Broke my pelvis...+ leg blood clot...I CAN WALK (update)

[CHT]

Update after meeting with surgeon:

1. I get to start physio. Seeing a pelvic specialist on the 18th. Fortunately there is one in the closest city to me.
2. 6-12 months for the pubic symphysis to heal. The cartilage that has to have torn will be replaced by a fibrous tissue, that should actually be stronger (like scar tissue) but is not the same (less stretchy - fortunately no plans for kids…).
3. My pelvis is 90-95% normal skeleton wise. No change to x-rays since last appointment. The sacrum is a non-issue at this point - we can assume it is healed enough.

Doctor is not a fan of people riding horses in general. so he couldn’t/wouldn’t give me an idea if riding is in my future. I only see him again if things aren’t continuing to heal and we feel x-rays or a CT Scan is warranted.

I never made my injury “public” via facebook, but I feel the rumour mill has been spreading so I think I will do something up to post tomorrow. I just need to think about it carefully.

I need to sort out what to do with my nutty mare, and my super green pony (I was training her for a lesson horse, but only got to walk/trot). Hoping my yellow dude sells soon, but oddly a horse that listens to light aids is only what people think they want…when they actually try him, he kind of shows them how much they don’t know just by being super responsive to things they didn’t even know they were doing.

Not sure what to do for my client who has encountered issues with her green horse I ok’d her buying because I assumed i could ride him if needed.

[hut-ho78]

Are you able to give lessons yet? You could try FaceTime lessons maybe. My trainer agreed to try that during Covid lockdowns and it worked pretty well except I think he missed being able to yell at me in person. I set down cones to mark the visibility lines where he could see me. I could do lateral work going into towards the phone and out from the phone to the rail and at the wide end I could do circle work. That voice in my ear could get a little loud if we were imprecise enough to stray out of the cones of visibility.

Also, if she is having trouble with a green horse, you can always have her back up to something they are solid at for a while and then try to progress a little later when their communication has returned, especially if you can teach her through that via FaceTime or in person.

I purchased a little stand for my phone and blue tooth earbuds for sports, a big whopping $25 or $26. The price is up a little bit but not bad.

[CHT]

yep, I can do almost everything now - teach, move poles (and standards short distances), clean up poop. I still struggle to walk lines, but bending lines solve that problem for now. I can’t carry are wooden standards, but I can move our plastic ones by kind of rolling them. The problem I have now is not overdoing it.

I don’t know what I did yesterday, but both my DVT and my pelvis are causing grief today. I see my doctor about the DVT on thursday and physio on friday, so hopefully get some better answers and care plans then.

[rubygirl1968]

I hope your checkup Thursday goes well and there aren’t any new issues.

Hope the pain gets better before then too.

[CHT]

Thursday went well. I go to a teaching clinic, and the resident du jour (I have a regular doctor that oversees residents) seemed to feel like she hit the jackpot with me, so we discussed a bunch of things over a half hour and she assessed my gait and such. They want me to stay on the anti-coagulants for at least 6 months as it still isn’t resolved. I have a weird skin issue on my lower legs that started when I got home from the hospital and I can’t resolve. It looks like dry skin, but it isn’t dry. In a weird moment she closed her eyes and pet my legs…because you can’t actually feel the scaly skin - so not a typically skin issue, but quite unpleasant to live with as a shed slices of skin…like a sun burn peeling.

Walking is going well - I was supposed to start physio today, but that got cancelled last minute (pushed back 10 days). Probably just as well as a developed a migraine today.

Emotionally I have good and bad days. Teaching is ok - being restricted to what I can and cannot do here is frustrating and I wish I could find a home for my personal horses as I feel guilty about them not being looked after as well as they are used to. Packed up my breeches yesterday to make room for my new collection of sweat pants (can’t wear pants with a lot of stuff going in in the crotch area) - it was a strange feeling.

It is hard to be patient to see how things heal and what I will be able to do. Cats remain good companions.

[Horsecrazy3]

I get the frustration of not being able to ride and not knowing if you’ll be able to ride at the level you were at before the accident. Please take the time to heal properly and do the rehab program you are given. My team told me the biggest obstacle clients face in obtaining a full recovery is not doing what is asked by the professionals. Can you find a physiotherapist,chiropractor or massage therapist that works with athletes? All three of mine worked with professional athletes, so once they knew I was serious about a total recovery and willing to do the work at the correct pace, I was put into a different program then the general public.

[CHT]

Unfortunately the cross over between sports physio and pelvic specialist is unlikely to happen - and it has been recommended that a specialist is important. Hopefully I don’t need the specialist for long - it’s quite expensive compared to a normal physio, and then can make the switch to a sports physio. There is also a yoga class locally for people with health issues so hoping I can get in on that.

[Horsecrazy3]

My physiotherapist was/is a pelvic specialist for women and also worked with athletes. I realize I was very lucky to have access to my rehab team. Wishing you a full recovery. It will take time.

[CHT]

Today a lady delivered a new horse (for a client) and it turns out she also broke her pelvis (Jan 2021). She had very different break - spent 3 months in hospital/rehab - a training horse went over backwards on her. She was back training and riding a little over a year later. It was great to be able to talk to someone who understood some of the things we faced in hospital and rehab!

She might help me rehome my nutty mare, and train my pony as I really liked the start she put on the little guy we bought from her.

Tuesday I see a neurologist about potential brain issues from too many concussions.

