Crow Boot

Sometimes I feel like a cripple. Hell, I am a cripple. More than 13 months ago I had a bad fall and suffered a compound fracture of my right foot, ankle and leg. A few hours earlier I had been released from outpatient surgery at the hospital after having a broken elbow repaired. I think I still had some anesthetic in me, I hadn't eaten all day and my blood sugar was low and I was on a pain killer, resulting in a black out and a fall. Awakening in a pool of blood is not a good scene. My Prize called 911 and the fire department ambulance took me to Kenestone hospital.

The first month I had four operations and wound up with an exterior round metal apparatus around my leg connected by several pins going into my bones. For another month I underwent many tests on my kidneys, heart, lungs and what ever else the doctors wanted to put me through. Finally I was sent to smaller sub hospital, and the tests kept coming. Finally,at the end of October I was transferred to Manor Care on Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta, a rehab hospital where, for two months, I had physical and occupational therapy every day. In each of the places the food was terrible. Most of the nurses were good, and some needed service dogs.

Sometime in late December, I was transferred back to Kenestone. They were concerned about my kidneys. After three days I was released, only to find that I could not go back to Manor Care. The home's social worker, Lessee, told me I could not return because I could not put full weight on my foot. I think she's full of shit. I was very disappointed because of the great progress I was making in therapy. After many phone calls, I found a bed at Manor Care in Decatur. This home was similar but lacked the level of equipment of Marietta.

Another surgery was scheduled for early January. I was still in a lot of pain. There had been no contact from my orthopedic surgeon for months. My son is a podiatrist up in Chattanooga. He recommended a podiatric surgeon in Decatur who does bone fusions. So now we start all over again. It's a good thing that I was in a therapy home. I needed lots. I was there for three months and finally released to home on April fourth, our 40th anniversary.

Pain still rules my life. At home I mostly live in a wheel chair. I can walk with a walker and somewhat with a cane. I try to get out every day and get to Minyan occasionally. Tomorrow I pick up what is called a crow boot, a custom made boot that is supposed to equalize pressure on my foot and ease pain. I'll let you know the results.