Need the best of what you've all got--for my sister

[MissMillie]

My sister fell from a ladder on May 6, and broke both of the bones in her lower leg (one of the bones protruded from the skin and was dug into the ground) and shattered her ankle to smithereens (the surgeon literally said to her when she awoke from surgery, "well, the good news is you still have your foot"--apparently there were so many pieces of ankle, he was not sure he would be able to put them back together).

Since then she has of course not been able to put any weight at all on her foot. She has been being treated with some sort of ultra-sound machine and now walks with a "wheelchair" for her leg.

Last month her surgeon told her that he was not impressed with the bone growth in the leg and that he was recommending another surgery to do bone grafting. She asked for a second opinion.

This is what I got from her this morning:

The guy I saw a Togus has spent the last 13 years at Bethesda and is considered on of the best if not the best foot and ankle guy in Maine. Yesterday he looked at the x-rays I had brought and had some great insight on the latest techniques on grafts and was all pumped up to do the work. 1st he needed new x-rays. It went all downhill from there. Not only had the bone not grown, but in the month since the last x-ray the bone has receded considerably, he thinks perhaps there is a low grade infection in the bone that is eating away at the bone. He told me that no one here in Maine can do the work that needs to be done. 1st I have to have a plethora of test to determine bone activity, infection, blah, blah. At that point I will be taking all my result to the VA foot/ankle guru in Boston. This is the part where I'm not sure I get the details: he believes the only hope of saving my foot will be to join the good part of the fibula, (which hasn't healed either) to the tibia. I'm told it will be ugly as hell but it will work. Again, the doc in Boston will have his own opinion. My concern is the amount of time that is ticking by as we determine if there is an infection or not. As I understand it, treating a bone infection is not simply and takes several weeks.

On top of all this there are a multitude of problems in her home w/ her husband and her daughter that I will not get into.

All of this--and today is her birthday.

She ended with: Prayer, positive energy, good health, support, and skilled doctors is what it is going to take if I am ever to walk again.

Folks... give her all you've got please. Whether or not positive vibes and energy actually work is a matter for the philosophers, but I'll tell you what--that stuff CAN'T HURT.

Thanks!

[AutumnMist]

1. My Best Thoughts and Wishes

for your sister. I hope she can find the best treatment for her injuries and that she has a speedy recovery. Its hard to deal with. Here's a :hug: for you and your sister.

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. OK - sending my best stuff to you and her this morning.

She sounds like an amazing person.

I have known more people who have really hurt themselves falling from ladders.

[NewWaveChick1981]

3. You got it, MissMillie!

:hi: :hug: All my best to your sister. :) Positive vibes and best wishes for her! :hug: It sounds like a very rough situation all the way around.

[reyd reid reed]

4. Best wishes, good thoughts and positive energry, all winging their way

to you and your sister and your families. I truly believe that it works.

:hug::hug::hug:

And wish her Happy Birthday for me!!

[BarenakedLady]

5. Best wishes

for your sister's recovery.

:hug:

[bigwillq]

6. My best wishes, thought, good vibes for your sis.

:hug:

And please wish her happy birthday for me! :hug:

[ThomCat]

7. Good thoughts.

I hope she gets some good news soon. :hug:

[Arugula Latte]

8. I'm sending positive thoughts ...

for your sister, and for you, because you'll need to be strong to help her through this.

[lavenderdiva]

9. I will be sending lots of good healing energy your sister's way...

I will be praying for healing for your sister's leg and foot. What a nasty injury! I will also be praying for her doctors: that they will have the skills necessary to heal the infection (if there is one), and restore full mobility to your sister... :hug:

[dolo amber]

10. Hundreds and hundreds of wishes coming her way MM

:thumbsup:

[miss_american_pie]

11. Of course she has my prayers

How awful for her. :hug:

[buddhamama]

12. My thoughts and good vibes

are your sister and your family. :hug:

[Left Is Write]

13. I'm sending my best wishes and thoughts for her, MissMillie.

[Haole Girl]

14. Sending the best I've got...

..for your sister and whole family! Wish her a happy birthday, too! :hi: :party:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. All my best wishes and hopes are on their way........

To your sister.......and to you, my dear MissMillie.......

This will be a long battle, and I sure hope she can save her leg.........

Sounds like a dicey situation all around......I'm so sorry......

Take care of yourself, since she is definitely going to need your support through all this........

I hope she will enjoy her birthday!

:hug: :loveya: :hug:

[huskerlaw]

16. Sending positive thoughts

to you, your sister, and her family.

:hug:

[Shine]

17. Healing White Light to your beloved sister, MM.

:hug: Yes, energy works!! :hug:

[SeattleGirl]

18. Prayers and positive, healing thoughts to your sister, MissMillie

And prayers for you, too, as I know you concerned about and for your sister. :hug:

[nini]

19. I had an injury similar to that and my best advice

is to insist the first doctor put her on antibiotics while waiting for all the other stuff to get done. She needs to get on something fast.


Also and most importantly - if recommended go ahead with the fusion of the tibia and fibula, and not worry about it being ugly. My ankles are screwed up but I am glad I have my feet to walk on. They're ugly but they work. It'll be easier in the long run to do something like that than continue to deal with extreme pain and all the problems that will develop at that site down the line.


I am so sorry she is going through this. I know the pain and how it affects your life. :-( I'll be sending all the good vibes I can for her.