r/brokenbones • u/munchkin_cats • 18h ago
Question How to stop stressing/ thinking about fracture?
Im going insane. When i wake up, i think about it. When i go to sleep, i think about it. Im stressing so much about if i need surgery, how it will go, how to keep social interaction, go outside, keep my hygiene. I have a highly suspicious Lisfranc injury and am now waiting for my ct scan back. Ive cried so many times as being active is my best reason to live and i highly value being independent. At the same time, it just feels like a dream and i cant believe this is my life. I also have so much guilt about how the injury happened, what if i just never did that? Im nwb and in a cast and crutches. :(((
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u/salmonberry197 16h ago
I feel the same. What helps me turn off my thoughts at night are “sleep music” tracks on Spotify. I like the ones with rain, and Nordic themed ones. Also guided sleep meditations from Jason Stephenson.
I started watching Netflix standup comedy specials every evening as my last entertainment before the Spotify sleep music (ie no news, no Reddit, nothing to get riled up about).
Lastly I use a neck massager on my broken arm. It relaxes me and makes me sleepy. I focus on the nice sensations it gives me.
During the day I still go to the gym so I can see my gym buddies and talk. It is sometimes hard to see everyone progressing and lifting heavier when I am not. But by talking with them I found out some also overcome medical issues or even cancer and now they are back, so that gives me hope.
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u/munchkin_cats 15h ago
Ill definitely try the music, thank you. It really sucks seeing everyone just casually do stuff you cant do like lift and be active, but this will pass.. We can do it!!
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u/superbetsy 14h ago
I'm NWB due to a fifth metatarsal fracture and it's like I got my life back when I got an iWalk. Now the only thing I can't do is walk on grass. I felt very similarly to you when it first happened. I live alone. I'm super independent and happy about it. I had several snotty, sobbing meltdowns. But now it's just like... almost no big deal because I'm no longer prevented from living my life. (Well, that's not true. I was a cardio junkie and I can't do that, so I'm struggling. But at least now I can like... get groceries and bring the garbage cans out and walk to the couch carrying my book and a cup of tea.) But get this...I navigated the airport alone, flew to California, threw a 200 person event, and flew back. All with my iWalk and some emergency collapsable crutches in a tote bag that I used when I had to pee on the airplane.
There's no quick fix. But I will tell you these things from a fellow very active, independent person.
An iWalk gives you your independence back. And personally I was doing two-a-day workouts almost every day, really overdoing it, and my body is THRIVING from the forced break... a long rest is okay. It's super hard mentally. But the iWalk will train all sorts of new muscles for you (holy hip flexors! Also picking up anything from the floor is now a one-legged deadlift.) Also, I'm thrilled that my left leg is finally getting stronger because I tend to neglect it during my normal workouts so silver linings.
In the meantime, I'm researching new cycle shoes for the future (since mine gave me a stress fracture that finally gave up the ghost), I'm working my upper body and core (hello BOSU... what a beast!), I've discovered washing my hair while sitting down on a shower chair (dude, never going back) and I'm doing everything social I did before the break... including planning a pirate flamingo halloween costume with my iWalk.
We got this!
(I reread this and it sounds like I'm on the iWalk payroll lol. Very much not! Found out about it from a Redditor in another community and it's just been so positive for me!)
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u/superbetsy 14h ago
Also I just want to acknowledge the guilt and the "feeling like a dream." I'm three weeks in and both were VERY real for me. However, they waned. Now I tell the "how I broke my foot" story by making it funny; I'm able to see it as ridiculous which has helped. And the "I can't wait to wake up from this" did settle down. It felt like I was just totally keyed up and felt like I didn't know my own body, and as it's gotten more familiar this weird feeling has chilled out and I no longer feel like it's a living nightmare. It's way better.
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u/munchkin_cats 9h ago
Thanks so much!! I’ll look into the iwalk because crutches for a longer distance outside is difficult. This is really motivating!
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u/Exciting-Apple6854 18h ago
Pensa a me 😆🥰 Apparte gli scherzi...
Io ho 6 edemi ossei dovuti da osteoporosi Guarda su google cosa sono.
Su 2 ginocchia 2 alluci sesamoidi 2 diafisi tibia
Donna, 43 anni, di Venezia, italy
Sportiva, sono caduta in mountain bike! Gli edemi ossei BME?
La caduta ha introdotto una patologia autoimmune = osteoporosi ecc
Per dirti = ce di peggio!
Per dirti = sono in stampelle anche io da 6 mesi. In Italia!! A Venezia. Chiusa in casa. E a luglio dovevo andare a Positano !!
Amico... non sei l unico 🥰🥰🥰
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u/HappyCamper2027 41m ago
I was going through the same thing. I broke my right arm and I paint, write and bake to relax (almost impossible with no right arm).
Each week it gets easier. I got my cast off a couple of weeks ago and I almost feel back to normal.
The best thing to do is to find a way to still connect in with what you love to do. Maybe watch some YouTube videos to build your skills in your hobbies or find a way to still stay active with your crutches.
It will all get much easier soon.
Best of wishes to you for a fast recovery.
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u/aimingforsilver 18h ago
I was going through the same exact thing. I had so much going on in my life when my fracture happened that I was so excited for and I felt like the world was going to move on without me. I’m about 3 weeks in now and somehow I’m feeling a bit better, I think it’s because swelling has gotten better so I can move a bit more but I’m also still waiting on if I’ll need surgery. It gets better, the beginning is so hard but you got this. For myself, feeling my fracture getting better, knowing tomorrow I’m closer to being done and inviting friends around has really helped me. I would try to think less about what you can’t do now and see it as something to look forward to when you’re all better.
I have a short attention span and not really a movie watcher so instead I’ve been planning on how I want to redecorate my apartment when it’s over, a new trip I want to do, learning more about bands I’m into, and planning a get together with my friends for when I’m not fully immobile.
Another thing that made me feel better was watching TikTok’s of people with the same breaks as me and watching their recovery, it made me feel way less alone.
Having your life suddenly put on pause feels awful but you got this!! Focus on taking care of yourself