Ankle

Categories: general

Tags: Ankle

Date: 08 May 2009 18:25:18

Yesterday I referred myself to the physios (a service the trust provides), as my ankle has been playing up, and one of them rang me back this afternoon.  I spent some time answering lots of questions and moving my foot in different directions and describing the pain.  And at the end of it all she said she didn't think my ankle was sprained.  Which actually makes sense because I don't remember twisting it, it was more of a gradual increase in pain over several days.  She thinks I've damaged a tendon in my foot.  She's requested an 'urgent' appointment for me.  Which means it should be sent out in the next 10 days.  In the meantime sh has recommended some exercises and said I should keep active on it, but also rest it.

It's this exercise / rest balance which has been casuing some issues, especially with work.  Initially after the doctor told me it was sprained, I phoned up work and arranged my shifts for the next 5 or 6 days, so that I had some time off.  I would have had more time off, but they rang me back, desperate for me to do a short shift (7.5 hours) because they were short staffed.  I agreed, and I managed without too much difficulty.  Then because I was 'back' from being 'off sick', the sisters assumed I could do the night after.  Nights are generally quieter than days, so I figured I could managed.  Which I did, just about.  Then the problem was, that as I'd managed to do a 12 hour shift with my bad ankle, I didn't feel comfortable demanding that my shifts this week should be changed to short shifts.  So I carried on with my shifts as scheduled.  I did long days on Wednesday and Thursday, both of which werer really busy, and at the end of it - surprise surprise, my foot was swollen and painful.

I wanted to say something about it sooner than I did, but it was so busy, and the nurse in charge on those days wasn't the most approachable person.  So I kept on putting it off.  All the time, getting more and more nervous about the whole thing.  Anyway, luckily my team leader was in charge last night, so I rang up and told him all about it.  He was lovely.  He insisted that I shouldn't  do any more shifts this week, and he changed my shifts for next week to short shifts.  After that I'm on annual leave for 2 weeks.

Which would be perfect timing.  Except that we've planned and booked to walk across Hadrian's Wall in the first week.  I really don't want it to wreck up our holiday - either by my ankle being too sore to walk at all, meaning we have to travel by public transport, or by walking too much and being in too much pain to enjoy the scenary.  We're still going to go.  And we're going to take each day as it comes.  I just wish I could click my fingers and make my ankle better.