How It Happened

What else could go wrong! I suffered a freak accident. I broke my ankle in four places requiring surgery with 2 plates and 10 screws.

On October 9th 2013, on my way to work I fell down a flight of stairs. I was wearing nursing shoes those tall ones. Well my ankle left ankle inverted in and out. I heard a loud pop and actually felt the bones shift while I fell to the ground. After the initial shock I took a look at my ankle and my foot was hanging on to my leg just dropping. I panicked but I didn't experience terrible pain it was more of a shock "like what did you just do to your self".

After some seconds I dialed 911 from my cell and crawled myself to the ledge of the stairs. The fire department was first on the scene. They splinted my leg and applied an ice pack and we waited for the paramedics to arrive.

Upon arrival the processed the works vitals name insurance all the questions and lugged me into those portable wheelchair and into an ambulance.

At this point I still didn't feel terrible pain my blood pressure was perfect heart rate. The paramedic kept telling me I was very strong not to feel pain some people would be dying for pain medication he said.

When I arrived at the hospital I used to work at many ED nurses recognized me and took really good care of me. I was there for approx. 3 hours. The doctor said if xrays came back ok then they would pop my ankle in place and immobilize it for a couple of weeks. But boy was I wrong. He came back and said sorry Erika you are going to need surgery you have what looks to be a bimalleolar fracture. And you have to see an orthopedic surgeon and need this asap but the bad news is we can't keep you here. Ahhh I cried for a while!!! My mind kept thinking about my children, my husband that was just recently diagnosed with Huntington's Chorea. Work and how am I going to pay for this surgery with out any kind of insurance!!

After my sobbing was over about an hour an ER tech came in and put a splint on my leg from my toes to my upper thigh. It was the most uncomfortable I had been and pain started. She showed me the proper way to walk use and sit with crutches. I was given my pain meds a referral my new crutches and set free.