Broke My Leg on Hay Rack UPDATE @ end Riding!

[Tarlo Farm]

Glad it is my leg, not my ankle, as I first thought. Bad, bad break though. Both bones, right through. I now sport two plates and appropriate screws. I had lifted the round bale rack up about to chest height to install over new bale, gave one last lunge to get the thing totally upright, like a wheel. That lunge caused my feet to slip out on the ice, I fell forward as the thing crashed back to the ground - on my leg.

#$@!^**%$#@@

Dragged myself backwards to the house and phone, called for an ambulance, and lay on the floor until they arrived. Fortunately, they were a couple farm boys. One of them shut off the water to the trough I had going, and threw the horses some square bale hay, while the other got my vitals and began splinting me. #$@^@&#%

Oh well, I should be back on both feet by the end of February. Be careful out there!

[goldhorse]

Oh no! I am so sorry!
Jingles for fast healing!

[KathyK]

Holy smokes! You have my sympathy and my wishes, too, for fast healing.

[Woost2]

Oh farking hell. So sorry.

[Code3]

Oh man, that sucks. Glad they pieced you back together and I hope it all heals quickly. Dang.

[Snork]

Oh no. Winter just sucks.

[boots-aregard]

Ow! You poor thing! Hope you have some help between now and end of February. Someone with cleats on their shoes.

[Kelo]

Holy smokes, ouch! I'm so sorry that happened. Heal fast!

Glad those farm boys helped finish the chores as they patched you up. That is above-and-beyond service!

[Josette]

#$@!^**%$#@@!!
I HATE ICE!!
Sending you healing jingles for an easy recovery!!

[Anne]

Oh ouch and damn!! Hope you heal up quickly, and yay for ambo guys that were up for helping with the horse/yard necessities, brilliant.

[Chisamba]

what a lousy thing to happen, i hope, some how some where, there is a silver lining. glad you were able to get to the house, call for help, and get the help you needed. jingles that is heals better even than expected.

[PaulaO]

OMG I am so sorry. I hope you have someone to help you.

[Rhianon]

Nasty accident. Happens so fast, doesn't it?

I hope you can arrange help. Healing bones saps your energy, never mind all the rest of it.

[bascar]

Oh crap. I hope you heal quickly!

[fergusnc]

Son of a biscuit. You are one bad mammajamma Farm Girl, well done getting yourself to help. And love the paramedics for caring about your critters too.
Heal fast, but try to move slow and take it easy.

[awa]

Lovely Michigan weather...NOT. Ouch! Heal quickly and take it easy.

[Wicky]

Damn!!!! Sending bone (and surgical) healing vibes!!!

[PNG_Pony]

Ugh, I'm so sorry!!

[angela9823]

What a freak accident! And I hope the good that comes is someone else gets to do the outside work while you stay toasty warm inside the next two months!

[Sunshine2Me]

Here's hoping that you heal quickly and efficiently!!!

[khall]

Ouch! Jingles for uneventful recovery and what good EMTs to help out with barn chores!

[westisbest]

That sounds awful! wishing you some good R&R and help for your farm. Ice terrifies me now in my old age.

[Flight]

Oh ouch, that sounds painful. Hope you heal up fast. Cool ambos for helping out

[NancyP]

Well damn.
That's gotta hurt.

We have thick sheets of ice covering everything here, too.....

[Moutaineer]

I'm sorry. That's got to hurt, to say nothing of being incredibly inconvenient. I just hate ice.

[bailey]

Oh No! Sorry this happened and sending healing jingles for you.

[stella]

Well that just sucks donkey balls. Here's to hoping for a quick mend.

[Amado]

Oh wow, that's just awful. Best wishes for a fast recovery!

[Logan's Mom]

Shit. Ass. IN plain english.

[demi]

Oh, man!!! Bummer. Michigan winters and broken bones...But on the positive side, it sounds like you have a good attitude, which will help in a speedy recovery!

[Saddlebum]

Oh My! So sorry to hear this. Sending you blessings for a fast and pain free recovery!

[Canyon]

That is quite a story . I'm glad you were able to drag yourself back to your house and get help!

Jingles for speedy healing.

[Kyra's Mom]

Many healing jingles winging your way.

Susan

[FlyingLily]

Tarlo that sounds so painful!!!!!

Take care and heal up well.

[TeresaA]

that sounds truly horrible. I hope that you heal quickly. I echo the thoughts about how tough you are!

[Tarlo Farm]

Thanks you all. The silver lining IS that is was leg bones, not ankle bones. I'll be fine in a month or two. The lesson for we single folks is to NEVER go outside without a charged phone. Even for a minute. Like the minute it was going to take me to do that little job while the water trough filled. Honest-to-god....

Glad I have the DDBB to help keep me informed and amused while I'm on layup. Oh, and you all will love this: I was planning a potluck party tomorrow before a bunch of us trooped off to a local bar to hear a great band. Obviously I'm not going to the bar, but we're still having the party, and people are going to leave their leftovers, so I don't have to shop for a while yet!

