Week Thirteen: “Conference, Crying and Cookie Crumbs…”

(13 weeks post break / 12 weeks post ORIF)

I've got my Star Wars themed boot
and I'm ready to go!
(May the force be with me...)

The time had come, and I was packing for my trip to Denver from Michigan. The thought of air travel within a week after the Syndesmotic screw removal was more than just daunting. It was terrifying, frustrating, and did I mention terrifying?

I tried to talk myself out of going almost a dozen times in the week leading up to the trip, but in the end, the conference and the money that I had put towards this trip already were the major factors that would guilt me into stepping onto the plane.

Thinking about what to pack/what to bring was a stressful thought. I was concerned about swelling and pain resulting from the altitude. I was terrified of blood clots: a major post-surgical risk. I was terrified of being cramped with my legs folded at a 90 degree ankle for two flights. Not to mention needing to pee!

My two main food groups:
Coffee, and Ice.

So here are some tips and tricks that I used during my flight and travel time:

• I packed 3 pairs of compression stockings (I wore these knee length monstrosities for the duration of my travel days, and used them on both legs).
• I bought a leak-proof ice pack, with a twist off top. I asked coffee booths at the airport to fill it up with ice for me, and used this to ice my ankle during the layovers. This helped reduce the swelling, and also helped minimize the throbbing in my joint.
• I took an Aspirin before each flight, and drank plenty of water (to minimize the risk of clotting). I also took my Norco 30 minutes before each flight to minimize the pain that I would experience during it.

Worrying about catching flights during my layover was another major stressor. At this point, I had just begun to FWB with a boot- and I only managed to remain upright for 10 minutes at a time without experiencing discomfort. Walking would tire me out much MUCH faster.

Keeping this in mind, I requested wheelchair assistance for the airport. This allowed me to remove another worry from the forefront of my mind. As I arrived at the airport, I asked for a wheelchair to meet me at the car. They took me and my luggage to the ticket booth and then towards security. I had to walk to the body scanner (with my boot on) and then get my boot swabbed for explosives. I could then sit in my wheelchair, and be taken to the gate. They never asked me to remove my aircast, and they were very helpful throughout the process. The wheelchair attendants were all very nice, and raced around the airport to get me to my connecting flights on time.

My third major concern for this trip was my ability to travel to and around the conference center for the next 3 days. I did not want to have to deal with bringing my knee scooter, or my crutches on the plane. I opted for hopeless optimism, and a healthy dose of delusion: I was sure I could find a day to day knee-scooter rental, and even if I couldn’t- I’d probably be fine without one! After all- I’ve been FWB for 6 whole days now! 

(I see now, how dumb that thought was…)

Ice. Elevate. Nap. Repeat.

Post-Flight ankle in stockings.

Upon arriving at my hotel, I was utterly exhausted- even though I had spent most of the day sitting. This was going to be harder than I thought. When I checked in, I requested a shower chair to be sent up to my room (another detail I had not thought of beforehand), and asked for extra pillows to prop my leg up. I refilled my ice-pack from the good old ice machines that every hotel carries, and immediately popped up onto the bed, unbuckled my boot and my belt, and peeled the compression stockings off of my sausage-like legs.

Ice on my bare skin has never ever felt so good. I ended up napping for 3 hours. Who knew that sitting around would be so darn exhausting?

I was in for quite an ordeal, as my optimism would certainly be pushed to its very limits over the next few days.

…

(Conference: Day 1)

After a lengthy nap, and a few more refills of ice for my ankle ice-pack, I decided to bravely venture towards the conference center in order to register. And by venture, I meant literally cross the street from my hotel, which would bring me right to the entrance. I was so happy that I had planned my accommodations in such close proximity!  

The distance was not too bad, and although my ankle was thoroughly swollen, the pain was minimal. I was looking forward to renting a knee scooter so that I could keep it that way!

Unfortunately, they did not have any knee-scooter rentals for the short term, and an electronic scooter rental would have cost me an arm and a leg- and since I was already operating with minimal limbs, I was not willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for mere comfort.

