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Life gets in the way. Or more accurately a rug.

Rags's picture

So middle age is slapping me in the face.  

I went rug surfing on Sat AM and crashed and burned. I suffered a compound fracture to my right leg above my ankle.  Home alone of course.  My bride was at work for the extension tax season.  

I had to reset my leg to get the bone back inside then crawl through the house to get my phone to call 911.  I weaved through the tribal and Persian carpets we have collected during our Expat years then around the kitchen island to put my leg in a garbage bag (a clean one) to keep it clean and to avoid trashing my brides new home with blood.

Then I crawled from the kitchen through the rest of the house to our bedroom where I had to stand up to reach my cellphone in the middle of our bed.

I called 911 first then my bride.  She thought I was kidding unti I described the bone sticking out of my leg. The fire department had to call to find our house.  It is new construction and not on their maps.

When they got to the house they poked their heads in the front door (I crashed and burned entering the house so the door was open) and asked where I was.  The young guy commented “Let’s just follow the blood trail”.  They found me lying in the floor laughing.

The mechanics put me back together on Saturday evening with a plate and 8 screws.  No weight on it for 6-12 weeks and the long screw gets removed in 4-6mos.  They discharged me late Monday evening.

I can likely work from home starting  Thursday and hope to get to the office the middle of next week.

The first responders were awesome, the hospital staff was awesome and now my mom and dad have moved in to cater to their gimp 54 year old son.

My kid (the SKid) called to give me crap.  That’s my boy!  

Lots of drama with absolutely nothing to do with step life.

On to the next adventure.

 

 

Comments

SteppedOut's picture

Ouch. Sorry to hear and hope like h3ll thr pain meds are good!

Rags's picture

Thank you.  The pain meds made me sick so I have been on Ibuprofen and acetaminophen since Sunday afternoon.

SonOfABrisketMaker's picture

Youre a wild man! Your bride must have infinite patience for your shenanigans. She is a true queen.

I hope you heal quickly and well. 

 

advice.only2's picture

You had to re-set your own leg just to get the bone back in.....holy crap man go on a survivor show you would win for sure!!!

Speedy recovery!

Rags's picture

Thank you.  Resetting it was just reaction.  It was done before I really knew what I was doing.  I hooked my L heel under my right and stretched my leg out which popped the head of my Tib mostly back into place.

24 years as a SM's picture

I fell on a hiking trail 18 years ago and did the same type of break. I got airlifted out the canyon and had to have surgery for a 6" plate with 9 screws . The only difference with mine is that I never had the plate or screws removed, now the damn thing is like a built-in barometer, any weather changes and the whole leg start hurting. You take care of yourself, and make sure you have any and all the metal removed when the time comes.

CLove's picture

For a speedy recovery! I dont know how you did that - I think I would have passed out immediately upon sight of blood and bones sticking out.

Rags's picture

Thanks.  Mostly it was just reactive instinct I think.

justmakingthebest's picture

Holy Cow! I mean if you are going to go for it, at least you went all the way!!

I hope you have a fast recovery! Glad to see you can laugh about it, I would be having a pitty party! I don't do pain well...

Rags's picture

Thanks.  Actually my very tough mother is here torturing me.  She did two knee replacements and has no sympathy for me regarding PT.

Harry's picture

To hear about your leg.  We are Hopping for the best for you.  Take it easy. 

Rags's picture

Thank you.  I want to take it easy but with my parents here torturing me that isn’t likely to ba an option.  *wink*

notasm3's picture

I broke my collarbone from a fall a few months ago. But your injury trumps mine big time.  By the time mine got diagnosed I was already almost healed.   Best wishes. 

StepUltimate's picture

Rags, i hate it that you got hurt! That's one crazy story from one of the most sane people on this site IMHO. Your concern for the rugs while your leg bone was broke and bleeding, and the paramedic Follow the Blood Trail story are hilarious. 

Prayers for your complete recovery. Also... congrats on the new home! 

notsobad's picture

I'm so glad you're going to be okay and are on the mend.

My best friend fell off a ladder and broke her back.

She crawled from the garage into the house, upstairs to her bedroom where she promptly called, her husband. He didn't answer because he was in a meeting. So she called her son. He was 1/2 an hour away and said I'll meet you at the hospital, is EMS there yet? Nope, she hadn't called 911.

Really, she didn't call 911 and now she was in such bad shock she was on the verge of passing out. 911 was called but couldn't get into the house. They called her cell phone, asked which room she was in and were in the process of having the fire dept break into her bedroom window when her son made it there. He'd sped the entire way and luckily they were able to put her on a board, get her out to the abulance and get her to the hospital.

She shattered two disks in her lower back. Luckily with surgery, drugs and therapy she's somewhat normal 2 years later.

Rags's picture

Thank you.  My event is nowhere near your friend’s ordeal.  My prayers are with her for a complete recovery.

ESMOD's picture

Oh.. geez.... that sounds very painful.  Has anyone suggested you get a lifealert yet....???? (too soon?). 

I have had what I considered a few near misses myself while alone.. it's scary to think what could happen if no one was to find you. 

Please take care of yourself!  No giving Aniki a run for her money in the accidentprone olympics!

Rags's picture

Lol.  Nope.  You are the first to mention LifeAlert.

Ironically our house is fully SmartHouse equipped.  Guess who was supposed to have gotten the internet hooked up and didn’t?  *blush*

If I had hooked up the internet I could have told the house to call 911.  

They discharged me last night.  Guess what I did today?  

Ispofacto's picture

Rags!  Stop the Risky Business.  Leave those old records on the shelf.  And put some pants on!

 

thinkthrice's picture

talk about a freak accident!  Get better soon!

Disillusioned's picture

Oh so sorry to hear that Rags!

Hope you're on the mend, and will have a full and speedy recovery!!