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I'll admit that I don't really understand what they did to your leg (other than I'm sorry to hear it), but I broke my femur in half - quite high, another inch and it would have shattered my hip - and they gave me an IM nail in the bone and a few pins at the top and bottom of bone. 3 days in hospital, 6 weeks on crutches, but in three months I cycled to the top of Canonbie on my brompton, was doing 40 / 50 miles loops 4/5 months later, which all in all is quick turnaround imo. Physio sucked but it always does but it's always worth doing. Hope that helps?
Edit: what I mean is that if you they need to go back in and rebreak and give you a nail it's a not a bad one to heal up from, more akin to carprentry than fiddly joint/knee/back surgery. Legs and bones have good blood flow.
Otherwise seeing the consultant in 6 weeks is good. I know it's frustrating to be on your ass waiting around but even having the answer now won't change the healing process you still need to go through. Also good to get a second opinion. Sounds like you had a bad break, so some serious fixing is required. Perspective is hard to maintain when you're healing up, but to use a lame sporting cliche at moment you just need to concentrate on getting better.
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youramericanlover
@_Tree_Beard_
6 weeks ago I broke both my fibula and tibia whilst Bouldering. I was rushed to the Royal London on a potent cocktail of drugs and sparkly blue lights to have surgery, which consisted of a titanium tibial intramammary nail (sorry I know that’s a mouthful).
The physio team and consultants were happy with the outcome and I was discharged 3 days after surgery. I was told the all important thing - I would be able to return to my life the way it Was, climbing mountains and staying active in the ways that I do.
It was truly remarkable, my leg was in a cast for a mere few hours whilst I was in a&e waiting for surgery, and no cast after the op. So appreciative of the nhs, especially after an accident whilst doing something that I love. However for the first time since it happened, I have concerns about the future impact of the injury on the quality of my life.
I have been walking without crutches for the past 2 weeks and I have steadily noticed that my foot toe’d outwards. I’ve since learnt that this malrotation (bone healing out of rotational alignment) is something that is possible with long bone breakages that are fixed with IM nails.
I have spoken to a consultant back at the hospital and they did not seem surprised but instead explained that this was in fact an outcome of how the bones have fused. His advice was to allow the leg to completely heal and potential future avenues would be realignment (re-break, re-pin, another long healing period….).
It has so far been almost impossible to source a second point of view. I’m seeing the consultant again in 6 weeks for another check but I can’t speak to anyone other than a nurse. The Fracture Clinic Manager is going to liase with the consultant and see if I can get a second opinion from a foot specialist there.
I’m currently out of work on SSP and haven’t been told what I can and can’t do, other than to not swim until wounds have completely healed.
So there is the scenario and at the moment I have more questions than answers. I’ve come here in hope that there is someone out there who has gone through a similar process.
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