something that I thought was NBD, only to see the doctor's eyes pop.

Just keep in mind that DH doesn't get to make the call for you. If you want to see a doctor, tell him that he's driving and hand him the car keys. He can say "I told you so" all he wants to if it turns out to be NBD.

In your shoes I would call your doctor's office on Monday and see if she can squeeze you in. Given your injury, I'm betting she will.

summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
+1

I am still getting a lot of mileage out of the time I made DH see a doctor and it turned out he had double pneumonia.

Get the to an x-ray machine!

Exactly.

There is no second guessing an x-ray of the ankle.

For all you've been through this past year you don't want to turn a molehill into a mountain for not getting it examined. Let's keep it a molehill!

Got the ankle x-rayed today. Don't know the results yet. Also got a referral to Podiatry, which I will use as soon as I hear from the x-ray people.

My doc - with whom I already had an appt - asked why I hadn't had the ankle looked at before. I let the silence become uncomfortable until DH finally said, "I talked her out of it because I didn't think it was all that bad."

The doc, who is a sweet person and knows that DH isn't usually a jerk, said "Well, we'll find out when we get the x-rays back. And the x-rays might not tell the full story. There could be soft-tissue damage, too. That's why I'm referring her to Podiatry. The foot might even need surgery. I just can't tell."

I hope to heck I don't need surgery. I'll call Podiatry tomorrow and make the appt. Seriously: aren't I over-quota for surgery already this year, what with the cancer biopsy, cancer removal, and radiology follow-up (which isn't really surgery but still a nuisance.)

The original injury was 12 days ago. There is still residual bruising/pooling, swelling, and considerable (but not agonizing) pain.

I'll keep y'all posted when I hear anything.

I love *you*, Dear catnip.

Let's hope there's no soft tissue damage and that your doctor was sending a message to DH.

Let's also hope there's no break, but yeah...podiatry visit is good, even if it's to get you a boot or orthotics to make you more comfortable.

Surgery? My spidey sense says naw, but I hope DH gets the effin message. Grrrrr.

Over quota for bad crap - yup! :( Keep on keeping on, girl. It will be okay. I promise. I can't say precisely *when* it will be okay, but I promise you that it will.

<3

Thanks for letting us know what's going on.

Since your surgery and radiation aren't you now taking the anti-estrogen meds like I'm on? That weakens the bones. Has the doctor spoken to you about that yet?

Oya vey, the joys of getting older. Which I still mightily prefer to the alternative. :)

I didn't even think about the possible implications of the extra-fragile bones until after the x-ray. I mean, I know that I have osteo-arthritis. But the anti-estrogen drug on top of that. . . As my BFF's son used to say when he was little, "That's VERY not nice!!" (He still says it sometimes when we talk on the phone, but it's as a remember-when kind of joke.)

Oh, well. No sense worrying about it until after I hear about the x-rays.

I've been diagnosed with Osteopenia. My mother had Osteoporosis really bad. It tends to run in small boned, petite women.

Since I'm having dental work ongoing, my oncology team is waiting to begin infusion treatment for extra calcium to strengthen the bones. Today my doctor recommended I up my Vitamin D intake in the meantime. But I'm already taking that amount and then some, with my daily supplements. I've been using supplements for years.

Since the anti-hormone med can weaken the bones, then it's even more important to strengthen them. Finding that "happy medium" is my goal in life. Actually, I'm feeling pretty good. Am in a fitness program at the moment to keep me moving. It has been a great motivator to get enough exercise.

Loving every minute of life, Catnip. When you realize how fragile it is, even more reason to cherish it.

I like your doc! And she's correct that it's not always easy to tell from the image. When I broke my wrist (and I knew from the level of pain and previous experience that it was definitely broken,) the PA at the urgent care said, "I think that it's fractured, but I'm not 100% sure. You will need to see an orthopedist." So I went to the hand and wrist guy at my orthopedic practice. He ordered a new image taken, and he wasn't 100% about a fracture, but he was willing to humor me. I said, "I favor hard casts. Does that work for you?" It did. After a standard amount of time in the cast, I was good to go.

I can also tell you from having experienced a fractured lower leg and ankle, you really do not want to mess with your mobility. Take your provider's suggestions very seriously.
And if physical therapy is offered at any point, take it.

Keep up the ice and elevation as well. And do keep us in the loop. Best wishes to you, Catnip.

My first ankle sprain was like that, Summer. It was a fine break in the ankle the ER doc barely detected from the x-ray. It was enough to put me in a cast for three months. From the first hour after the injury as fast as it swelled up I knew it was serious.

Us kids kept our parents running to the ER for I don't know how many times during those formative years. It's good they loved us. I know now where my gray hair comes from. ;-)

treat the symptoms not the results.

And you still have bruising/pooling, etc. I'm glad you finally got to the doctor. Make sure you update us as soon as you find out the results of the x-ray.

