I've been reading here for two days now and am amazed by how many similarities I have with others here. On the outside chance that something I say helps just one person, here's my story.

I live in Chicago but was visiting our condo in Florida (alone, of course) when I had my accident on July 12. I was carrying out a tiny bag of garbage, and slipped in my flip-flops on the hardwood stairs. My left foot went forward and the right leg collapsed under me. As soon as I gathered myself and pulled my right leg out from under me, I knew I was in trouble. The foot was completely limp in my hands and felt completely detached. I managed to pull a net citrus bag out of the garbage, tie it around the break and pull myself back up the stairs by holding onto the drawstring top. Next came a major slide on my back across the condo to find my cell phone and call 911. Since I was alone, they had to break the door down to get to me. After a night in the ER, where they tried to set the leg (it was at a 90 degree angle), I had surgery the next day. The doc put a rod in the tibia, two plates and four screws. The next day, the PT had me up on crutches and when I complained about my other foot hurting also, an x-ray showed that I'd broken it too. After a week in the hospital, I flew back to Chicago (a trying day) and went into a rehab hospital. Almost two weeks later, I saw a new ortho doc who sent me for additional x-rays, which showed an additional broken ankle and second fracture in the fibula. Back to surgery and another rod and four more screws. In all, on the right leg I had a broken tibia and fibula (2 places) and a broken ankle (2 places), plus a bonus broken left foot (5th meta).

I had a half-plaster cast for two weeks then went into an air cast, which has been on for two weeks now. I'm due back for an appointment in two weeks, and I'm now in the 10th week since the injury. I did, though, lose almost three weeks of healing time because of the shoddy work of the first surgeon. I'm starting to put weight on the right leg but it seems extremely slow at this point. I use a wheelchair, crutches and walker, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish, and have just learned how to maneuver our outside stairs to get out of the house.

I really feel for everyone here who has gone through the inevitable depression over these injuries. I never imagined that the healing process would take so long, or I don't know how I would've gotten through it. The doctors kept me medicated up until I refused to take the narcotics anymore and, after being on them for a full 4 weeks, I spent two fairly nasty days coming off of them. I'm now down to just taking OTC painkillers like Tylenol.

Sorry to be so long, but I'm so happy to have found this site. I don't feel nearly as down now, just knowing that others understand what this feels like. I can hardly wait to get back to normal!