From Mountains to Injury

This year has been full of highs and lows. From climbing my first mountain in the Brecon Beacons to a pottery class. Gaining the courage to go swimming in a public pool (something I haven't done in 18 years) to having trouble at work and spending a week wild camping in Wales to a week in Worcester hospital with possible sepsis in my ankle.

Like many of us know, life can be often be amazing, or amazingly cruel. It can throw us a curve ball just as we feel we are getting on track.

For me, I had spent the first half of summer having an absolute blast. I had been spending lots of time in the VW camper with my new partner, traveling around the UK and having epic adventures. We would work hard during the week and be away in the camper on our days off. We covered lakes, mountains and rivers. Rode quad bikes, kayaked, hiked and even went on a horse ride through the New Forest.

Everything was going great.

On 24th July, my summer came to an abrupt end. I was playing with some dogs in my garden. The heatwave had cracked the earth and I hadn't noticed. My foot became lodged in a hole and my body carried on moving, wrenching my ankle badly. My foot was very swollen, hot, and unbearably painful just a day later.

12 hours in 2 separate accident and emergencies saw me admitted into Worcester hospital for 3 days and unable to weight bare. I was fitted with a boot, given heavy pain relief, and sent home without an MRI. This came a month later after seeing a specialist consultant.

Weeks later I can tell you that I have apparently bruised the Talus bone and stretched all of my tendons and ligaments. Drs, consultants and my osteopath have all told me it would have been better if I had broken my ankle, it would have healed faster. Thanks guys. Helpful!

Physiotherapy team can not see me until 12th November. I am left in limbo with muscle wastage and constant pain and discomfort.

Most of August was spent sleeping on the sofa or high on pain killers. I was so out of it. Everyone thinks it's fun to have so much time off but realistically, I wanted to get better. I couldn't even work on my blog because I couldn't keep awake or remember words!

The emotional rollercoaster was not a trip I would like to do again. I felt useless, a burden, depressed, disappointed, I hated myself. I hated my leg. I couldn't even stand up to make dinner.

If I wanted a cup of tea I had to make it in a flask and put it in a backpack so I could take it to the sofa.

I cried. A lot. And then from somewhere, I found some strength. I decided that I wanted to climb another mountain. I wanted to do something to help my injury and not just wait for it to heal on its own.

My journey is leading me on exciting road of recovery and I am learning so much from it. I have seen an osteopath for a few months now and I am already seeing an improvement in my back. I have looked at my diet and made a few small changes—if I change too much in one go I will fail so small changes often will get me there.

The biggest thing for me is that I have been swimming. Twice. My osteopath said I should be able to do some swimming but gently, as the water will take the weight. The 3cm circumference difference in my calf muscles from the wastage was concerning me. Suddenly my body dysphoria was less important than my goal to heal. It took me a month to order the new swimwear. A pair of jammers and a swimming t- shirt like a wetsuit. Overkill for a small pool but covering my body. I knew that once they arrived I would have to use them. My partner was able to tell me about a local hotel that has a pool I could use as a guest and it would be quieter and I could slowly build my confidence there.

A week after the swimwear arrived, I have been swimming twice already. I have met a gentleman at my local gym who has tailor made a programme for me to work my muscles from the waist up and I will be adding leg work with him as my medical team see fit.

For now, I am still hobbling around with crutches and a boot but I feel amazing. My strength is coming back, my fight is coming back, my determination to heal is back.

Watch out mountain, I'm coming back!

Follow my progress. If you feel drawn to, please send me a tip to go towards the cost of my osteopath and training. I am aiming to do a sponsored walk at the end of my recovery. I will keep you posted.