Hey kmylml! Regarding insurance, This is the first time in 10 yrs that I've tested how good my insurance is. I presently have a PPO with a $250 annual deductable and with a limit of $2,000 for my out-of-pocket expenses. The only bill I've not yet received is the hospital bill, I think there's something in my paperwork that says I have to pay $100 per day copay for the first 5 days. For the bills so far, I only owe $225 but am expecting to owe $500 to the hospital (plus $250 deductable. So, it looks like I'll owe just under $1,000. Without the hospital bill, I'm not sure what my insurance has to pay, in total, but combined with my bills thus far, I'd guess about $20,000. Insurance policies vary greatly so you'd really have to consult with your insurance company or check your policy paperwork.
I'm thankful, everyday, that I have disabilty insurance, too or I'd be in a much more difficult situation. 6 weeks post op and I'm still waiting on the first check, though. At 13 weeks, I switch to 'permanent partial' disability which I know nothing about and would appreciate anyone's info regarding such.
I'm thankful, everyday, that I have disabilty insurance, too or I'd be in a much more difficult situation. 6 weeks post op and I'm still waiting on the first check, though. At 13 weeks, I switch to 'permanent partial' disability which I know nothing about and would appreciate anyone's info regarding such.
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Hi all,
I wish i had found this website much much sooner than this evening! It's been fascinating to read everyone's threads and it's made me feel so much better and that i'm not alone with my bad foot!
A little about me....i'm a 27 yr old female and a little over two years ago (29/09/04) i played for a ladies rugby team here in the UK. We were training on that night when my right foot got caught in a pot hole and an 18 stone man fell on my foot. At first we just thought it was a sprained ankle, until we tried to get my rugby boot off my foot and then we realised it was a lot more serious than just a sprained ankle, especially as there was a huge lump sticking out the side of my sock!
I was taken to the local minor injuries unit, where they gave me some painkillers and took an x-ray. The initial doctor couldn't see anything wrong but said that i should go to the nearest Accident & Emergency department just to be on the safe side. Even us non-medical people in the room (myself, my Mum and boyfriend) could see something was seriously wrong in the x-ray and the bones were all over the place!
So we went down to the big hospital where i was diagnosed with a very serious injury to my Lisfranc joint complex. I was told there was a possibility i'd never be able to walk on my foot again, which filled me with complete fear.
I got into my room on the ward at just after midnight, after having a half-cast put on my leg and foot to stop it from moving.
The next morning i had about 7 or 8 doctors/consultants come to see me and my poor foot. I was told that i was going to have wires put in my foot to move the bones back to where they should be and to mend the fractures that were in there.
Surgery went well and i spent a further 5 days in hospital. I was in a plaster cast for 12 weeks completely non-weight bearing, with the wires taken out at the end of this 12 weeks. Having the wires removed, with a pair of pliers and no local anaesthetic was more painful than when i actually broke the foot!
I was then in an air-cast boot for another 12 weeks with slight weight-bearing at the start increasing to full-weight bearing towards the end of the 12 weeks.
Today i've just been in for my 2 year check-up and as i'm still getting a lot of pain in my foot the consultant wanted me to have some x-rays. I went back to see him and he told me my foot hasn't healed anywhere near as much as it should have done and he wants me to have more surgery on it to fuse the bones together.
He told me that i'd be in plaster for 4 months and non-weight bearing for a further 3 months.
I'm here tonight thinking about this, like i have done all day and to be honest i've spent most of the day in tears.
I can bear the thought of another operation and the pain but it's everything else that goes with it, like my whole life being turned upside down. I live on my own (whereas previously i had a wonderful boyfriend who drove me to work and just kept my spirits up) and so apart from people popping to see me when they can i'm literally going to be house bound for at least 7 months without being able to drive or go to work.
What a thought and it's really getting me down. :-( :'(
The consultant did say that it was up to me whether to have the second op or not but he'd recommend that i do as there's greater chance of my foot deteriorating at a faster rate than if i don't have the op. He did say that most people receover perfectly well from having a second op but there's a chance they'll do more harm than good to it.
So i have the choice now....do i have the second op or not?!
