I broke my leg yesterday (Thursday)

[pflaming]

I was getting a part from an old vw pan. I tuned to leave, lost my balance and fell. My foot got caught in the frame and I was trapped for s small time. Freed myself, drove home and on Friday went to emergency to have it checked out.  Broke the bone down near the ankle. So I am laid up for a time. 

[sidevalvepete]

Feel for you Paul. You've had your challenges of late. Of course it could all have been worse...here's for a speedy recovery. All the best.

[RNR1957NYer]

Hope you have a speedy recovery, Paul.

[plymouthcranbrook]

I as well hope you heal fast.  Things like that seem to be one of the most aggravating issues of getting older.

[Eneto-55]

Sorry this happened for you, Paul.  This sort of thing can happen so fast, and although you have quite a few years on me, I understand it more and more as I get older myself.  Praying for you, for the grace of God in your life, and for healing, which ultimately only comes through him.

[Sniper]

Dang Paul, that could have turned out real bad, pays to keep a cell phone on you.  Get better, soon.

[Plymouthy Adams]

not making fun of a tragic event, but there was this guy who went to the doctor as he had his arm broken in 4 places, doctor told him to avoid them places in the future.  Tough break guy, no pun intended.

[pflaming]

I was trying to removed the tie rods on this frame. They were so tight I could not break them with the wrench I had, so gave the bolts a good soaking with PB blaster, turned to go home, lost my balance and fell. My foot got caught in the frame and for a time I was trapped, Finally got the foot loose and walked to the car and drove home. I think I will always have someone with me from now on.  I’m feeling somewhat better this morning.  

 

I have some really fun projects but not for a while now. 

[Sniper]

This past summer's heat really made the point I am not young anymore.  I have taken to not working out in the heat without my son handy.In less that 2.5 years I will be 60, where the heck did all the time go?

[pflaming]

Sniper, only 60? I’m 84, I cannot recall age 60.

[kencombs]

The earlier comment about a cell phone is right on target!   I have no password on my phone and keep it nearby or in my pocket.   So I can call on Siri to call someone in my contact list without having to actually reach it.   My shop is 300 ft from the house and I'm often there working alone.  I've been lucky so far, except for a fall about 5 years back when I cracked a vertebrae in my lower back.  Ladder, chainsaw, dumb operator, 'nuff said.   Things can happen in  a flash.

 

Take care of yourself, heal soon!

[greg g]

This I've fallen and can't get up crap is for real.  Was cooking supper a couple nights ago, turned around, tripped over the dog and went down. Kitchen floor is quarry tile luckily I landed, knee, hip, sholder, not head and sholder.  I have basically lost the use of my right arm due to arthritis, without both arms, I couldn't maneuver my self to a position to get a grip anything to pull up on.  My wife brought in a dining room chair, and with the chair, and her help I finally did get back vertical.  

No dogs were harmed during this incident.

[pflaming]

“  I have no password on my phone and keep it nearby or in my pocket.   So I can call on Siri to call someone in my contact list without having to actually reach it.   My shop is 300 ft from the house and I'm often there working alone.”

 

 I’m going to get an inexpensive phone and do the above.  Thanks Ken, invaluable advice for me.  With significant hearing loss, I enjoy being alone, this could be a life saver.  

[Eneto-55]

My wife doesn't like me to work on the cars alone, especially because I do this sort of thing at my rented shop, nearly 1/4 mile from the house.  I do try to keep my phone with me all of the time, but it's a large one, and I'm also concerned about damaging it while crawling around on the floor, under the car.  I have 4 very good quality jackstands, and always keep the floor jack under the vehicle as well, in the area where I'm actually working.  

[kencombs]

6 hours ago, pflaming said:

“  I have no password on my phone and keep it nearby or in my pocket.   So I can call on Siri to call someone in my contact list without having to actually reach it.   My shop is 300 ft from the house and I'm often there working alone.”

 

 I’m going to get an inexpensive phone and do the above.  Thanks Ken, invaluable advice for me.  With significant hearing loss, I enjoy being alone, this could be a life saver.  

