"If you need anything, please let me know."

So....I finally met an injury that even I can't run through.

I broke my ankle Thursday night while playing softball.  I don't recall the exact events leading up to the injury --one minute I was making a play at second base and the next I felt excruciating pain in my ankle and when I attempted to put weight on my ankle I felt a sensation of jello.

According to Wheeless Textbook of Orthopedics, my fracture is classified as an unstable Weber B fracture.  Unstable Weber B fractures result from excessive supination and external rotation of the foot and ankle causing fracture of the distal fibula, tearing of the anterior and lateral supporting ligaments, and disruption of the deltoid tendon.  The picture above isn't my actual xray but it is the closest thing I could find online.  My xray actually looks a little different (probably a little worse) because on mine there is more medial clear space (the space between the tibia and the talus) due to the disruption of the deltoid tendon.  Unfortunately, this type of fracture can only be repaired surgically and thus I am scheduled to undergo an ORIF (open reduction & internal fixation) tomorrow morning at South County Hospital by Dr. Aidlen.  Post-op course includes up to 8 weeks of non-weight bearing and then 4 weeks of rehab.  If all goes well then I should be back running by October.

One might expect me to feel a little down after such an injury.  Afterall, I can't drive, can't work, can't go to clinicals, and can't run -- I can't do anything that I normally do and am basically homebound for the next several weeks.  But in the days following my injury I have experienced such an overwhelming outpour of love and support from my family and friends that I can't help but smile for I realize just how truly blessed I am.  I can't even begin to count how many times I've heard "If you need anything, please let me know."   From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU all!

SIDE NOTE: As many of you know, I have fractured many bones in my lifetime -- clavicle, both arms, fingers, toes, etc -- but I can honestly say that this is the LEAST amount of pain I have ever experienced with a fracture.  I'd like to claim that I just have a very high tolerance for pain but I realize that's unlikely.  So praise God for not making it hurt!  I shared this information with my orthopedist and her response was "Just wait until after I cut it open."  You gotta love a surgeon with a sense of humor.