Any thoughts or suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I know it's only me that can make the decision at the end of the day but knowing that others have gone through it and come out the other side fine will help!!
Thanks very much,
Michelle x
I wish i had found this website much much sooner than this evening! It's been fascinating to read everyone's threads and it's made me feel so much better and that i'm not alone with my bad foot!
A little about me....i'm a 27 yr old female and a little over two years ago (29/09/04) i played for a ladies rugby team here in the UK. We were training on that night when my right foot got caught in a pot hole and an 18 stone man fell on my foot. At first we just thought it was a sprained ankle, until we tried to get my rugby boot off my foot and then we realised it was a lot more serious than just a sprained ankle, especially as there was a huge lump sticking out the side of my sock!
I was taken to the local minor injuries unit, where they gave me some painkillers and took an x-ray. The initial doctor couldn't see anything wrong but said that i should go to the nearest Accident & Emergency department just to be on the safe side. Even us non-medical people in the room (myself, my Mum and boyfriend) could see something was seriously wrong in the x-ray and the bones were all over the place!
So we went down to the big hospital where i was diagnosed with a very serious injury to my Lisfranc joint complex. I was told there was a possibility i'd never be able to walk on my foot again, which filled me with complete fear.
I got into my room on the ward at just after midnight, after having a half-cast put on my leg and foot to stop it from moving.
The next morning i had about 7 or 8 doctors/consultants come to see me and my poor foot. I was told that i was going to have wires put in my foot to move the bones back to where they should be and to mend the fractures that were in there.
Surgery went well and i spent a further 5 days in hospital. I was in a plaster cast for 12 weeks completely non-weight bearing, with the wires taken out at the end of this 12 weeks. Having the wires removed, with a pair of pliers and no local anaesthetic was more painful than when i actually broke the foot!
I was then in an air-cast boot for another 12 weeks with slight weight-bearing at the start increasing to full-weight bearing towards the end of the 12 weeks.
Today i've just been in for my 2 year check-up and as i'm still getting a lot of pain in my foot the consultant wanted me to have some x-rays. I went back to see him and he told me my foot hasn't healed anywhere near as much as it should have done and he wants me to have more surgery on it to fuse the bones together.
He told me that i'd be in plaster for 4 months and non-weight bearing for a further 3 months.
I'm here tonight thinking about this, like i have done all day and to be honest i've spent most of the day in tears.
I can bear the thought of another operation and the pain but it's everything else that goes with it, like my whole life being turned upside down. I live on my own (whereas previously i had a wonderful boyfriend who drove me to work and just kept my spirits up) and so apart from people popping to see me when they can i'm literally going to be house bound for at least 7 months without being able to drive or go to work.
What a thought and it's really getting me down. :-( :'(
The consultant did say that it was up to me whether to have the second op or not but he'd recommend that i do as there's greater chance of my foot deteriorating at a faster rate than if i don't have the op. He did say that most people receover perfectly well from having a second op but there's a chance they'll do more harm than good to it.
So i have the choice now....do i have the second op or not?!
Any thoughts or suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I know it's only me that can make the decision at the end of the day but knowing that others have gone through it and come out the other side fine will help!!
Thanks very much,
Michelle x
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cchelle79 ( Michelle)
I just read your post, so sorry to hear all that. I can kind of relate, as a second surgery has been on my mind lately. ( 3 screws removed) I know also I may also need the bone fusion some day, as I still have pain. I dream about the day I can run again, or get up in the moring & walk downstairs with NO pain. I'm only 6 months post surg.
So, really I do feel for you. Hang in there, maybe this 2nd surgery will have a better outcome. You are young, I'm 35, but I still feel young. You may try to continue to research the 2nd surgery & ask others for how they did. Try to hang in there.
I wish I offer more help,
SKH
I just read your post, so sorry to hear all that. I can kind of relate, as a second surgery has been on my mind lately. ( 3 screws removed) I know also I may also need the bone fusion some day, as I still have pain. I dream about the day I can run again, or get up in the moring & walk downstairs with NO pain. I'm only 6 months post surg.
So, really I do feel for you. Hang in there, maybe this 2nd surgery will have a better outcome. You are young, I'm 35, but I still feel young. You may try to continue to research the 2nd surgery & ask others for how they did. Try to hang in there.
