5th Metatarsal Fracture – Breaking a Foot is something I never imagined happening to me. My earliest memory of broken bones and a cast was via my best friend Linda, whom at 5, had tried to climb her house gate and fell, and landed with 2 broken arms. She went around for weeks with 2 heavily graffitied white cast arms. You learn so much when you have a fracture that you just do not learn if you haven’t had one.
How I flipped a 5th Metatarsal Fracture – Breaking a Foot
I was at a restaurant walking after brunch taking some money out of my wallet, clearly not paying attention to where I was walking and there was a step. I flew off it and landed on my 5th metatarsal when I grabbed my friend thankfully which protected me from falling entirely and knocking my head God forbid.
I had never felt such excruciating pain in my entire life. But I put on a brave face and said I was fine. In fact, we continued to walk out of the restaurant (I hobbled very slowly) and I proceeded very painfully to my next meeting which was a good 100 metres away. It felt like forever. Thank goodness for oils! But even as I applied the oils with a feather touch, my foot was screaming in pain.
Little did I know that I had broken a bone. It was swelling up and bruising so I assumed it was just a very bad bruise the size of a tomato. My friends at my next appointment kept asking if I was OK and I kept nodding and feigning bravado.
After that meeting, I even walked to Starbucks to get some tea for my kids and then walked all the way to the other end of the mall only to realise that the driver was waiting for me at the very other end of the mall, so inched my way very slowly to the other end all over again. I couldn’t wait to get into the car!
Icing the Bad Bruise and Swelling of the 5th Metatarsal Fracture – Breaking a Foot
When I finally snailed myself home, I plonked myself with relief onto the couch and got my daughter to bring me an ice pack which I placed onto my foot to prevent further swelling. I sat on the couch for the next 4 hours and did not cook nor move so we ordered pizza, and I continued my work on my phone till one of the chats suggested that I should check the foot out at the Doctors in case it was a hairline fracture? What???? It never even crossed my mind!!!
Suddenly I started googling hairline fracture and asked my friend why she would think I had a hairline fracture? She said it was because I mentioned pain at a feather touch. What?? Really? Oh, gosh. I cannot have a hairline fracture because I have a full month ahead. Can I still walk with a hairline fracture? I was so busy googling. I was about to start a training call when the Hubs arrived home at about 8.30pm and said we were going to the hospital right then.
We fought. I had a training call and we could go after the call. He said now. Ding dong ding dong. He won. I cancelled the call at the very last minute and followed him to the hospital leaving our 2 sleeping kids ALONE at home.
The Shock of it all….5th Metatarsal Fracture – Breaking a Foot
They put me on a wheelchair and when the nurse accidentally bumped the wheelchair against the door frame gently, I let out a huge YELL. It was that painful. My foot wasn’t even bumped, it was the wheelchair that got slightly nudged. That was when I started praying…….please, no hairline fracture.
X-Ray results came out after an hour at the hospital. The Medical Officer said she had good news and bad news for me. Which first? BAD, of course!!! The bad news was that I didn’t have a hairline fracture but a full blown fracture. WHAT?????? What does that mean??? I have 2 events tomorrow!!! How? I am traveling to Singapore in a few days and I have a full weekend ahead with events and training classes. She looked at me and said that I won’t be traveling very far with a broken foot. What was the good news then? The good news is that it was just a 5th Metatarsal fracture and not a leg fracture like my tibia or fibula which would have been even more painful. WHAT??????
Putting the CAST on my 5th Metatarsal Fracture – Breaking a Foot
Without much explanation, the MO and nurse proceeded to ask me to keep still whilst they plastered my foot with a fibreglass cast. They did it so quickly and simply that I wondered if my foot had to be at a certain angle before it was put into permanent place with this cast? Too late. It hardened up pretty quick and I was advised not to wet the foot. To shower, I had to wrap a plastic bag onto the foot and lift it to place on higher ground, like a stool. Right!
Next, the nurse brought me some crutches that took some adjusting due to my midget height and off I was sent to go home and return the next day to see the specialist.
