CAM boot

Six Months Later…

Today marks the sixth month anniversary of that dark day when I broke my ankle. At the time, six months might as well have been an eternity, but to be honest, it now seems like a lifetime ago that it happened!

So, how have the last sixth months been? The first two weeks were the worst pain of my life, and that includes the recovery period from each of the FIVE c-sections I’ve had. I truly wondered if it would ever feel better, if I would ever be able to stand up without dealing with ridiculous amounts of burning pain ever again, would ever be able to walk like I used to again. Not to mention, would my foot/ankle/leg ever look normal again?!? Seriously, it was gruesome:

Fortunately, all of that is a distant memory. It was really like a flip switched after the first two weeks, and my recovery went pretty quickly after that, and I was even able to think about fashion again! I was out of the CAM boot just before Christmas, started my physical therapy, which thankfully I was able to do at home, and was done with the ankle brace about a month after that. It became clear to me pretty quickly that I was able to walk the long distances I was used to, in about the same amount of time that I previously did, that I could climb things to take photographs, and that I could do my normal housework without any limitations or difficulties.

Today, most of the lingering issues I have are all in my head. I have a moment of terror every time I start walking down a flight of stairs, remembering how my ankle twisted under me and snapped that day six months ago. I am super careful about each step I take, each placement of my feet, especially the left one. I also get a little paranoid every time something touches the left ankle, because I still expect it hurt, even after all this time. I will admit, that I do still have some pain, especially when rain is approaching (which has been pretty much a constant in the St. Louis area this spring), and I wonder sometimes if that’s permanent. If I spend a lot of time on my feet, I still have some residual swelling, too, which I am told is normal. But I was also told when I initially broke the ankle that it could take up to a year for it to return to normal, so hopefully it’s still too soon to tell if any of these inconveniences are my new normal.

It’s funny how traumatic this was when it happened, and how long ago and unimportant it seems now. But, as I look back on the days when I was burdened, first with crutches, then with the knee scooter (there’s no way I would have survived our Christmas trip to Chicago without it!), and CAM boot, I am satisfied with how much I got done, in spite of the pain and the fact that I was moving slow, and how I was able to keep going…and I’m also thankful for the help I had along the way!

Sartorial Saturday–CAM Boot Style

It’s been almost two weeks since the doctor said I could stop wearing the CAM boot, so here’s a look back at how I styled the accessory I never wanted to have:

And a bonus look at how I’m currently styling my ankle brace, which I should only have to wear regularly for a few more weeks, and then whenever I need it after that.

I’m so thankful for Pinup Girl Clothing…I felt more like myself in my pretty skirts and dresses even though I was slowly hobbling around in a clunky boot, not really getting stuff done to my satisfaction!

Sartorial Saturday–Christmas Wrapping

I have really been wanting to pair my ornament print Bella skirt from Pinup Girl Clothing with a bright pink top. Unfortunately, the only top I have that fits the bill is a sleeveless wrap top, also from PUG. But fortunately for me, the weather in St. Louis can been unpredictable in December, and wearing a sleeveless top is not always out of the question. I really love the way the pink looks against the green!

The accessories I chose to go with it really pop, too:

I still hope that eventually, I will find a long sleeve top in a similar color (my dream is a PUG Sabrina top, which is my current favorite for cool weather!). For now, though, I’m glad I have at least one bright pink option to go with this skirt!

Snow Boot

We had a series of somewhat unexpected snow showers yesterday, including one that occurred right during the time that I went to pick Moose up from school. Now, I’m not one to mind the cold, and with a few exceptions, I haven’t even bothered to wear a sock on my foot under my CAM boot, which means my toes are usually exposed to the weather. That also doesn’t bother me. I was surprised, though, at how quickly the snow accumulated on top of the boot, while my good foot in a normal shoe didn’t see accumulation like this. I don’t know why it happened (I’m guessing the greater surface area had something to do with it), but it was kind of amusing!

Sartorial Saturday–Holiday Harlequin

I have waited so long to wear this amazing dress from Pinup Girl Clothing, and now that it’s Christmastime, I get to accessorize it with…a CAM boot. Sigh. But this dress is so gorgeous, it makes the boot look good!

This is a new style dress for me…the Genevieve. When this gorgeous Holiday Harlequin print was on sale over the summer, I immediately knew it had to be mine. And then I thought about it, and thought about it some more, because it was a final sale item, and I was nervous about trying out a new style of dress that wasn’t returnable. But I had a birthday gift certificate from the children burning a hole in my pocket, so I finally decided to take the plunge.

I’m so glad I did! The fit is great, the twirl factor is outstanding, and I feel like I just stepped out of my very favorite Christmas movie, White Christmas, which is pretty much the highest compliment I can give a piece of clothing. It’s the perfect dress for the holiday season!

In addition to the CAM boot, I paired it with some actual accessories, too, including Splendette Duchess Bangles in varying shades of red, green, and white, and my favorite Christmas tree brooch:

I love this dress so much, and I’m looking forward to wearing it to several special events over the course of the Christmas season…this truly is the most wonderful time of the year!