Broken Ankle = Broken Lives

[queenofvalidation]

Welcome to my worst nightmare...

 

Last Friday my daughter broke her ankle (broke tibia and phrond/fx) at gym. It's broke/fractured in two places. Next step is a CT scan which Dr said will reveal whether there is more damage and if she needs surgery/pins.

 

It has been a long journey, people. My kid has been in gym for 13 years. We have built our lives around her endeavor to the extent that our gym family were are only friends outside of work and school. It is all gone now. We find ourselves hopelessly alone. Visited gym once (too many crutches/ casts can't be good for business ya know).

 

She is non-weight-bearing for atleast 8 wks and then we will have PT and may not totally recover even in 6 months, with the prospect that her bones may always be weak. She is definitely out for the season and may not be able to do gym anymore at all.

 

Up until the point of impact, things had been going great, too. Now, our lives are like a train wreck.

 

Instead of running to gym 4x/wk (4-1/2 hrs/day). We are running to the hospital/dr. 2x/wk.

 

Hard to believe, just one moment of weakness, lack of focus and our lives are changed possibly forever. Reducing her sports career to a few papers & ribbons.

 

Devastating on the finances, too. $25,000 for surgery on a broken leg. I'm a single mom and yes, I have insurance. But, it's still an 80/20 co-pay. I was already overextended, now I'm completely stressed.

 

Any words of encouragement are very much appreciated.

[annie24]

yikes! I broke my ankle also a few years ago and I know that it is really not fun.

 

how did it happen? if she broke it at the gym, wouldn't they be liable?

[DN]

Hard to believe, just one moment of weakness, lack of focus

Maybe I am misreading this - but I hope you are not blaming her for this in anyway?

[avman]

Although I realize it looks bad right now, kids heal amazingly fast. Not to mention her life isn't over just because she can't do gym temporarily. Even if it is for six months, you and she will adapt to whatever the situation becomes. Nearly every sports star out there has a story or two about a very bad injury they sustained. So don't write everything off just yet.

 

Call your friends. Talk to them. Have them come over for a visit.

 

Regarding the bills, talk to the hospital and arrange a slow payment plan. You are not the first person to have trouble paying those astronomical bills. Lots of times they can waive some of the fees to make it more managable for you or they can find programs that cover some of what is left over after the insurance pays their part.

[annie24]

that is true, kids can heal faster. the doctor initally told me I would be in a non-weight bearing cast for 6 weeks, but it wound up being only 4. I healed faster than expected, so your daughter may also.

[mysteryman]

Hey, I broke my leg bad a while back and they didnt have to use pins so she may not have to. And the school paid like 90% where it was a practice no their land. And I had a great time when my leg was broken so its not as bad as it may seem.

[melrich]

Hey thais bad luck. But like avman says, most sports starts go through this sort of thing. 6 months shouldnot be too hard.

 

As an aside, hopefully this will also prod you to redress some imbalance in your life. If your life becomes a train wreck because your child breaks a leg then something's out of kilter. You have too many eggs in one basket.

 

Both you and you daughter should really try and expand your range of interests if possible.

 

Hope your dauughter has a speedy recovery. I am sure she is sick of the cast already.

[Rain__man]

Don't quite believe the whole "she'll never be the same again" advice... that part is her choice. A good friend of mine shattered his heel over a decade ago, and was told a very similar story about returning to frame carpentry... or even walking normally for that matter. Needless to say, he didn't believe it, and ever since I've known him, you'd never know it happened.

 

Kids bounce back fast, and sooner than you might like, she'll be pushing herself harder than she should... if she has the will.

[shikashika]

you don't know how many times i've heard of tremendous athletes who were told they could never 'walk again' and then went on to win an olympic godl medal...

 

these storeis aren't rare at all.

 

a friend of mine was in a horrific car accident when she wsa 7 years old... all the doctors told he she couldn't walk again... well she was a top track athlete throughout high school and university.

 

honestly, I believe the mind is a powerful thing.. how many people at the olympics every year do i hear stories like these.

 

one russian woman was undergoing chemo while in the final of the 100m. a snowboarder in the final., 'just recovered from a broken neck 1 month ago.

 

on reason a lot of top athletes get to where they are is because they've gone through tribulations and hardships and managed to overcome their difficulties..

 

best wishes to you and your daughter!

[queenofvalidation]

Thanks Everybody!