Radiology report indicates "Possible fracture fragment, dorsomedial aspect of navicular [bone] with mild degenerative changes."

The earliest appt I could get in Podiatry was for October 2.

FINALLY!! I am so grateful to get things moving again.

This is why I wish you had gone to an ER or urgent care right away, Catnip. Check with your doc to see if your foot needs to be stabilized while you are waiting for your podiatry appointment. Or if you need to keep your weight off of it altogether.

I would also check if your doctor can work some magic to be seen sooner.

I have spent most of the day in bed, foot duly elevated, only emerging to go to the bathroom, with a walker.

AMAZING - the swelling has gone down a lot. You can see the veins across the top of the foot (couldn't before, due to swelling.) I am continuing to use the walker and keep the foot elevated. The foot looks almost normal, but it still is tender.

I managed a tub bath, plus hair wash, and feel like a new person. I don't have the ankle wrapped just now, but am being VERY careful with every step, using the walker.

Thank you all for your support.

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you're doing all the right things.

Just knowing what you're dealing with goes a long way to putting your mind at ease.

That, and self-care.

You poor thing. I'm sorry you are going through this.

The rough thing is that we don't heal as fast as we did as youngsters.

Doña Catnip, siendo que tienes tiempo extra para leer, te voy a recomendar un librito: https://www.amazon.com/MIS-SUPERMACHOS-EDUARDO-DEL-RIUS/dp/6073125100

Esta seria de monos salio desde May, 1965 hasta como Abril de 1967, que casualmente fue durante mi mision. Y siendo que yo jamás de los jamases he obedecido las regalas, compré, leí y guardé la seria completa. Y allí estaban en casa de mi mamá hasta ella decidio por si misma que era sin valor y los tiró.

Recomiendo este librito de unos 300 paginas, a un costo de menos de $4. Me ayudaron estos monos semenales muchisimo en aprender y hablar el Español de la calle. Y además, le hacen a uno reír.

Si hay por lo momento un exceso de falta de lana, y tienes suficiente confiáza, dame tu corréo electrónico y te lo regalo. En serio, chica!

Elderolddog - I tried to write you back in Spanish (or as my Roomie and I used to call it when we were exchange students in Guadalajara, "la Lengua Madre") but when I tried to use things like accents and tildes and such, the texts disappear.

I have not read anything in Spanish but legal documents (birth certs, marriage and divorce contracts (which could get VERY convoluted, BTW)and suchlike since I was in college.

As of this time next year college graduation will be half-a-century in my past. (But I bet I still have the righteous Right Stuff to read things in Spanish!!)

* * * * ** ** * * * * ** * * * * * * * ** * * ** ** * * * * * * *

ADDENDUM FOR EVERYBODY: My neighbor the vet, upon learning of my ankle condition, came charging over with a Velcro-strapped ankle boot that provides PERFECT support for my mangled limb. Why none of the other medical practitioners have come up with this yet eludes me. But the vet had just the thing! I'm still using the walker, but with sturdy, hard-plastic boot and Velcro straps for support, the wounded ankle is much happier.

I have been in complete despair of spending the next week and a half hardly doing anything, but with this boot, I don't think I will be reduced that far.

AND she diagnosed a front right paw sprain in our baby kitty (4-year-old tortie, DH's little lovey-kitty. DH was upset about THAT - it happened on his watch!) She is OK. Vet says little Mistel knows how to self-heal and not try to do more than she is able.

So I'm looking at 7 to 8 weeks in the borrowed boot. Mistel and I should be OK at about the same time.

Sweet kitty. Keeping you company. Going the extra mile. Literally maybe now that you're healing. Yay Vet! Glad you found some relief. Take care catnip. (Spanish is impressive too. I wish I would take time to learn more French).

Good news, Catnip.

The boot is what I meant by "stabilizing" the foot (it could be a boot, a splint, a brace, etc. Usually this is done in the ER since you have to wait a lot of time to get an appointment with those in-demand bone docs.) Try to keep your weight off of your foot as much as possible. You are on the right track with the elevation!

A heads up -- it's *possible* that your shoe size might change, either temporarily or permanently after a foot or ankle injury. I went up a full size when I started walking again after my leg/ankle break. It finally resolved to a half-size up from previously. And I can only wear certain shoes.

She is healing alongside you.

❤️

There is an explanation to the name. Decades ago, when I was writing (and selling) "confession"-type stories (True Story, Modern Romances, that kind of thing) one of my stories was called "Mistletoe, the Christmas Cat." "Mistel" is the German word for Mistletoe. It was DH's idea.

Mistel is part-tortie, part-calico, and a totally enchanting little character. Smart as a whip, too!

Mistel has healed very rapidly from her sprain. Me, not so much. I am still wearing the walking boot and using a walker to get around, but the foot looks just about normal, hurts very little, and seems to be healing. I'll get the official verdict at the Podiatry visit on 10/2.

Glad you're doing better. Hang in there, just not by your ankles.