Miscellaneous Forum

In November 2007, as many Vt-ers know I fell on the platform at Delhi Railway Station and broke my left leg just above the ankle.
On 29 June 2009, I had just arrived at Khartoum airport after 4 months in the UK. As I stepped out of the doorway of the plane and onto the platform of the movable steps, I landed flat on the platform and have now got a multicoloured , very painful and very swollen ankle- yes, the same one. The X-ray doesn't show a break, but this time the pain is terrible.
My husband says that I shouldn't be allowed to travel alone again. Mind you, he was with me in Delhi and his presence didn't prevent it happening.
Am I being warned by Higher Powers, or am I just unlucky?

I think you need someone to be there outside to say "watch your step". (where are the people that help you off platforms) Sorry to hear of your mishaps. It sounds very painful. I do hope you recover soon though. Maybe you have weak ankles.

Hope you're feeling better...ankle problems are terrible. A sprain occurs when stress is applied when ankle is in an unstable position, causing the ligaments to overstretch/tear. Fluid accumulation or swelling (edema) around the injured ligament is common - and if there is immediate swelling, it means bleeding and might be a more significant tear. X-rays may not sahow much --- mildly to moderately severe sprains are managed by repeated ice packs, followed after 48 hours by hot soaks. And of course foot elevation, bandages, maybe even a splint.....oops, can't help myself from rambling on and on about medical stuff....But the key is not to injure that ankle any longer. Maybe wear an necklace or bracelet to remind you to always be careful around platforms (just to counteract the supersition saying that these mishaps come in "threes"). But unless you're developing early dementia, you should still travel alone - it's good for the soul.....Cheers from Arizona - it's July 4th! We'll see some fireworks later at a farm here...Norman :)

I agree -- I think you're just being warned to be a little more careful next time! I've never actually had a problem on escalators in stores and they freak me out anyway.

I think you just need to do a little planning and be more cautious when stepping up or down places, as well as walking in narrow places.

For instance, make sure your hands are free, and hold on to handles or anything firm when stepping down (or up). You can always leave your bag behind you in the train, and reach for it once you're safely down.

My husband played football many years - maybe it would be good to put one of those elastic bandages when you are going to be "on the move" to give your ankle a little support.

You know what the problem is (misbehaving ankle) - so just have to plan, and most of all, not rush thru critical maneuvers (like on/off stairs).

;=)

Shane, I'm sure you're thrilled to bits to have Norman mention early dementia :))

It's not your fault if the platform wasn't stable and I think when any part of the body is once broken it really can't cope with falling or being otherwise hurt again.

After 4 busy ( and accident-free )months in England, Scotland and Wales, I think we can fairly assume you were just unlucky.

So, DR. Katherine's prescription is be a drama queen , put that leg up, moan loudly and frequently and have everybody wait on you hand and foot.

There has to be some reward for suffering all that pain :))

Great medical advice, and now I don't need to listen to husband about not travelling- he was with me in Delhi when it happened and he wasn't able to prevent it. So I will continue travelling.

Most important is good walking shoes. :P

Hello,
Oh dear, that is being unlucky! When I was at school I had a small injury with my left ankle (goodness, the same as you...!) and at least two-three times after that. The same one, nothing to my right ankle.
So now the left ankle looks a bit thicker but (knock the wood) nothing has happened to it for a while.
Could it be that your husband just wants to join you in the travels - four months is a long time..:)
All the best to you and the family,
from Soili in the south of Finland

Oh, dear lordy- ytou poor thing. I know they do say a sprain is much more painful than a break. I sprained my ankle once and it was dreadful.
I hope you're sitting with the ankle elevated, with a bag of frozen peas on it and a Tubigrip bandage;-)
My friend did the same to hers last week and was taking those precautions to prepare herself for our jaunt to the seaside.

I always have a handbag that has straps over my front--like the 'mad lady'. I don't care- it ensures both hands are free to hold on to things.
I do hope it gets better soon.

My friend has injured hers 4 times in 3 years.She thinks there might be a weakness from the 1st time, when she did crack one ankle bone. I agree!She refuses to waer a bag with a strap though- so she never has a hand free when she trips.

Have you had your eyes tested lately? It could be you need new specs?
She refuses to do that too!

<<Am I being warned by Higher Powers, or am I just unlucky?>>

I think maybe you are being told to wear shoes with better tread! (or maybe boots that lace up over your ankle.)

Katherine, I love you. Lie on a gold embroidered covered bed, leg elevated on cushions. Call the maid- tea, coffee, a cold drink, something to eat,please. When people call to commiserate, act like the dying swan as I hobble out to join them in the Audience Room [aka as the hall]. Dream on... at least the maid does provide me with refreshment, and 6yr old gran-daughter comes and rubs it with 'magic cream' whenever she comes to check up on me.

Di, I do have the cross over the chest bag, and I cling to banisters etc, but I hadn't even reached them... Varifocals are a problem , I admit ,so always take care- but you know what it's like when leaving a plane , everyone pushing and shoving so they can have longer to wait sitting in Transit lounge, or to stand at the carousel and watch everyone's luggage passing slowly by.
I always wear comfortable walking shoes.
Husband actually did join me for one of those months and most of the rest of the time he waas travelling himself [Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cairo, Dubai].
I've taken Jumpingnorman's advice. I did the ice pack as soon as i reached home= no frozen peas here, Di. We always keep a pan of ice in the freezer, so hacked some out with the icepick and popped it in a plastic bag.
As Norman said, it will heal in time, insha'allah.

