This is Wayne's right foot on July 13, 2008. On Saturday, July 12, 2008 he was at a friend's farm with our two grandsons and the men decided to weigh some steers they didn't think were heavy enough to go to the county fair the next week. The first few steers walked across the scale nicely. Then one hesitated and got a swat on the butt from Wayne and our friend's wife. The steer slipped or kicked or something that was so fast no one remembers exactly what happened. Any way it hit the livestock gate that Wayne was holding and the gate fell onto Wayne's foot braking the first metetarsol. There was immediate great pain, but Wayne and Mark were on their way to pick up a load of hay, so on they went. By the time Wayne got home the foot was very swollen and the fracture blisters had developed. Being a Saturday my dear husband did not want to waste the day at the emergency room, so he waited until Monday, July 14 to go to the orthopedic surgeon. They put him in a soft splint and scheduled surgery for Monday, July 21 in hopes that the swelling would go down and the fracture blisters would heal. Surgery was performed on Monday, the 21st to put in a plate and 5 screws. Wayne then had another soft splint and was told no weight bearing for a week. This slowed him down quite a bit. On Monday, July 28 we returned to the surgeon who said no weight bearing meant no using the 4 wheeler instead of walking, no driving the truck, no steps, etc. The foot was so badly injured that not complying with the doctor's orders could cause him to lose his foot. Those words and some from his loving wife caused him to slow down more. Since then he has read many books, watched more ESPN, RFD, Biography, and garbage daytime TV than anyone really wants too. But he has been keeping the foot elevated and the swelling has gone down and the blisters are almost totally healed. It's now 4 weeks since the injury and he has 3 more weeks with no weight-bearing. He got a hard cast on Wednesday, August 6. We also are now renting a little cart called a Roll-a-Bout. It's like a walker but just half the width with an area where he can kneel to keep the lower leg from supporting weight. It really rolls right along and he can move quite quickly with it.
Originally we were told Wayne would be off from work until September 8, but we're thinking this may go on for a few more weeks. The bottom of the foot was damaged more than the original x-ray showed. The surgeon said it collapsed. Also there were more small splinters of bone in the foot when the surgery was performed than what was expected. Thus the surgery took longer and the larger plate and more screws than expected.
I do enjoy having him around more, but he's not too fond of feeling like the dog. I say, "Have a good day" and go to work with the good-bye greeting of "See you tonight." The other day I told him not to chew on the furniture while I was at work. A friend suggested I tell him not to water the furniture while I'm gone, but I didn't think I'd try that greeting as I leave. This injury has been harder for him than the broken leg in March 2004 or the knee revision Christmas of 2006 because of the time of year. It's very hard for someone used to being outside as much as possible during the summer to stay in the house and quiet. Just a good think for Dish Network and cell phones.
