Thank you all for the information! I felt yesterday like I'd lost my brain. I was in a haze. When my husband looked at the x-rays his face blanched and his concern started to freak me out.

I did call a couple of Dr. friends, though neither is an orthopedist. One even said he'd show the x-rays today to an orthopedist he works with. And my new orthopedist was on call, and said not to worry for the reasons that you've mentioned, about the swelling.

One bit of info I learned was that most commonly people break the tibia -- the big weight-bearing bone -- and fibula at the same time. The fibula is a little thin bone that wraps around the tibia. And the ankle gets implicated because it has ligaments that connect the two bones. Sorry, I'm not much of an anatomist and truthfully don't have the stomach much for it -- I went to that "bodies" exhibit a year or so ago and really sympathized with the woman who passed out while she was looking at the body that showed female reproductive organs.

I work on a hilly campus with lots of stairs and hardly handicap accessible at all. And since I start teaching when the semester starts and continue until it ends, there's really no way I can miss work. Yes, they gave me crutches. The hardest thing is going up stairs. In the house, I can go down on my butt, like a little kid.

So they called campus safety to drive me to the clinic, and to take me back. On the way back I was told that HR wanted me to stop by and fill out paperwork! I'm glad people are so conscientious about their jobs.

Oh, I could hear that crack all the way here. You poor girl. I hope your recovery is swift and easy.

Oh my DJ how awful for you. Eight years or so ago, I went to step down on the bottom step of my deck and the step was rotten undrer the carpet and caved in and my left foot went through it and the right foot smashed down onto the concrete walkway. I fell on my knees. Being super woman (HAH!!!) I pulled myself up, crawled into the house and for FOUR days I walked on those feet. Finally my ex said, you look terrible and the swelling is not going down on those sprained ankles.

We went to the emergency room, took exrays, and I had broken my right ankle in two places, and badly sprained the left ankle. They set my right leg up to the knee with a cast. So don't worry about waiting until Monday, not a problem unless you wait too long and the bones start too heal wrongly... Then they have to rebreak them but thats not the case here in only a few days. After my cast was removed in six weeks I had to wear a boot for another four weeks.

I hope you're better soon, takes awhile but you'll heal just fine. You know the sprain was actually more painful to me thaqn the broken bones were. Go figure!

Oh DJ...this made me shiver to read about it. God love you, how horrible. Since I'm late coming to the forums, can I assume by now you have crutches and can use the bathroom without breaking your neck? Oh girl, this is just terrible! I couldn't believe how the HR wanted you to stop by and fill out paperwork. Very sympathetic, aren't they? Good grief.

I pray that you have much help during all of this and that your bones heal swiftly! I just bet you are the type to take care of everyone else in the family, so sit back, rent some movies, and let everyone wait on you for a while. You could start to like it!

Take care of yourself, girl!

Thanks Anno, chatty and JJ --

You're right chatty -- my doctor friend who showed my x rays to his orthopedist friends (that's my health care system, LOL) confirmed what you say and what DD says, that it's ok to wait a few days. He also said it's okay to go out, so we went on a little road trip yesterday and out to dinner.

Yep they gave me crutches and I'm pretty good but trying not to get cocky. My friend told me that her PT once said that people on crutches are likely to break their arm or their noses! She also brought me over a walker, one of those canes with feet, and a bench to put in the shower, so YAY I got to wash my hair today.

True JJ, I'm worried that my husband is _too_ worried -- he was married before and widowed after 20 years and had nursed his first wife who died of ovarian cancer. So even though I enjoyed myself yesterday on our little trip out, I really wanted him to be distracted and not worry so much about me. They'd had 3 little Yorkies that he got for her, and when those little dogs died, my husband's hair actually turned white and his eyebrows fell out (Eagle -- hope you're listening -- he took adrenal pills and his hair turned black again and his brows grew back. And by the way, no specialist could figure it out for him. It had to have been the stress and brought back his grief.)

Oh DJ, What a "sheety" situation!

DJ, anxious to hear what the orthopedic doctor had to say today.

Glad to hear you were out and about on the weekend. Just prop her up and go! Don't let it get too swollen.

Ew -- good one. I like the card! it's got a nostalgic feel to it.
I got a cast and chose to have it in black, rather than paw prints, camou or dinosaurs. Black goes with everything, though wearing pants will be tough. After a week, I can put weight on that leg. I'll have the cast for 6 weeks. That's all of Feb and maybe into March.
Can't wait until spring!

I sure feel for you, DJ...but do appreciate you letting us know the outcome. God's speed, girlfriend.

DJ, so it's a walking cast?

I hope you take the time to relax a bit more and take it easy. Milk it for all it's worth.