Broken Jake

Poor Jakey, just can't win for losing. Most of you already know about his bad knees. He also has had shin splints that turned out to be shin fractures in both legs, back problems, migraines, and he is lactose intolerant. He has learned to live with daily pain and now he has a hurt ankle. So far we know it is a sprain but we also think it is something worse. He has an appointment with a foot specialist tomorrow to find out more.

It's been hard for him to go to the gym since we have been married because of time and because of his knee's always hurting. He found church ball was a great way to get a little work out in every week. Sure, it caused his shin fractures and his knees still hurt but it was fun for him. He usually goes for 2 hours, from 9-11 on Tues and Thurs. Tuesday before last he came home early. I jokingly said, "you're home early, did you hurt something?" I wasn't expecting him to say yes but he replied, "oh, yeah. It hurts." He limped into the living room in pain and I noticed his ankle was about twice the size it should have been. The instacare by our house closed at nine and the one in Orem closed at 10. There was no way we were going to make it and Jake is against the Emergency Room because of the cost. We loaded up in the truck and Jake got on the phone with his mom (a nurse) to find out what best to do. Luckily she and I both work for an amazing doctor who was willing to call in an x-ray for him. We wanted to find out if it was broken or not and then go from there.

Radiology got us right in and the x-ray came back that there were no breaks or fractures. The doctor said it was just a very bad sprain and to wrap it until he could be seen in the morning. He and I had a very hard time sleeping due to his pain and my worry. When we went to the doctor Jake was in a lot of pain and every time the doctor touched his foot Jake would almost scream out in pain. He gave him a removable cast thing and told him we would recheck in a week.

He borrowed some crutches from a friend and spent the week in a lot of pain and discomfort. The swelling came and went and the bruising got worse and worse. He just went for the recheck appointment and was still in a lot of pain. The doctor had him take a step and Jake about fell to the floor in pain, saying the bottom of his foot went numb. The doctor tried a new brace and suggested he see a foot specialist because it didn't seem to be hurting where he thought it would according to where the swelling was. And the fact that he couldn't put weight on it at all wasn't a good sign.
He has an appointment set up for Friday and honestly we are both kind of hoping it is broken so that he can have surgery and get it fixed. Also, if they put him in a hard cast he won't be able to drive at all because it is his right foot. That would make me more comfortable and he thinks it might be good motivation for the higher-ups to move him back to the Orem store. Fingers crossed.

This morning I think was the worse of this whole ordeal. He got up to use the bathroom and I was still in bed. I heard a crash and a couple almost swear words so I jumped out of bed to make sure he was ok. His crutch slipped out from under him on the rug and he was on the floor, hands and knees, sobbing in pain. It is hard to see someone you love, especially a grown man, hurting so much it brings him to tears. And what's worse was there was nothing I could do for him. I'm glad he was still able to move himself because it got me thinking that if something had happened I would have no way to move or help him at all. He was on the floor for a good 5 min before moving to the edge of the tub, waiting for the pain to subside. Eventually he was able to get up again and about two hours later got ready and went to work. I really didn't want him to but he is a work aholic and takes his manager responsibility very seriously.

I guess all we have to do now is wait and see what the doctor says tomorrow and go from there. Prayers would be great at this time!