Orthopaedic Specialist for the 5th Metatarsal Fracture – Breaking a Foot
It was a quick visit. All he did was show me my fracture and told me that it would take 6-8 weeks to heal. No weight bearing on the foot. See you in 2 weeks. Raise the foot. Just stay home and don’t move. Nightmare to my ears. Arghhhh.
After 2 weeks, the Doctor said, hmmm…..there doesn’t seem to be any changes but we’ll just wait and see. Meanwhile I was bitching about the cast being so uncomfortable because my foot was super swollen and I could barely feel my foot anymore so he sent me down to the Physiotherapy Centre to get a BOOT instead. The boot was awesome!!! My foot could finally have a shower after 2 freaking weeks (it did not smell, trust me) and there was freedom! But the danger with that is with the foot being more free meant more opportunity for accidents too which exactly happened one day when I was sick vomiting and I fell. AGAIN!!!
Mobility and Tricks of my 5th Metatarsal Fracture
With a foot that cannot be used, I pretty much had to wheelchair it everywhere or hobble on one foot with the walker. Firstly, the weight on my wrists and shoulders was a shocker. Just a short hop to the washroom and I was breaking in sweat already. Secondly, bath times were a nightmare because try balancing on one foot on a slippery floor? Thirdly, night time sleep was difficult because the slightest touch with the duvet despite the foot inside the boot was a cause for soprano singing. You REALLY take the act of walking so much for granted. Even the act of brushing my teeth was a chore because just imagine standing on one foot for over 5 minutes? It’s damn painful!!! I eventually sat on a stool to brush my teeth. Everywhere I moved had to be in slow mo and if I accidentally hit anything or worse when someone accidentally hit my boot, HALLELUJAH!!!!!
Even lowering my ass onto the toilet bowl was a challenge because imagine lowering your body on one knee. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Even with the support of the walker to take the weight.
7 weeks later and my 5th Metatarsal Fracture is doing much better!
Finally, I am able to remove the boot and slowly start bearing weight onto the foot and start walking a little. The bones are slowly coming together on the outside but the actual bones fusing will take another 6-12 months. However, I will only be in pain for 1 more month and then will be allowed to ski in 2 months hopefully!
I don’t wish a 5th Metatarsal Fracture on anyone. It is so painful and a real pain in the arse but the one thing I learnt in this entire 7 week ordeal is that I was able to do a lot of self reflection to stop giving others so much and to give myself more.
**************************************************************************Who is Mamapumpkin?
Mamapumpkin is a former Design Architect turned Multi-Million Dollar Digital Entrepreneur. She sets out to prove to all that you can have anything and everything that you want; if you have that fire of desire burning within and the drive to work hard. Even better with much love.
Mamapumpkin has not only grown corporate businesses successfully in the past and doubled her salary 5 times over 5 organisations but has grown THREE BUSINESSES to 7 FIGURES within an 8 year period. She now shows others EXACTLY HOW after retiring her own husband from employment. He is now the official dog walker, family driver, chef and THE BEST FATHER to their two girls and THE BEST HUSBAND to the woman who CHOSE HIM!
Mamapumpkin is the girl who has nothing but fights for everything including YOU. She is idealistic in her desire to put unbelievable amounts of money and extrardinary happiness into the lives of good people so we can change the world together believing in happiness for ALL. She strives to impact lives authentically wanting to reduce poverty cycles and enable quality education for all and always supports the voiceless. She believes we can all have a life of our own desires to enable real contribution into the world. But first, one needs to understand what this all means.
A beautiful life without limits.
If you wish to learn how to propel your life forward guaranteed, be brave to take action. Mamapumpkin's purpose is to build people. Her gift is to help them UNCOVER their HIDDEN GIFTS. She operates fairly and always leaves an impression. You either love her or not and she is alright either way.
She is a living testimony that women really can have a lot. Being financially and time free has enabled her to travel the world anytime, anywhere, doing anything with anyone, as she spends most of her days with her children, having fun, supporting others wherever she can. Also having fun.
