Tips Wanted - Broke My Ankle!

Perhaps you could ask for a walking cast? It makes it a lot easier to get around because you have no need for crutches. You daughters should be on summer vacation soon. Maybe you could ask them to help mommy in her time of need. Don't worry too much about the housework...it will be ok if there is some dust until you heal.

My mom had this happen when we were kids and this is what she did, and it helped alot:

- Have the family bring their dirty clothes to the laundry area. Start by doing at least one load a day just to keep up.
- Let the sweeping/mopping/vacuuming go for as long as possible. The floors will get cleaned eventually...just not now. (unless you can mop on your knees)
- Have your kids do the trash collecting around the house by giving them an empty bag to collect all the trash from the bathrooms/bedrooms
- Have your kids scrub the toilets with the toilet brush...they'll probably like it...even if they make a bit of a mess with the water...the toilet will be clean.
- Sit when you can and complain about the pain a bit...you'll get sympathy from your kids and they'll be more willing to help you.
- Have the kids do what they can when they can. Have the older one give the little one a bath, and designate them to keep their rooms cleaner and maybe they will be rewarded with something cool when mommy gets her cast off. (even if it's a trip to Como Zoo...Free!) Wash the counters or the table...3 yr olds LOVE to help with that...at least mine did. :)

The biggest thing is to let things go as much as possible...and don't be picky about how it's getting done by someone else...it's getting done...so lower your standards. Thank everyone with a tear everyonce in a while...they'll feel more rewarded and willing to do more if they truely feel like you appreciate their extra work.

Good luck.

Dear M.,

We have done some once-a-month type cooking things, and that has helped keep our mealtimes on track. We plan the menu, and try to stick to it. Thangs like a beef roast in the crockpot can serve several meals, depending on the size of your family. Freezing meals is a wonderful shortcut, and really easy if you have a chest freezer! I have some great recipes, if you are looking for more info. Your girls are 6 and 3. I find that the little ones can be great help, as can the older ones. Do they each help out with daily chores around the house? Now might be the time to "promote" them to Mommy's little helpers, if they do not already do chores. Your 6 year old could certainly sweep the floor and wipe the table, the 3 tear old could be the table setter. If you have meals frozen, the older could turn the oven on, and you would just need to put your dinner in! They can both help with laundry, a 6yo is old enough to run the washer and dryer, and a 3yo can help with sorting and folding. I hope this is of help to you. Best wishes, and I pray that you heal quickly! ~S.

Hi M.! I cannot imagine what you are going through! My husband works in the dairy industry as an independant nutrition consultant and does relief milking for his parents and grandparents on a regular basis. I cannot imagine with it being planting season that you are even seeing your husband much, although he made really be needed. I would love to email you some power-cooking recipes from the Pampered Chef to help with meal time if you want me too. You prepare one base and can make 5 different meals out of it. This could really help simplify and give you a weeks worth of meals you could use at least once per month. Also it uses ground beef which I am guessing you may have on hand with steers from your farm or a free-martin or something else that had to be processed. Just send me an email at ____@____.com and I will gladly send you those recipies! I hope the healing goes well.
A.

Oh hun I am praying so hard for you right now. I broke my ankle Sept of 05 and just had to have my foot amputated and am now trying to learn to walk with a prostetic. I know exactely what you are feeling I raise my ten yr old grandson in which he has muliple mental and behavioral problems. So I had many challanges with him I am seperated so live with just my grandson the parents my daughter and his dad come around when they have time which isn't much at all he doesn't even say anything when people call me his mom cause i have had him since he was 1 month old. Back to the ankle issue, it will be very hard but god will lead you the way if he allows him to just ask and believe it or not you will find the answeres I found that out. Please if you care to chat i am on yahoo messanger under the screen name dt2_psg or my email is ____@____.com i would love to be of support as i have been there and for a very long time. GOOD LUCK! As before I am praying for you.

Your children are big enough to help you out some. Give the little one a cloth and have her dust for you. The older one can help put laundry away and perhaps even carry the basket to the couch for you. It will make them feel all grown up to help mommy. My daughter hopped on one foot using the counters for balance when she was on crutches.

Have your mom cook big meals and freeze some for when she goes to help you. Then you will just have to put them in the oven to heat.

The house work can go for a bit. Hubby can vacuumn when he is done with the planting.

It will get easier for you and maybe after a few weeks you can get a walking cast so you won't be on crutches the whole time.

I broke my ankle back in 2002 and I understand what you are going through. I think the crock pot comes to mind and sandwiches. I had my sister come over and fix food for my family that I could freeze and take out as needed. I think it would be nice if you ask your mom to make some dishes that freeze well and you can take them out as needed. I assume your husband is very busy but he will have to kick in whenever possible and help out. This is a difficult time not being able to walk for 8 weeks but it can be done you just have to simplify more until you are able to do more. I don't know if you have any family members that could come over and help with the little ones or not. Even a neighbor can come over and feed your kids if necessary and get things ready for you. I did use friends and my sister when ny husband was gone to work. Hang in there it does get better.

R.

M.,

A broken ankle during summer that bites! Anyhow when we were moving from Japan, (short notice) I had a lot to do and I could not afford a babysitter for 3 kids so I asked my newspaper girl and her sister (I taught both of them Sunday school) to come be Mama's helpers. They just hung out at the house and kept the kids out of my hair while I cleaned and sorted out what needed to be moved etc. (I am still nursing my 16 month old and she needs me around naptime, etc) My boys (6 & 4) loved having teenage playmates (plus they only charged me for one and just worked together to have fun)!