(Something that I would soon regret).

After going about my conference activities, attending meetings, and dinner, I finally came back to the extremely alluring sight of my hotel bed, with no less than 8 pillows strewn about. I peeled my stockings off of my sausages again, and iced my ankle until I fell asleep.

“That wasn’t too bad” I thought to myself as I drifted off. “I knew I could do it”.

…

(Conference: Day 2)

I woke up feeling MUCH stiffer than the previous day, and in more pain. I hobbled over to get more ice for my ankle, and thought of the daunting day filled with meetings that was ahead of me. A half-day at the conference had already taken so much out of me, and there were 3 more days ahead of me.

Omelette Bar: slight consolation for a throbbing ankle!

At-least they had an omelette bar for breakfast!

I made the long and arduous trek to the conference center, which seemed to have doubled in size since the previous day.

As day 2 came to an end, I was running on empty. I was simply drained. The pain and swelling was up from the previous day, and I was only half way through. 

Oof.

…

(Conference: Day 3)

This was my final full-day at the conference, and let me tell you: each and every step was painful. Every single time I put weight on my ankle would result in a pulse of pain that would radiate through my leg, and then make its way through to my soul. My facial expressions would no longer hide my discomfort, and I shamelessly took people up on every offer of help that I received.

Even my pride was waning!

Someone please bring me another coffee, and some ice
and maybe some ice cream too!!!!

Day 3 finally came to an end, and I hobbled to my room, barely gathering enough energy to fill up my ice pack before passing out on the bed at my 7:30 pm bed time.

…

(Conference: Day 4)

At this point, there was constant pain radiating throughout my ankle joint, and each step sent a jolt through my body. I was ready for this entire ordeal to be over, and could not wait to be home, and reunited with my knee scooter. I was definitely well beyond my limits by the time the conference came to a close, and didn’t even feign any interest in small talk with my taxi driver to the airport.

Much needed Therapy Dog
at the Denver Airport

I had wheelchair assistance again, and I had never been more relieved. At the beginning of this trip, I thought it was a luxury. Now, 3 days later, I truly couldn’t walk more than 4-5 steps without wincing in pain and needing to sit down.

Due to flight delays, I nearly missed my connecting flight. In fact, the plane had already detached from the jet bridge, and was about to pull away from the terminal. I looked hopelessly at the door as it shut behind the gate attendant. 

At this point, I simply couldn’t hold it in anymore. I burst out in tears, unashamed and unapologetic. I was simply just so exhausted, frustrated, angry, upset, and loopy at this point- that bawling at an airport gate was my only logical response to everything that was going on.

And boy, am I glad that I wept.

Because, by some miracle, someone felt sorry enough for me to plead with the pilot- who ended up reconnecting the jet bridge just to let me board!

Bawling into my ice-pack, as they
reconnect the jet bridge
(JUST FOR ME!!!!)

As I stood there, like a VIP, I felt relieved and thankful, and thoroughly embarrassed- but definitely not embarrassed enough to stop the tears from streaming down my face. I probably put on the best show that most of the people around me had experienced in quite some time. I would wait for my Oscar nomination in the mail, but for now- I took my seat and let out an exhale almost as loud as the airplane engines as we took off.

The flight attendants also gave me 4 packets of the delicious Biscoff cookies, and a pillow and blanket for comfort.

…

As soon as I stepped into my own home- I barely made it out of my shoes before collapsing onto my bed. 

The aftermath of the conference...
It looks like my right ankle has
swallowed another ankle.

And then I slept. And slept. And slept.

16 hours later, and covered in cookie crumbs, I woke up to a new day.

“I made it” I thought to myself, as I pulled out another packet of cookies from somewhere within my blankets. “That wasn’t too bad”… I thought to myself. And as I let the absurdity of that statement sprinkle all over me, along with cookie crumbs, I finally felt that the ordeal had come to an end.