Patient

My second day out on the trot and it was a really good day (if hospital visits can be good!).

The ambulance arrived and it was the same guy who came last time; really lovely chap so we nattered the whole way there and back.

I arrived for my appointment and was rushed down to X-ray as there was a 90 minute wait time. However, as I was relying on hospital transport, I was fast tracked and only had to wait about 10 minutes. Yay!

I did have to wait to see the consultant though. There was a notice on the board that the clinics were running about an hour late, so I had to be a patient patient!

It was a different guy today; my surgeon only popped his head around the door briefly to say hi and ask how I was. Mr A said this must be a good thing; if he was concerned he would have spent more time with me. I’m inclined to agree.

The new guy was happy to answer the umpteen questions I had and a plan was hatched.

He was absolutely over the moon with how well I’m doing; I did a little catwalk and he said he wished all his patients were so compliant.

He was however worried that because my foot is at an angle (my toes point down), I’m hyperextending my knee when I walk, which is going to cause problems (it’s already a bit sore) if left.

So, I’m being referred for a CT scan to show a bit more detail of how the bone is healing (though from the X-ray, it’s about where it should be after 8 weeks).
From that, they will get me in to adjust the lower ring on my frame to set the foot straight, which will in turn allow me to walk better and put even more weight through the bad leg.

If all goes to plan, he aims for the frame to come off sometime in April, but I will have to have a plaster cast for 6 weeks followed by physio to loosen up the ankle joint.

He’s not concerned that I’m not having physio at present; there’s not a lot they can do other than get me walking and weight bearing, which I’m doing nicely on my own.

It’s nice to have a time scale in mind, although I appreciate it’s subject to change.

The only negative in all of this is I’m not going to be wedding ready, so Mr A and I need to sit down and make some revised plans. It will be worth the wait :-)

DQ x