[Canyon]

Yay for friends and food and your good attitude!

I do need to be more conscientious about carrying my cell phone with me when I am outside doing chores. DH might take a while to realize he hadn't seem me for hours.

Actually, a friend of mine was bucked off a horse at home in her arena, breaking her hip. Thank goodness it was close to lunch time; her husband was hungry and came looking for her. And thank goodness he apparently is incapable of making his own sandwich .

[Rhianon]

Actually, a friend of mine was bucked off a horse at home in her arena, breaking her hip. Thank goodness it was close to lunch time; her husband was hungry and came looking for her. And thank goodness he apparently is incapable of making his own sandwich .

(Not about the hip--the husband.)

A good reminder for me. I just got a fancy Android that actually works out here. But I don't have it with me when I do chores because I don't want it broken. Better the phone than me, I guess.

[chantal]

Oh Tarlo!! Praying your attitude stays strong and you have the help you need for your farm. What a literal pain!! Hoping the bones heal cleanly and quickly! And yes, I try to keep a cell phone with me for everything now. Silly as it seems. DH has has more than his share of stupid things on the mountain bike and yet he forgets his too many times.

The EMTs sound like they were wonderful!!

[Tarlo Farm]

They really were. They fed the dog, made sure he had water, opened floor registers (I normally heat with wood, but have the furnace for backup) grabbed reading material, remembered phone chargers...they were fantastic! When I'm up and around, they get cookies and a Thank You card.

[Josette]

I'm still amazed you were able to drag yourself into the house! I'm another one who does not carry a cell phone for chores or riding. Time for a reality check to get a new one. Speedy healing jingles!

[piedmontfields]

I am really sorry this happened and wish you rapid healing!

And Yes, to your advice on carrying a phone if you live alone.

[LeoApp]

Sorry about your break!! Heal quickly. Hope the pot luck food is all good! lol

[Tarlo Farm]

I'm still amazed you were able to drag yourself into the house!

I had NO choice. Period.

My brain still won't let me replay the vision of my bent leg. It shuts off. I'm glad.

[onetrickpony]

I'm still amazed you were able to drag yourself into the house!

I had NO choice. Period.

My brain still won't let me replay the vision of my bent leg. It shuts off. I'm glad.

You're lucky! My whole tib/fib compound fracture experience is forever burned into my brain, easily recalled at any moment. Fun times! Sorry about your accident. Glad that you're on the mend!

[Tarlo Farm]

The sight of blood would tend to do that to you I bet. How is your leg now?

[Alex]

I'm a little confused, Tarlo. You had a steel round bale feeder fall on your leg and the weight of the feeder broke both leg bones? Ugh! I'm glad you mentioned that the weight of one of those could break legs. I wouldn't have thought they'd be heavy enough. You get the BRAVERY AWARD for dragging yourself into the house and phoning for help and the FORESIGHT AWARD for having already planned a party w/lots of good grub!#$!

Thanx for the reminder about keeping a charged cell phone handy. My cellphone is MIA and I'm at risk. Time to buy a burner phone!

[Tarlo Farm]

ALWAYS with the phone now. Always. Yes to the feeder. There are lots of different models, this is like mine: http://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/heavy-d ... 98167/cl1/

So to move it, I pick up one side to chest height, then give a big push up, and it rocks onto the side so I can roll it around. As I gave the last heave, my feet slipped out behind me, I fell forward to my stomach, and it crashed to the ground. When it hit my leg, my first thought was, "I hope I didn't break anything". When I rolled over and, while sitting on the ground, managed to lift it enough to get my foot out, I thought, "Oh, I should go to ER for X-rays, I might have broken something." Then I tried to stand and there was nothing to stand on.

[Suzon]

So inquiring minds want to know...how are YOU doing now that the dust has settled. Who is doing you chores? And are you staying put and not doing things you're not supposed to be doing?

[Tarlo Farm]

Well... I just called for a contingent to strip the run-in this weekend. Yesterday Nephew, who's been my right arm/leg, drove us out to get a round bale loaded into the back of the truck which we then deposited for the horses. He did a great job following directions putting it on a pallet, moving the feeder/rack around it. A round bale lasts them about six days. He stacked a few square bales inside in a manner I can hop to them with the walker, and toss over the run-in wall on days like today when the horses prefer to be inside (It's an AWFUL day today - steady 20mph winds, temps in the teens, snow blowing sideways). He also has been filling the trough as needed. It too is inside. He's turning into quite the farm hand!
Remember, I just built the barnominium, so everything is under one roof. Thank god! There are only three steps from the house to the barn part. I have the stationary walker in the barn, in the house I usually use a wheeled walker with a seat, resting my knee on the seat. Crutches are available, but you can't carry anything. Funny, the PT at the hospital reminded me my knees ARE weight-bearing and I can get around on my knees and do almost anything. I'm just short, and need knee pads. I can use the walker and hop to a car, but I can't let my foot be below my waist for long without it getting mighty uncomfortable. I have lots of help from friends and neighbors. I'm ok, this too shall pass. Thanks for asking!