 

I hear that hearing loss!  Me to, pretty significant.   Luckily my Iphone is linked to my hearing aids via Bluetooth so I can hear the ring and converse using the aids directly, both mic and audio.   I've worn aids for over 40 years as mine is not totally age related and the phone/aid link is the biggest improvement ever!   that was the first time I've been able to use a non-speaker phone in years.

[pflaming]

One usually has an accident in an unexpected place due to some tool out of place, like an extension cord.

Edited October 9, 2022 by pflaming

[oldodge41]

Paul, I am sorry to hear of your accident. I hope you have a quick and complete recovery. 

[Ulu]

Paul that looks very painful, and I hope it’s not as bad as it looks! (… here I was complaining about a stupid colonoscopy!) Yikes!

 

I have been so busy the past week that I just missed all the excitement here. I just showed my wife the gruesome photograph of your injury, and she was pretty startled.

 

I remember breaking my shoulder, not realizing it was actually broken (In spite of the pain) until I went and had an x-ray.

 

I’d like to think that this **** is easier at my age, but it’s not easy at my age, and you are 17 years my senior.

 

I would bring you a tie rod but my only one is bent severely. The long ones I found were always bent. I’m amazed you found a straight one.

 

I am going to cut mine and sleeve it. The ends are still good, but this tie rod has been bent and straightened before, at least once. Maybe twice. I want it to wind up stronger than a stock tie rod. If it looks like a dog’s leg it’s going to be slightly flexy.

[Veemoney]

Hope to hear your back at it soon. Some pretty good swelling. I had a break same leg in the same location years back. Healed up well and doesn't bother me so I wish you the same. The bad news is I was decades younger than you when it happened. 

 

 

[pflaming]

Broken leg update:  x ray showed a long complete break of the finial. So surgery next week Thursday to put in a metal support.  Then six weeks of non use of that leg.  Yesterday they showed me that the ankle was dislocated also.  So they reset that and set the broken bone. That was not an experience to write home about.  

 

I really appreciate the thoughtful encouraging responses from this forum, thank you all.  Photo is the new wrap.   Now, what can i do for seven weeks?  

[Eneto-55]

Speaking of broken bones, I had always heard that "If you can move it, then it's not broken." Not so, at least not in the case where I broke my thumb.  I immediately checked it out, to be sure I could move it.  "Whew!  It'll just swell up and be sore for a while."  (I thought.)  Three days later the swelling started going down, and the pain level shot through the roof.  We had traveled to another city in the meantime, but managed to find a doctor who would get an x-ray done.  (This was in Brazil.)  When the girl handed me the x-ray, she said "E muito feio, viu."  ("It's really ugly.")  The bone was shattered between the first and second joints.  The doctor tried to set it w/o even a local, and that was NOT a pleasant experience, to say the least.  I guess I couldn't keep the muscles in my hand from struggling against his efforts, because he finally had to sedate it.  (I don't have full movement in that thumb, but I can still use it to some degree.)

[pflaming]

Broken leg update:  x ray showed a long complete break of the finial. So surgery next week Thursday to put in a metal support.  Then six weeks of non use of that leg.  Yesterday they showed me that the ankle was dislocated also.  So they reset that and set the broken bone. That was not an experience to write home about.  

 

I really appreciate the thoughtful encouraging responses from this forum, thank you all.  Photo is the new wrap.  I just found this, will have the Dr set the cast so there is room to use this. A true game changer.  

 

 

[JerseyHarold]

Just saw this. 

Paul, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. 

Follow your doctor's instructions and you'll be back in the saddle before you know it.  

[Merle Coggins]

That knee crutch looks a bit sketchy. It would probably take a bit of practice to learn your balance to walk around. When my wife had surgery on her foot a few years ago she got a knee walker. She found one fairly cheap on Facebook marketplace and ended up selling it there after she was done with it. She could zip around on that thing and get anywhere. Not so much around the house, but when out and about it I couldn't keep up with her. 

 

[Rodney_Hamon]

Hope everything goes smoothly and I hope that in short time you will be able to at least sit at a table or bench and tear apart some tedious gauge or something that you have avoided...just because. lol. At least I have as I broke my foot 3 years ago. Grr. And thanks for talking about a phone to have on you as I don’t do that always. I will now for sure as I’m 67 and a lot of time I forget my age. Btw, I always have enjoyed your posts!