I wish I offer more help,
SKH
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Just a question for everyone who has been weight bearing for a while...how long was it before you were able to drive again? I don't get a chance to drive much anymore but when I do i wish I could and was just wondering when I should expect to be able to again.
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Hi thelicguitarist,
I was allowed to drive again in the April after i broke my foot at the end of the previous September. I had my k-wires taken out 12 weeks after they were put in and then i was in an air-cast boot for a further 12 weeks. I was allowed to drive about a month after coming out of the boot.
I was told i was only allowed to drive when i was able to do an emergency stop without my foot hurting.
Hope this helps.
Michelle
I was allowed to drive again in the April after i broke my foot at the end of the previous September. I had my k-wires taken out 12 weeks after they were put in and then i was in an air-cast boot for a further 12 weeks. I was allowed to drive about a month after coming out of the boot.
I was told i was only allowed to drive when i was able to do an emergency stop without my foot hurting.
Hope this helps.
Michelle
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Part 3
I have just came back after visiting the doctor - it's already 8 weeks post op. Had taken x-ray to see the progress. Doctor says that my fracture is healing but very slow and will take another couple of months before I can really walk. I have been taking the calcium that he prescribes. I think I should drink more milk or soya bean drink everyday now so that my fracture will heal faster. I do not need to have the moulded cast on anymore and am allowed partial weight bearing but still need to use the 2 crutches till I see him in 4 week's time.
Just wondering whether anybody experience skin peeling after 1 month from operation and the removal of plastercast? The whole foot was badly wrinkled and I spent quite a bit of time slowly peeling off the pieces of skin from my whole foot and toes!! ;-)
I look forward to the day when I can walk again.
I have just came back after visiting the doctor - it's already 8 weeks post op. Had taken x-ray to see the progress. Doctor says that my fracture is healing but very slow and will take another couple of months before I can really walk. I have been taking the calcium that he prescribes. I think I should drink more milk or soya bean drink everyday now so that my fracture will heal faster. I do not need to have the moulded cast on anymore and am allowed partial weight bearing but still need to use the 2 crutches till I see him in 4 week's time.
Just wondering whether anybody experience skin peeling after 1 month from operation and the removal of plastercast? The whole foot was badly wrinkled and I spent quite a bit of time slowly peeling off the pieces of skin from my whole foot and toes!! ;-)
I look forward to the day when I can walk again.
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Thanks to all who have shared their Lisfranc stories; FWIW, here is mine. Back in May I was hit by a truck and knocked backwards, and the truck rolled over my foot, resulting in a Lisfranc fracture and other injuries. I was in Geneva, Switzerland when this happened (I live in Arizona), which added to the whole adventure, but I got home and had ORIF surgery here in AZ about 2 weeks after the accident. One aspect of my surgery that appears different from most that I've read about here is that the doc used bioabsorbable screws -- they dissolve over time and there is no need for hardware removal surgery. After the surgery I had about 6 weeks non-weight bearing in a removable splint, and then about 6 weeks in a walking boot.
Now, 5+ months after surgery, I can walk normally and close to pain-free in running shoes, although my foot swells and hurts moderately if I go very far or am on my foot too long. I can't run at all (yet), which is frustrating as I had run a marathon just before the accident and *really* miss running. I am able to swim, including pushing off the wall on turns, and it seems like I can pedal a bicycle without too much trouble, but I haven't done much of it yet. I'm just wrapping up my first month of physical therapy, and that seems to have helped considerably, although my injured foot is still demonstrably weak compared to my other.
My big focus at this point is whether I'll be able to run again. The ortho doc gave me "less than 50%" odds, but the PTs are more optimistic. Unfortunately I have a big setback looming on the horizon, as I just learned that some knee pain I've been experiencing since the accident is a torn meniscus, and I'll likely have to have some surgery on that.
I'd love to hear more from folks who are 1 or 2 or more years out from surgery -- I'd like to be able to better judge how far along the recovery curve I am at 5+ months, and how much I can realistically hope to improve. (I have seen a few notes from people who are having significant problems even a couple of years out -- so sorry to hear about that.) Anybody out there able to do any significant running after a Lisfranc injury?