A friend has a term for this type of thing - she calls it "Princess Black Cloud".

I am a card carrying member of the club - maybe we should invite you to join.

I second Katherine's prescription - make sure you get plenty of TLC.

I have had major problems with wearing varifocals, so I can totally relate to that. Don't let it stop you travelling though, alone or with your husband.

I have had plenty of little accidents while travelling - I tore the ligament in my left knee in Thailand on a trek in the jungle, and both knees in Antarctica. I dislocated the vertebrae in my neck on the Olympic bobsleigh run in Norway. I fell off a boat onto the quayside in Cape Verde (because of varifocals) and none of this has stopped me travelling. I just pack more in my first aid kit!

Grete, I've heard lots of stories of people falling with varifocals.

Did you give up on them or did you get used to them ?

I have become used to mine but I always use a hand rail on stairs if one is available. Another thing that I find helps is to use a hiking/walking staff. It really helps me with balance.

I still use varifocals Katherine, and I will probably still fall! LOL I always try to use handrails too Kathy, and I use a trekking pole when walking on uneven ground. It certainly does help.

I figured what they were from the context, but this is another word for the VT University - I know them as bifocals.

I don't wear reading glasses, but need glasses for distance, so I just have the one type of glasses. My night vision, however, is atrocious to the extent I have driven an extra 50 miles at night to avoid cutting across from I-5 to US101 using route 152, which is a hilly road (good one to remember as there is an outlet mall right at 101 and 152).

But back to the thread, this is how I compensate for some of my shortcomings - I intentionally drove the extra distance because I know myself. OK in major highways, but "aiming" for a dark turn is not ok.

Bifocals and varifocals are not quite the same. Bifocals cut off at a straight line, whereas varifocals graduate the change between short distance and long distance vision.

Interesting. I wonder if that gradual transition is the culprit ...

When I saw your response I checked Google to follow up, and realized they even have trifocals - hard to imagine!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrective_lens

the varifocals are great when I teach computer labs because I can stand behind a student and adjust my line of sight to see what is on their screen. Before this I was having to bend over and put my neck in really odd (and very uncomfortable) positions in order to see their screens.

I can't believe you're all having troubles with varifocals? Mine are marvellous. Perhaps you have frames that are large, allowing more space between the different prescriptions? My optician advised me to have narrower frames, for that very reason. So there's less room for looking in the wrong section.
When I got my last pair I did go for a larger frame, but had trouble focusing in the correct sections.You know I have an existing sight problem anyway- so it was a disaster! I took them back and explained my problem and they were changed for a smaller frame at no charge. He said he'd just bin the duff ones.
Might be worth looking into, ha,ha, girls?

I do hope it's feeling a bit better now, Shane:-)
My friend has varifocal contact lenses---what will they think of next? She says they are excellent- even less room for manoevre!

I have very narrow frames Diana, and it doesn't seem to make a difference. I find that if i want to look at where I am putting my feet, I have to tilt my head so far forward that my neck hurts!

My frames are narrow too. I have no difficulty in normal use, but going down stairs I find I have to adjust my eyes more.

Sounds like you need to see your optician and ask for an adjustment to be made. It shouldn't be that awkward to see at 'foot level'.
I don't need to move my head at all, to see in the various sections. They all match the movement of my eyes.
I'm looking in the middle, VDU distance bit, as we speak and if I look towards the floor, I can see that as well- in focus.
Sounds like all your glasses are wrongly aligned?

I suspect the lenses should be bigger, as if I move from VDU range , I see the edge of the frame. Next time I come to Uk, then.

Just got word from doctor- after looking again at the X-ray and consulting another doctor, the verdict is that indeed I have cracked a bone. I knew all this pain , swelling and heat from the ankle joint was not normal. Now I have to spend a further two weeks keeping it elevated, and use crutches if I need to leave the bed.
A sort of permanent goosestep?

Well, need to go back to Katherine's advice ... feet up, good book, catering.

Hope everything heals well soon!

I think if you are just careful to hold on while going up and down, and always plan to travel with a free hand the situation should improve in the future.

Oh, blimey- you poor thing. The pain must have been dreadful.
When you come over again- I'll guide you to the optician's! I'll have my white stick! LOL

<<<<Bifocals cut off at a straight line, whereas varifocals graduate the change between short distance and long distance>>>
They're also made up of 3 distances. Bi is two- near and distance vision. The varifocals have near, distance and in between, VDU distance too.
Perhaps some of you are looking in the VDU distance section, instead of the long one, when looking at one's feet?
The top section is for long distance, the middle for VDU distance and the bottom area for reading and close work.
A useful experiment is to look at your outstretched hand and see which section of the spectacles you are looking through to see it in focus.
It should be the TOP.
Bring your hand closer and you'll be looking through the VDU distance area,the MIDDLE.
Then bring your hand closer still, till you're focusing in the BOTTOM section ( for close work)of the glasses.
There you are easy peasy!