I Broke My Ankle- Now What?
One year ago today, I broke my ankle.
Earlier that day I had gone out to eat with one of my best friends and as always we had a deep conversation. I remember distinctly telling her I wanted to start this business and how scared I was. She went on to tell me all this awesome stuff but what stood out the most was when she said “You JUST NEED this PUSH to do it, once you get that push that’s when it will happen”.
I went about my day and got ready for the gym. Before leaving I texted my husband to go to the grocery store to buy the last-minute items we needed for dinner ( we don’t like going out to eat on Valentine’s day since it’s crazy busy!)
I get to the gym.
I had just started these new classes that involved monkey bars. This was my second time doing this specific type of class and I LOVED IT! It reminded me of my gymnastics days.
Time goes by and my friend and I are chatting while working out. Class was about to be over but we were all going to do one more round of the monkey bars. I had told her to go first but she said you SHOULD go since you can finish it. So there I go, already finished the monkey bars once and was determined to do it again. I get to the last part and I can feel my hands begin to give out, they were sweating, pulsating and all I wanted to do was let go. GOD had another plan for me, I went for the last bar, and as I went for the bar my hand slipped off and I immediately without even thinking went to grab the bar again. But as I went to grab the bar I had just slipped off of I grabbed onto the wrong one. Immediately, after grabbing the wrong bar I fell and all the weight lands directly on my right ankle.
I instantly hear a pop.
Fog beings to surround my eyes and I immediately think I am dreaming. It’s a crazy feeling when something like this happens, your adrenaline kicks in and your mind begins to tell you this isn’t real, this is a dream and all you have to do is wake up. I knew instantly something had happened. At this point my body knew I couldn’t put my foot down so right after I landed on my ankle, I instantly kept my foot off the ground. I took a look at my ankle (while standing on one foot), which was facing the other way…look at the coach and say “oh”.
I slowly lay myself down and hold my leg up with my arms. People are in shock and also grossed out LOL. Luckily, there was a sweet nurse present who immediately comes to me. I tell her “I can’t hold my leg up anymore can you please hold it up for me”. It felt like dead weight. I told the coach to call the ambulance because I knew this wasn’t just an ordinary break.
As people surround me, I can feel my head, arms, and legs get cold, I process the questions slowly and my responses are slow. It’s as if my brain is trying to process everything at once. As the nurse was holding my leg up another person comes and tells me everything is going to be okay and begins to massage my hands since they were ice cold and felt numb. The friend I was working out with me then comes up to me and instantly begins to walk away- I grabbed her hand and said STAY HERE and ask me questions. I knew that if my brain stopped processing questions I would begin to feel pain. As I am telling people what to do I can see people coming closer to me to see the break & I see their terrified reactions as they look at my ankle.
The pain begins to increase.
The person I told to call my husband could barely speak to him so I grab the phone and start to tell JT. The ambulance arrives and they instantly give me an IV and medicine to ease the pain. They cut open my shoe since I dislocated my ankle and get me on the carrier. I get to the hospital ( btw those car rides are sooo bumpy, and not fun when you are trying to not move a part of your body) which is not a fun place to go to. They take x-rays and give me more medicine. They then tell me they have to put my ankle back so a stronger medicine needs to be given which will cause nightmares. I didn’t want to take the medicine but I also didn’t want to feel pain. I remember them saying, Danea Ramos receiving x amount of dosage of Ketamine at 9:30 pm and I slowly begin to drift away. The medicine was horrific- it was worse than a nightmare, I felt as if I was go into space and begin seeing colors, hallucinate, and remember seeing the doctor pull my leg up and then going into different rooms. I woke up cross-eyed not knowing what had happened with a temporary cast.
I was released after 3 to 4 hours and my poor had been waiting outside the whole time. We get home and of course I want to shower since I had just finished working out but I found it almost impossible to do so since I couldn’t get my cast wet and my shower is not ADA compliant.
I go to my surgeon the next day and yes indeed I need surgery. I broke my fibula and the bottom of my tibia and my surgery would be 10 days later. Now I’ve never had surgery, I mean I’ve been hospitalized for meningitis and got my wisdom pulled out but nothing like this. So of course I was freaked out. I had 10 days to mentally prepare. I asked for prayers and this was the beginning of my journey. I felt calm but my poor husband was so sad. He knew that the next couple of months would be challenging. I had to keep my foot elevated above my heart 98% of the time for those 10 days and after surgery which consisted of me not being able to wash my hair. My sister and my husband had to wash my hair and at that moment I thought…I’m not the only person who has been hurt and needs their hair washed! This broken leg initiated a spark.
The day came and I was so nervous, the whole process of getting ready for surgery is not cool, changing, wearing a leg compressor, getting your blood drawn, IV, all of it. I go into the surgery room and see a bunch of tools and of course tears begin to come down my cheeks. The anesthesiologist then puts something in me and I knew it was time.
I wake up from surgery and I’m in bed with my leg propped up. It is such a bizarre thing to be conscious one second and then the next waking up not knowing how things went. The surgeon said I had scattered bones so it was a fun puzzle putting my bones back together. I ended up with 10 screws, 1 plate, and 2 rubber bands to keep my ankle in place. The surgery took 2.5 hours and if the surgeon could rate the break he would rate it an 9/10. Since it was my right ankle I couldn’t drive, I had to use a wheelchair for the first 2 weeks, crutches, and eventually the scooter!
All the things I had planned were put on pause.
I had to rely on family and friends since I couldn’t walk my dog Odin and doing daily activities wasn’t an option. It was this moment when I was able to slow down, and think about what I wanted to do with this free time. I had just turned 30 and I had just finished doing a self-analysis of where I was and where I want to be in a couple of years and then this happens.
It was this moment of stillness and PUSH I needed to start this business. I knew I wasn’t the only one who has struggled with washing their hair. Even after my ankle break and getting my ducks in a row I was still scared but I knew there was a greater purpose. I launched ellxi in July 2022.
I couldn’t walk for 4 months and even after I began walking I was still not 100% normal. I am still in Physical Therapy and in many ways have gone back to normal but still need more work.
Even though this experience was scary I am forever grateful this happened to me. It was something that needed to happen to refocus and shape me into what is to become next and I thank God he chose me.
Until next time-
Love ~ your scalp + head spa expert