see the cripple dance…zzzzzzzzzzz
…well i’ve followed all the advice.. i must learn to be a patient patient.. last night i woke up in the middle of the night..desperately thinking about cutting the bloody cast off…i can wiggle my toes a lot and feel like if the bloody thing was off i could walk!.. nearly crawled to the kitchen area to get a bread knife!
its only day 9 and frustration is setting in… the novelty has worn off… the cast is getting looser, so i suppose the initial swelling has gone down and/or my calf muscle is wasting away at a rapid pace…
havent been sleeping much (in fact was awake for nearly 40 hours sunday thru monday) so i think that has done somethig unusual to my brain, however the positive thing was that i realised today was wednesday (or is it thursday) which means i’m closer to first cast removal…and into week 2… huzzah!
has anyone else had these sleep problems..?
i doubt its the drugs as i have kinda stopped taking pain meds as i dont really have any pain to medicate…(and there not strong enough pills to save for recreational use)…
well i must go to sleep now i guess…better barricade the kitchen… lucky i cant sleep walk.
FM
I had some trouble sleeping too, but especially during the second 4 week period (8 weeks total). My cast was very restrictive and I think not done well, causing my ankle and knee to hurt at night (foot was twisted funny). Elevate your foot as much as possible to reduce swelling… you will get more “room” in the cast for all the good things, like scratching etc, hehe. I had a coat hanger wire do the trick nicely.
thanks human!
(not a spam bot then?)
yep i just looked its 2 am here.. maybe i should sleep.. i think part of it is jsut being inactive all day, apart from a crutch to the corner shop or too the loo!
i’m used to going to he gym everyday for an hour or two… i really miss that.
gonna check your blog now buddy.. how do i find it?
Hang in there…. maybe some red wine would be helpful if you are off medications…
Many of us are active people - that is why we got into trouble in the first place - so the most trying part is patience and the bloody cast!
I am supposedly a good natured calm lady - but that thing was driving be crazy.
And each new cast felt too tight for the first 5 days….
Yes, never slept well with my leg imprisoned. See previous advice : red wine…
Yes, not easy trying to get comfortable in bed with the cast and pillows or whatever to elevate. I used to find I’d start getting abit drowsy in the afternoon - so how about a siesta to catch up?
Even with the cast off I’m still not sleeping that geat ‘cos I’m still supposed to be elevating and I’m conscious of the weak ankle, plus I guess all those weeks of the disturbed sleep pattern to get unused to.
Also as most of us aren’t as active as usual we’re not burning off the same energy to make us tired. The inactivity causes frustration which makes the brain work overtime instead. So a couple of glasses to unwind….why not.
Hi Sam
You mentioned sleeping without a cast, and your weak ankle. I am still thinking of getting that “sleep brace” that you sent me the link for. £15 for better nights sleep, seems a small price to pay. I know what you mean, as my ankle still feels fragile and wobbly, the brace may help till you are stronger.
Lee
For Lee - I have actually got oneof the adjustable night splint - the softer looking 90 degree one was out of stock till October. But I haven’t found it very comfortable to sleep in yet, because my foot won’t quite go flat yet. There is a wedge to put in but I was still getting some pain in my foot under the heel so I took it off after a couple of hours.
I did however put it on again for half an hour in bed before getting up this morning to gently stretch the tendon prior to trying any weight on it and that felt quite good.
Perhaps when the foot is flatter the night splint will be easier to wear all night and keep the tendon from contracting overnight.
Hope all is going well with you still.
Sam
Sorry FM for hijacking your page here!
no no.. the hijacking is fine… now i know i should order a nite splint for when my foot is “movable” !
its all good info..
cheers
FM