7 good things to come out of a broken leg [010]

There is a saying in Italian that reads something along the lines of ‘not all bad things come to harm you’ – it’s similar (although not identical) to ‘every cloud has a silver lining’. Now, I’m not suggesting that breaking your leg (and having a broken tibia) is a good thing, and that that doesn’t harm you (it does hurt you indeed), but I can totally see that some good has come out as a result of me falling on the stairs and fracturing my tibia, and for a change it’s actually nice to look at things from this perspective!

With so little out there about temporarily living (and parenting) with these types of injuries, I really hope that one day, someone looking for information and tips on recovering and coping strategies will stumble across these posts and be able to look at the silver lining of their own situation. I got to spend an extra month with my mum

I can’t say for sure that she’s enjoyed every minute of it, because she’s been really busy and of course away from her own home, but it’s been great to have my mum here with us for over 4 weeks. The boys have spent some more time with her, and she’s got to know them a little bit better, especially The Little Guy, whose language development has had a massive boost because of Nonna being here!

I got away with not having to work the last month of my notice period

I had already given my employer my 3 months’ notice, and I was due to finish work one month after my fall, but in the end I never went back after my 3-week holiday. Although it’s quite sad that I didn’t get to say goodbye to my colleagues and friends, I can always see them again. When I can walk again, I’ll go to the office to say my goodbyes properly, but in a way it’s been really good to not have to go back to a job I had already decided to leave. In fact, it all turned out quite well in the end as I had handed all my work over before my holidays!

I witnessed the most amazing acts of kindness

In situations like these, you can really tell who cares loads about you. I have been literally overwhelmed by the number of people who called, sent messages, visited me in the hospital and then at home, sent cards, chocolates and flowers, came and delivered food packages and even turned up at home asking what chores they could help with! Believe it or not, I also had friends who kept me virtual company on WhatsApp late in the night when I was in hospital waiting for surgery and couldn’t sleep a wink! We had the most random and profound conversations – it was bizarre as it was amazing! As a family we have been feeling really really blessed by the amazing, kind acts we’ve been at the receiving end of, and I’ll never forget the people who have been close to us (physically or otherwise) over the last couple of months.

I got to find out how resilient we all are as a family

Resilience is being able to withstand or recover from difficult conditions. Well, I’m sure this can be said about myself and The Husband. We should pat each other on the back for getting through the worse. We had to adapt and found new, different ways of doing things around the house, but different isn’t always bad. And as for the children, it’s just amazing to watch how they accept and respond to situations very matter-of-factly, with no judgment. So I have a broken leg. So I can’t walk or drive.

I walk on crutches, and they need to be careful around my leg. Did it take a bit of practice at first? Of course, it’s a new thing, but soon enough I had all 3 boys fighting to be the ones helping me to take my crutches up and down the stairs, or making space and clearing the room for me, so I could sit down on my spot on the sofa keeping my leg propped up. They learn quickly. They adapt. This is our new normal, and although we, the adults, understand it’s only temporary, the children just accept the situation. They are not wishing time away or questioning when it will be over. They just adapt and move on. Children are amazing.

I started exercising

If you know me, you’ll also know this is hard to believe! But it has happened. And yes, it’s early days, but I’ve taken action. And that’s thanks to realisation that exercise will help my leg start to feel more ‘normal’ again. Plus, I’ve picked up weight by spending my days moving between the chair and the sofa! I now know all about the non-weight-bearing ankle and leg exercises, and I’ve recently found out I can use the cross trainer as a bike! And although I don’t quite understand how it’s possible to push on a pedal when you can’t carry your weight, I can do it. I can do it painlessly, so bring it on. Hopefully, this is the kick in the backside I really needed to make me finally take exercising seriously.

I got to start my blog earlier than planned

Mind your Mamma was already on the cards. But realistically it would have taken me another couple of months before I could even get to it. So it’s been great to have the time to get it started earlier than planned. Of course I had not planned to talk about broken legs, why not? I’m still experimenting with it, and it certainly is an outlet for me at the moment. I’m happy with the way it’s slowly taking shape!

I got to slow right down

Since returning to work after 14 months off on maternity leave with The Little Guy, I spent a good few months feeling overwhelmed, unsettled and like there was way too much going on in our lives. The pace started feeling like it was all too much, and I started feeling like something had to give. I hated the feeling of always being in a rush. I was constantly late for everything, running around all the time and always ‘on the back foot’. After my accident, just the thought of having to stop it all threw me in a panic. And this carried on for the first few days (and perhaps even weeks!) But guess what? It turns out that slowing down is possible. It takes conscious effort and making adjustments and decisions about your current lifestyle perhaps, but it can be done. So maybe I had to learn it the hard way to be able to really take it in and believe it. But I had said I needed a break, and a break I took.

Now let’s see what I make of it!

Related posts:

The day I broke my leg.

Injury-induced anxiety – the scary feeling of feeling scared.

How mindfulness can help heal a physical injury.

What’s a broken leg got to do with change?

Did you also break your tibia? How’s the recovery going for you?