My best wishes for a speedy recovery to all! And for all of those in the very early stages post-surgery: it does get better. :-)
--Brad
Now, 5+ months after surgery, I can walk normally and close to pain-free in running shoes, although my foot swells and hurts moderately if I go very far or am on my foot too long. I can't run at all (yet), which is frustrating as I had run a marathon just before the accident and *really* miss running. I am able to swim, including pushing off the wall on turns, and it seems like I can pedal a bicycle without too much trouble, but I haven't done much of it yet. I'm just wrapping up my first month of physical therapy, and that seems to have helped considerably, although my injured foot is still demonstrably weak compared to my other.
My big focus at this point is whether I'll be able to run again. The ortho doc gave me "less than 50%" odds, but the PTs are more optimistic. Unfortunately I have a big setback looming on the horizon, as I just learned that some knee pain I've been experiencing since the accident is a torn meniscus, and I'll likely have to have some surgery on that.
I'd love to hear more from folks who are 1 or 2 or more years out from surgery -- I'd like to be able to better judge how far along the recovery curve I am at 5+ months, and how much I can realistically hope to improve. (I have seen a few notes from people who are having significant problems even a couple of years out -- so sorry to hear about that.) Anybody out there able to do any significant running after a Lisfranc injury?
My best wishes for a speedy recovery to all! And for all of those in the very early stages post-surgery: it does get better. :-)
--Brad
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Just an update, My LF injury happened June 24, 06. I made it through the long recovery. I am just 3 days post hardware removal and my foot feels soo much better having the four screws taken out. I hope the feeling continues. The constant dull aches and pains seem to have subsided for now. I really just need to work out the walking with out a limp. Good luck to everyone with this injury, it is a long road and not an easy one to travel.
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I just read the post about much better you feel now with the screws removed.... really makes me hopeful... I'm scheduling my screw removal for early December.... I also hope I can walk limp free... and pain free.
Thanks for the positve post. Made my night !
Thanks for the positve post. Made my night !
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That is positive, glad you're feeling much better screwless. It does make me feel bad that my injury happened one day after yours (June 25) and it took so long for it to be diagnosed I am still a week away from surgery...The count down begins.
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Sorry to hear the stories of others w/ this nasty injury. I have read them all. And feel for each and every one of you.
Playing Basketball on Oct. 5th, I suffered a lisfranc dislocation between the 1st & 2nd metatarsil, as well as a fracture of the 2nd metatarsil. I was fortunate to get it diagnosed the following day and had ORIF surgery Oct. 13. My orthopaedic Dr. used 2 stainless steel screws for fixation. After being in a soft cast for 2 weeks, the stitches were removed and I was placed into a hard cast. I am now 3 1/2 weeks post op. and nonweight bearing for another 4 1/2 weeks. I will have my cast removed Dec. 8th, at which time I will be put in a walking boot and beginning physical therapy.
Everything seems to have went well to this point. Still somewhat painful, but not unbearable. I am just very concerned about the long term prognosis. You hear everything from people not being able to walk without any pain to people not being able to walk barefoot to people not being able to run.
I would love to hear any stories of people that are a year or better post op and what their results have been.
Playing Basketball on Oct. 5th, I suffered a lisfranc dislocation between the 1st & 2nd metatarsil, as well as a fracture of the 2nd metatarsil. I was fortunate to get it diagnosed the following day and had ORIF surgery Oct. 13. My orthopaedic Dr. used 2 stainless steel screws for fixation. After being in a soft cast for 2 weeks, the stitches were removed and I was placed into a hard cast. I am now 3 1/2 weeks post op. and nonweight bearing for another 4 1/2 weeks. I will have my cast removed Dec. 8th, at which time I will be put in a walking boot and beginning physical therapy.
Everything seems to have went well to this point. Still somewhat painful, but not unbearable. I am just very concerned about the long term prognosis. You hear everything from people not being able to walk without any pain to people not being able to walk barefoot to people not being able to run.
I would love to hear any stories of people that are a year or better post op and what their results have been.
