#taylor spatial

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

hey guys!

quick update for you all,

I’m about 16 months post op (removal) now, everything is so much better and hardly ever get pain in either leg when walking anymore!

I do still suffer with nerve damage due to the pin position so often my big toe doesn’t raise as it should so I find myself tripping, recently broken my toe due to one of those trips- having to wear foot up splint a bit more now!

I’m also suffering with swelling around the ankle quite a lot at the moment, I had a few pins in a small area and occasionally causes some discomfort but nothing to worry about

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

hey guys 👋

I know I haven’t posted for a while so thought I’d give a quick update on everything!

I have now been frame free for 6 months, it wasn’t easy adjusting to life without it and took me a month or so to adjust my walking pattern back to normal and not compensate for the frame being there.

The scars look incredible and I was so self conscious about getting my legs out in public and tended to wear trousers or black tights to avoid attention but I conquered my fear and it was absolutely fine, my friends reassured me that unless you knew the scars were there, they weren’t noticeable. (attached a picture of the leg for you to see) this is without any bio oil application!

I was in a car accident in January which thankfully I suffered no major injuries from and my leg doesn’t seem to have been effected by this, there’s a bit of ankle pain but I can’t be sure the cause of this.

I still don’t have full motion in my foot/big toe but this is considerably better than before so I’m hoping with some at home exercise I can regain full motion. I don’t have full feeling on the inside of my foot/ankle either but this could be linked to the nerve damage following the operation.

I was back driving within a month of it coming off and apart from heavy impact running and living a fully normal life again. It took a couple months to achieve this but hard work and determination got me there. It still swells occasionally but it goes down over night which is a bonus.

I see my surgeon again towards the end of this month and hopefully he’s a chuffed as I am with the outcome of the operation and can discharge me fully 🤞

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

Do’s and Dont’s with the frame

Do

- try and weight bare as much as you can

- get out the house as much as you can

- see your friends and family

- try to live as normal as you can

- good diet

- zinc, magnesium, fibre, vitamin D

- help out with dinner

- set mini goals for progress and chores (e.g, chopping an onion)

- take your pain med and don’t be afraid to ask for more

- go to physio as much as you can

- keep pins clean and wrapped if needed

- nap whenever you can, the frame is tiring and can keep you up during the night. Ask your doctor if you’re still struggling

Dont

- smoke / be around smokers

- drink acesseive alcohol (a glass of wine on a Friday night is fine)

- give up

- isolate yourself

- drink too much fizzy if any at all

- ignore your physios

- be scared to weight bare, it’s unpleasant at first but gets easier, the frame can handle it

- get angry / upset if the progress isn’t what you want, it will take time and everyone’s frames is different!

Top tip

If you fall over it’s okay, take a pain killer and rest up, ask your nurses / physios / doctors if you’re worried. I’ve fallen in my house and it is a shock to the system, but the frame is fine, wrap any pins that need attention and rest up. the system is designed to support your full body weight, but please get it checked if there is anything wrong! I did some ligament damage in my toe but wasn’t going to affect my progress

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

My difficulties with the frame:

- walking (obviously, but it does get easier

- carrying things (invest in a cross body bag when using crutches) (try carrying water first before hot drinks or food)

- stairs, started doing both on the bum, then managed down hopping but with physio work and help now do them normally

- boredom (find a good Netflix series or lean a new skill such as sewing or hair braiding)

- adventures out, sitting at a table is difficult but if you pre warn restaurants or places they’re accommodating

- car trips, luckily I’m only 5’2 so can sit in the front seat as long as it’s pushed back fully

- loneliness: surround yourself with friends and family, it’s hard for everyone when they first see the frame but it gets easier, get out and see people

- showering: I still can’t do this at home, wash my hair over the bath and then hang my legs over the bath and hose them down (sink wash the rest of the body and soak feet in washing up bowl)

- clothing: I’m going to do a whole post on this but it’s difficult. skirts/dresses/poppers on trousers

- independence - let people do things for you but also don’t be afraid to do things yourself! chop an onion for dinner, stir the sauce. these little things help

- sleeping : again there’s a whole post of this, pillows under the leg, we had a cuff tie to wrap around the foot but not everyone does, it is hard to sleep so for the start, just nap when you can. I’m 4 months in and have tablets to help sleep but still don’t get the 8 hours I need

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

January 2019!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I managed to spend it out the house with some family friends and even treat myself to a couple of drinks!

hydrotherapy is still on going and making progress every time, and physios are noticing how much progress I’m making ☺️

I have started to get out the house more and see my friends and family which is a massive bonus.

TIP: people do stare and ask questions, I’ve started to cover my frame with old boob tubes, mini skits, scarfs and some people use pillow cases and just split and velcro them

Have a hospital appointment and X-ray later this month so hopefully the bone has shown signs of bonding 🤞

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

November 2018 - it does get easier

A month into the frame and it’s difficult to get to terms with. The idea of putting weight through my leg and walking unaided just doesn’t seem natural.

The weekly physio sessions are helping and I now only have to wrap pin sites if they look irritated or weepy.

I have started to weight bare a little bit but not like the surgeon wants.

Something I forgot to mention in the October Post is the strut adjust programme. the black things on each of the struts lifts up and rotates. I had to do this 4 times a day for 4 weeks. as the bone begins to get in line / placed where it needs to be it does become painful and you do feel deflated and there was tears shed on my part for this.

TIP 2 - it’s okay to cry! Take maximum pain relief during the adjust process.

the aim was to be at least down to one crutch before December but that’s not likely. everyone does things at their own pace. group physio is useful as you see everyone at different stages of their frame.

[life-with-an-external-fixator]

Mid October - my frame was for a broken fibula and fibula, I have seen frames with foot plates too for ankle injuries

two weeks after my operation I went back to the hospital and had all the bandages off and the wire / pin sites cleaned.

I won’t lie, it was a strange experience and was a bit uncomfortable so I reccomend taking your pain relief before you go in to the treatment room but in time for it to be working whilst this is going on.

when you’re in there the nurses are very supportive and tell you all about your pin site care and what to look out for with the wires!

after this I had a meeting with my surgeon to talk about physio therapy and the road to recovery.