[EADoug]

I’m so glad you got a little reality check, in the good way! Sometimes it’s very hard to see your future after major injuries, especially when extra stressors are added.

My husband describes me as a worst case scenario wife, where I always map out all the ways different situations could go wrong, just so I’m prepared for everything. It can be exhausting and even though I tell myself I’m ‘just hypothesizing’, I have to admit that sometimes I start to focus on the negative and believe that’s the true reality.

In your case, who knows what the future will hold, but you aren’t currently far enough into that new future post injury to know anything for certain.

[CHT]

There is no redness or itching though, so maybe a very mild case?

I find I do have to limit how long I am on my feet - about 2.5 hours and I get anxious: I think my body is trying to tell me to take a time out and I try to listen.

[CHT]

I finally started Pelvic Floor Physio. It is…shall we say…intimate? I guess the muscles under/inside the pelvic girdle are super tight. We only worked on the pubic area, not the sacral. I don’t know what I expected, but I didn’t think it would involve gloves and lube.

But…met a lady yesterday who also broke her pubic symphysis: she didn’t do physio and now regrets it, so I guess I keep going.

I am still frustrated by my reliance on others, and on the fact my gelding hasn’t sold yet. We had one offer, but trainer felt it was too low and they didn’t respond to her counter offer. More recently had a dressage rider try him for a friend, and she rode him chin to chest…which made me want to cry. Trainer did suggest she lighten up and did make her give him a break. We would have stopped the ride if she was shopping for herself. Now we are in a deep freeze - too cold for my outside horse to be tried, but I am able to lunge him a bit between rides to keep him fit - he is a good boy who I trust not to pull on the lunge.

meanwhile i can’t decide what to do with my pony - got her last year in a trade. Plan was to be a lesson horse. Super sweet pony who greats everyone with the most happy expression and was pretty fun to get started. Maybe once my gelding sells I will send her for training.

[Horsecrazy3]

Pelvic floor physio was a game changer for me. My pelvis is better than before my accident. I have ROM I never had before in my hip joints. I call this the silver lining to my accident. I meet several individuals who broke something in their pelvis, didn’t do the rehab and yes they regretted not doing it. Please keep doing it. You are worth every dollar spent. I’m very independent and it was hard to give up control and rely on others. I came to realize it’s okay to get help and not always be the one doing the helping.

[Erika]

Just a quick check in to see how you are doing. How is everything going?

[CHT]

Thanks! Going ok. Hard to limit what I do, but I sure feel it when I do too much or the wrong thing! I keep straining something under my left butt cheek, and my anterior tibialis (muscle by the shin). Not sure how the tibialis injury is related to my pelvis but it is an odd injury and quite painful! Pubic pain still there occasionally, but not often. I can do most barn chores now, including carrying jump standards.

I am at the stage of mental recovery where I am starting to look forward to the changes we are in the process of making to my life and our barn business, but I wish I could find homes for my horses as it is hard to not want to just hop on.

[Erika]

I am so glad to hear that both your physical and mental recoveries are coming along well.

With the physical side of things, its likely you are compensating for a weakness somewhere else and its coming out in being ouchy in those weird areas. That’s just my armchair analysis.

As for the mental aspect, there are seasons for everything in life. Perhaps you did operate your barn as X but now need to change to a Y set up. Nothing wrong with that, it just needs to be clearly communicated. Those who need X will leave (and have done so already), but you will also attract others who prefer a Y model. It’s all about building a community that you want to surround yourself with.

I can totally understand the temptation to ride, especially on the days you feel good. Have you tried looking for people to part-board your horses? You might have some horseless riders in your area who are capable of riding your personal horses. I am one of those types - I am a serial part-boarder who enjoys a challenge and I have no desire to show. I wont pay full part-board fees though if I feel that I am putting experience on a green horse, but I will pay a reduced fee and invest in weekly lessons and do the homework.

[CHT]

The market is really slow here right now - very hard to find lease riders, even with a discounted lease rate - or free for someone who wants to ride a greenie. Hopefully after holiday bills are paid and the weather improves that will change.

Finding people to buy/lease/ride my own two personal horses has been difficult - pros love riding them, but they are too sharp/responsive for amateurs it seems. I am trying to get clients on them to help them both be used to different riders, and unfortunately I feel I need to help them both learn to be a little duller - which makes me a little sad. So far the only interest in my arab mare have been for trail riding…she hates nature and just isn’t suited to the weekend rider. I am sure something will work out, I just need to be patient.

[hut-ho78]

Have you advertised them?

[CHT]

Yes,I have an agent with the one, and she has had a few out to see him - two kids who were intimidated by his size and didn’t understand to push a horse through a turn instead of pull, and a “dressage” rider who insisted he take more contact by riding his chin to his chest. Then the weather went horrible and we took a break advertising. The mare has been lightly advertised, but I need to get someone back riding her - so far all interest has been for a trail home…she is not suited to that life!

Today I had a different client on my boy, and things went horrible when she tried to canter for the second time (first was fine). I am so frustrated I couldn’t get on to see what the problem was and she couldn’t resolve it, and he made it clear he wanted her off. I lunged him and he was fine, albeit peppy. it was such out of character behaviour I am assuming he was uncomfortable but really no idea. Has really brought down my mood.

[CHT]

Add to that, I have been in unresolvable pain the last two days. Overdoing it I guess. Muscle pain and joint pain. My silly orange cat knows when I am not good, and came running to give me cuddles when I came in just now. Good cat.