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Sorry to respond so late, to this. Great to see the new posts, so sorry for your injuries though, folks!
thelicguitarist, the reason was twofold; I could not tolerate the hard cast touching the top of my foot and I had a hard time with the feeling of my foot being 'trapped', psychological, somewhat I guess. That foot wants to move(stretch or whatever it can do) a little, whether it hurts or not and it drives me crazy. I have the boot, I only wear it if I go somewhere which is maybe once per week, it's still the top touching that bothers me. I don't tolerate a blanket or anything on it, either, especially if it restricts my toes, they were fractured and still hurt.
thelicguitarist, how are you faring, these days?
Wishing everyone a speedy (and sane ) recovery!
thelicguitarist, the reason was twofold; I could not tolerate the hard cast touching the top of my foot and I had a hard time with the feeling of my foot being 'trapped', psychological, somewhat I guess. That foot wants to move(stretch or whatever it can do) a little, whether it hurts or not and it drives me crazy. I have the boot, I only wear it if I go somewhere which is maybe once per week, it's still the top touching that bothers me. I don't tolerate a blanket or anything on it, either, especially if it restricts my toes, they were fractured and still hurt.
thelicguitarist, how are you faring, these days?
Wishing everyone a speedy (and sane ) recovery!
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Yeah, me too. I wonder, though, if the folks who have had the best outcomes are the ones least likely to be kicking around on these message boards -- i.e., perhaps someone who has fully recovered isn't in the same desparate-for-info mode that many of us are currently in, and thus less likely to be reading this board.
Here's a bit of info that I found interesting, concerning pro football players who have had this injury. I take some degree of hope from the fact that many (although, notably, not all) were able to recover and play again. From http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskiesfb/archives/107765.asp:
I think that this http://pfats.com/research/pubs/articles/lisfranc_injury.cfm is the story of Mike Rosenthal's rehab process -- a very interesting read.
So: ~8 months for a presumably very fit (albeit very large!) pro althlete, working evidently very hard at rehab, presumably on a full-time basis, with all sorts of resources at his disposal. I'm actually somewhat encouraged by this; I assume for us mere mortals the timeline may be much longer, but hopefully the outcome can be similarly good.
--Brad
Here's a bit of info that I found interesting, concerning pro football players who have had this injury. I take some degree of hope from the fact that many (although, notably, not all) were able to recover and play again. From http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskiesfb/archives/107765.asp:
I think that this http://pfats.com/research/pubs/articles/lisfranc_injury.cfm is the story of Mike Rosenthal's rehab process -- a very interesting read.
So: ~8 months for a presumably very fit (albeit very large!) pro althlete, working evidently very hard at rehab, presumably on a full-time basis, with all sorts of resources at his disposal. I'm actually somewhat encouraged by this; I assume for us mere mortals the timeline may be much longer, but hopefully the outcome can be similarly good.
--Brad
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A couple of other anecdotal tidbits on the long term prognosis issue, gleaned from some google searches:
A columnist from a Philly-area paper writes about his Lisfranc injury here http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/living/columnists/art_carey/qa_forum.htm?forumId=1847&mode=display&action=&type=list&pageNo=2; among other things he notes:Quote:
Also, a Canadian mountain biker writes about his "long year" of recovery here http://www.trailpeak.com/index.jsp?cat=bike&con=article&val=2102*art. He notes that he is now able to ride even difficult trails, but notes "pain after a long day of hiking."
Sorta hopeful, I guess, although perhaps not for my aspirations to run marathon distances again.
--Brad
A columnist from a Philly-area paper writes about his Lisfranc injury here http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/living/columnists/art_carey/qa_forum.htm?forumId=1847&mode=display&action=&type=list&pageNo=2; among other things he notes:Quote:
It's been nearly two years since the accident that caused the injury, and while my foot is sometimes cranky and sore, I'm able to walk on it normally and run three miles a day
Also, a Canadian mountain biker writes about his "long year" of recovery here http://www.trailpeak.com/index.jsp?cat=bike&con=article&val=2102*art. He notes that he is now able to ride even difficult trails, but notes "pain after a long day of hiking."
Sorta hopeful, I guess, although perhaps not for my aspirations to run marathon distances again.
--Brad
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