Maybe you can post or ask around at your church if any older elementary school kids or Junior high kids would be willing to help - they normally do not charge very much since they want the experience of baby sitting and since people from church are normally more than willing to give a helping hand!

Hope this helps.

Ask your mother before she goes to box up ALL of your knick knacks and whatnots. Then once a week have the kids use one of those special dusters from Swiffer or Pledge.

Fill your sink morning, noon and night w/ hot soapy water. When dishes get put there, it will take seconds to clean and if you use plastic cups and plates your 6 yr old can help wash and your 3 yr old can help dry.

Keep some of those Clorox wipes on table and bathroom sink. Makes easy work of cleaning the surface if you don't have to go get the stuff out.

Barter w/ a neighbor/friend/family member, for once a week coming in to wash toilet/tub/floors and you can make phones calls/appts./arrangements for them during the day.

Have a straight back chair in living room, kitchen, family room, kids bedrooms, your bedroom etc. These are easier to get up from!

Since hubby is a dairy farmer and rises early, ask him to take a few minutes in the morning to sweep kitchen floor and take out garbage.

Have only a fitted sheet on beds w/ a quilt/comforter. A flick of the wrist makes the bed and your kids can do their own.

Both kids can help vaccuum!

Have your mother make double batches of all meals that she can and freeze the 2nd portion. Pancakes work great from the freezer! Take them out night before and pop in toaster! www.30daygourmet.com is a great place to get some wonderful recipes!

Get a plain clothe square bag and attache 2 strips w/ velcro on ends. These can be velcroed to your crutches for mail or a book and glasses or the phone.

Get well soon!

I broke my ankle when I was 5 months pregnant with my 2nd. I was on crutches for 3 months and still had to wear a walking cast boot for an additional month, all the while taking care of my oldest who turned 4 during this ordeal. It was HARD!!!
My sister helped out several days for 2 weeks and then my mom came for a week, but I was on my own the rest of the time while my husband was at work.
The best advice I can give you is don't be afraid to accept or ask for help, whether it be for cleaning, child care, shopping, running errands, etc.
**Have your mom help you make or buy as many freezer meals as possible while she is with you.
**Your girls are old enough to help a lot. Have them set the table and then stack the dirty dishes by the sink so you can wash them. Your 6-year-old is more than capable of pushing the vacuum. Have them fetch the food (or whatever else) you need to prepare meals and then put it away when you're done.
**LAUNDRY TIPS: Have your girls bring all the dirty laundry to an open room so you can all sort it. Your husband should wash it and bring the clean clothes back to the open area so you and your daughters can fold it. Everyone should put their own clothes away.
**Make sure your family members pick up after themselves. They have to understand you CAN NOT and are UNABLE do it.
**SIMPLIFY. While scrubbing the bathroom is best, Lysol wipes do a great job of killing germs. The rest can wait if it has to. Of course, everyone would love to have a spotless house, but when you are incapacitated, it's not possible to do it yourself. Do what you can and feel good about it. Worrying about what you can't do doesn't help.
**Make LISTS of what needs to be done, prioritize it, and figure out who can do what. Make shopping lists and go no more than once a week, if possible..
**Showering can be tricky. I put a plastic stool in the shower and bought one of those shower heads on a hose. That way, I didn't have to worry about slipping or falling and I could get in and out by myself.
****Whatever you do, do not hop on your good leg and no do overexert yourself. Your body has enough going on. be good to it and let it heal.
Good luck!!! I hope you heal quickly!

I broke both my feet in a car accident and life was hard for awhile. Looking back I wish I would have asked for more help from friends and family. I was too proud and stubborn to ask or allow others to help.
If the doctor suggests physical therapy please go regularly and do all the exercises. I slacked and am paying the price now 11 years later.
Another thing is that I wished I would have relaxed and enjoyed the "forced vacation." Not sure of your faith but I believe we get so busy and sometimes the Lord needs to zap us to get us to relax and wait in His presence.
Take care and praying for a quick recovery.
J.

M.,

I feel your pain. Last March I broke my ankle really bad, it required a 2 day stay in the hospital and I am now the proud owner of a plate and 8 pins in my ankle. I not only had my family to care for, but I also do home daycare so I had several children to care for as well. My mom stayed with us for two weeks to help but then she had to go back home. I had to deligate chores to my children. They learned to help set the table and put their dishes in the dishwasher. My oldest daughter who was 16 at the time helped when she wasn't busy and my husband helped when he could but he was a Marine at the time and was also gone a lot. I would just get your kids involved as much as possible. I had friends that would come out and help me grocery shop. It is going to be a tough road, but I lost 4 pounds in the first few weeks of being on crutches. I guess that was the positive side. Something I didn't think about because I had never broke a bone is when the cast comes off don't think you are just going to be able to pick up where you left off because that so isn't the true.
I had to go through several weeks of physical therapy before I was able to do even part of what I was able to do before I broke my ankle. Just hang in there and know this too shall pass. If you need to vent about the ankle feel free to email me at ____@____.com luck.

Last labor day weekend I did the same. My mother in-law had to stay with me for long time because I had a 10mth old baby at the time that I couldn't carry. But as for house cleaning and cooking... I had a chair on wheels in the kitchen it made it easier then trying to hobble around on one foot! I also would use it while cleaning. Showering I put a fold up chair in the shower and my leg rested on the outside of the tub...it sure does take some getting used to. Also, the doctors have this thing it's like a scooter for your leg. You kneel on it so all of your pressure is on your knee and then just scoot! It's got brakes on it and all! Well good luck! Hope all goes well.