Sandra's Sounds

If you haven’t been following me on Twitter, Instagram or my FB page, I recently broke my ankle while in Japan on our belated honeymoon. We cut it a few days short to fly back to the states for treatment. 

Traveling with a broken limb and minimal medication and with ass backwards, fucktastic Air Canada was a traumatic 3 part novel I’ll have to write one day, but suffice to say I made it back and got the surgery I needed. The break was a bimalleolar fracture - so, if you look at the two knuckle thingies on either side of your ankle, I broke both of those. 

Nov. 10th marked my 3 months out from surgery. I’ve been going to PT for a bit, currently suspended while we wait for insurance to approve more appointments as a medical necessity. I’m walking again, though still limping and in pain. I got the okay to do ease into impact activities again (running, jumping, etc.) but was told it could be another 3 months before I’m as close to my old ROM and strength as I’m going to get. I will always have the metal there - there’s no need to remove it unless it bothers my skin later in life. I will likely never have the fullest use of this ankle again, but I’m not an athlete or dancer so that’s okay. And I’ll likely never wear 5 inch heels -- but I never could before the accident either! (baddum tsss)

So that is why I’ve been, for the most part, MIA (I mean, if you only follow me here or on YT). Pain management’s gotten better. The worst is when I first wake up and when I finally go to bed. I’ve come a long way relatively quickly. CAM boot and crutches no longer needed; I’m walking with a cane and sneakers. Walked around Anime NYC on my feet for about 5 hours before having to rush home for elevation and ice, so the endurance is getting better and better.

Mentally? I’ve not been great. You never realize how convenient it is to walk and carry things at the same time until you can’t do it anymore. The lack of independence and mobility for the first 2 months really left me feeling isolated at best and subhuman at absolute worst (which is a terrible way to perceive such things and I am working on rebuilding that self esteem and reminding myself that worth is never ever tied to your able-bodiedness. I wrote a damn thesis paper on this in college ffs, but there’s no comparing theory vs. first hand experience). There was also a lung complication that kept me in the hospital 2 days longer than I was supposed to be, so I’m balancing my checkbook around any out of pocket fees the insurance didn’t cover.  Between money and time poured into this incident, I’ve directly most all my focus that wasn’t for self care into my voice over work. Don’t always necessarily have to stand up or walk to do it, so that was a bonus. Not the for fun stuff, unfortunately; but stuff that’s pretty fun to be a part of regardless. I’d love to share that with you all still. I know some people would like me to be focused on other, less “serious” projects, but I think the games and shorts I’ve stacked up will still be neat to some folks.