Another one bites the dust

burkbuilds · 01-12-2018, 09:36 PM

I'm still making progress. I can "walk" between the parallel bars at physical therapy with only my left hand on the rail. I can "Frankenstein" walk without holding on at all but it's painful and I am wobbly and it's not pretty. Hopefully after a few more weeks I'll be walking better.
My right foot has more feeling in it now. This week was the first time I could feel the cold from the ice packs they put on my foot after a therapy session, yea! On the down side, I lost my job last week, Corporate "Downsizing" got 18 positions at our plant, mostly Engineers and Quality personnel. Mine was one of the positions eliminated. Good news is that I'm on short term disability right now and they did offer me a 4 week severance pay after my disability runs out so that gives me some more time to recover and look for a new job. My old employer contacted me the next day and asked if I'd consider returning there, so I may have an opportunity to go back if something else doesn't look better.
I finally got some x-ray pics of my leg. The file's to large to upload. I'll see if I can figure something out so they are visible.

burkbuilds · 01-12-2018, 09:46 PM

x-rays of my right leg

alantf · 01-13-2018, 05:06 AM

I can understand. Even though it was just my femur I broke. There's a steel tube inside the bone, with two screws. there's no pain now, but the cold weather starts it acheing.

Water Warrior 2 · 01-13-2018, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burkbuilds

x-rays of my right leg

Yipes, those pics send chills up and down my back. I must give a big thumbs up to the doctors. They pieced you back together pretty well considering the damage done. Keep up the therapy and heal as well as possible.

So sorry to hear of the corporate downsizing. At least your old boss is in the picture once you feel you have a chance to get out and about to see him.

burkbuilds · 01-17-2018, 08:01 AM

My x-rays on Monday showed good bone healing in the thigh and knee areas, not as much around the ankle where the worst damage occurred but the Dr. did not seem surprised with those results and said it was just going to take time to fill in that much bone loss. Next visit they said they'd measure the length of my legs to see how much I've lost on that leg. He also told me I had a "floating knee". I looked it up, nothing to do with buoyancy, lol.

Basically, it just means I smashed up my knee joint pretty badly and it's not stable.

I have a job interview next week with my former employer. They contacted me and asked if I'd be willing to talk to them about returning. We'll see how that goes.

Here's the latest pics of the x-rays.

Vegas Street Rider · 01-17-2018, 10:47 AM

My daughter is an orthopedic nurse and I showed her your x-rays and she says you are making good progress given the extensive damage you incurred. Like me, she says be patient. The body's healing powers are miraculous but take time.

I have a floating knee from a ski accident years ago and although I have to be careful, I cope with it quite well. You will have to make some adjustments in your life but the upside is you have your life. Another plus is, if you are like me, your body will help you predict the weather. Trust me. You will know what I am talking about.

Continue to heal and God Bless.

burkbuilds · 01-17-2018, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate it. Sorry to hear about your job loss as well. I'm just hoping to get back in the workforce for another 8-10 years and then semi-retire, whatever that may mean.

Water Warrior 2 · 01-18-2018, 03:58 AM

I must have done something right in the past. I have never had a broken bone or serious injury with all the dumb crap I did. My worst injury was landing on my left knee after back flipping my 1st bike off a 12 foot cliff. Don't ask, it is too hard to explain and it wasn't intentional.
As for employment I made an effort to get a job with a pension plan and other benefits which were sometimes costly but did pay off in the long run. Worked with some pretty weird and wacky people sometimes but I held on to the retirement idea and pension $. Fortunately I was able to retire at 60 with enough to get by without starving. Had a little in savings which went to buy my retirement bike. I did accomplish my goal to retirement but it was a twisted road getting there. I am not the poster boy for making all the right decisions but the end justified the outcome.
So hang in there folks, things will work out with some persistance. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

01-12-2018, 09:36 PM	#1
burkbuilds Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shannon, Georgia Posts: 1,268	I'm still making progress. I can "walk" between the parallel bars at physical therapy with only my left hand on the rail. I can "Frankenstein" walk without holding on at all but it's painful and I am wobbly and it's not pretty. Hopefully after a few more weeks I'll be walking better. My right foot has more feeling in it now. This week was the first time I could feel the cold from the ice packs they put on my foot after a therapy session, yea! On the down side, I lost my job last week, Corporate "Downsizing" got 18 positions at our plant, mostly Engineers and Quality personnel. Mine was one of the positions eliminated. Good news is that I'm on short term disability right now and they did offer me a 4 week severance pay after my disability runs out so that gives me some more time to recover and look for a new job. My old employer contacted me the next day and asked if I'd consider returning there, so I may have an opportunity to go back if something else doesn't look better. I finally got some x-ray pics of my leg. The file's to large to upload. I'll see if I can figure something out so they are visible. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-13-2018, 05:06 AM	#3
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	I can understand. Even though it was just my femur I broke. There's a steel tube inside the bone, with two screws. there's no pain now, but the cold weather starts it acheing. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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01-17-2018, 10:47 AM	#6
Vegas Street Rider Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 1,089	My daughter is an orthopedic nurse and I showed her your x-rays and she says you are making good progress given the extensive damage you incurred. Like me, she says be patient. The body's healing powers are miraculous but take time. I have a floating knee from a ski accident years ago and although I have to be careful, I cope with it quite well. You will have to make some adjustments in your life but the upside is you have your life. Another plus is, if you are like me, your body will help you predict the weather. Trust me. You will know what I am talking about. Continue to heal and God Bless.
	1

01-17-2018, 02:28 PM	#7
burkbuilds Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shannon, Georgia Posts: 1,268	Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate it. Sorry to hear about your job loss as well. I'm just hoping to get back in the workforce for another 8-10 years and then semi-retire, whatever that may mean.
	0

01-18-2018, 03:58 AM	#8
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	I must have done something right in the past. I have never had a broken bone or serious injury with all the dumb crap I did. My worst injury was landing on my left knee after back flipping my 1st bike off a 12 foot cliff. Don't ask, it is too hard to explain and it wasn't intentional. As for employment I made an effort to get a job with a pension plan and other benefits which were sometimes costly but did pay off in the long run. Worked with some pretty weird and wacky people sometimes but I held on to the retirement idea and pension $. Fortunately I was able to retire at 60 with enough to get by without starving. Had a little in savings which went to buy my retirement bike. I did accomplish my goal to retirement but it was a twisted road getting there. I am not the poster boy for making all the right decisions but the end justified the outcome. So hang in there folks, things will work out with some persistance. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
	2