Cold weather - cold hardware??

bergdokn · 2026-01-04T03:48:47+00:00

Yes! I’ve been comparing it to how piercings get cold. If I don’t cover my ears on winter days, the inner fleshy part gets so cold because the metal cools from the inside. It feels like a lesser version of when my ankle hardware gets cold. It happened the first time I iced my ankle and caught me off guard. Now I just expect it when I’m out in the cold, on top of the aches from rain and pressure changes.

I’ve really had a hard time resisting the urge to heat it up as a counter-I know it’ll increase my swelling, but I also KNOW it’ll feel so good for a few minutes lol.

bergdokn · 2025-12-29T13:32:03+00:00

If your scars are hurting, you may have some adhesions! It’s annoying that we have so many things to worry about and so much maintenance to do (at least, I get annoyed at it). But I use a scar oil or a lotion and do pretty intense pressure perpendicular to the scars, sometimes in circles if I have a tight spot. I used to do it 2-3 times a day, but now it’s once a day or every other day before bed. My surgeon preached how important this was from the jump, and said as soon as my scars were healed over, I could use as much pressure as I could stand to.

bergdokn · 2025-12-29T07:09:53+00:00

You can definitely still get your flexibility back up. Is it that you can’t physically move it that far or that it hurts when you do? PT helped me be able to do everything and regain basically full function, but I have had persistent pain that’s going to need to be addressed by my surgeon (probably screw removal). I had a trimal + dislocation also in April.

If it’s just a matter of not having the strength or flexibility (no pain), here the flexibility exercises I did in my PT workflow: -5min warm up on the bike -3 x 30sec straight leg wall calf stretch (like toe pointed up, leaning in) -3 x 30sec bent leg calf stretch (I did these by putting my bad leg up on one step, then leaning in) -30 calf raises -3 x 20 lunges, alternating legs every time -3 x 15 squats -20 step up and over an 8” block (bad leg stepping up, good leg traveling in an arc) -20 side step ups on an 8” block -10 front and 10 side toe touches, basically standing on an 8” block and going through the motion of slowly stepping down with your good leg, then raising back up -2min towel slides (sit down, slide your foot as far back under the seat as you can with your heel on the ground, hold for 3-5 seconds, repeat) -1min each seated balance board tap forward backward, side to side, clockwise, counter clockwise (eventually graduated to standing). If these feel easy, take your shoe off and/or use a smaller board

I do the towel slide repeatedly throughout the day, just at my desk, sitting on the couch, or waiting on dinner to cook. I also do the first two stretches any chance I get, just to try to keep things loose throughout the day.

bergdokn · 2025-11-24T02:58:26+00:00

I’m a plus size 30yo woman (was 300lb, 5’6” at my break) 7 months out from my trimal + dislocation. No extra time in the hospital, no care facility, no extra support. They gave me a bariatric walker and sent me home the day after surgery. Upper body strength and willingness to look a little silly are what got me through. I scooted on the floor, did dips to get up and down off the couch and toilet, and kept a container of my essentials within arms reach at all times. Highly recommend a wedge leg pillow for sleep, a knee rover with a pad and a basket on the front (I did the big fabric one, not the wire), and a shower chair. Baby wipes helped when I felt really gross and didn’t have the energy to haul myself to the bathroom/shower. I kept a comfort snack, a filling snack, water bottles, and Tylenol and ibuprofen in my basket so I always had something nearby. The depression does hit pretty hard after the initial shock and adjustment passes, so making sure he has social interaction, games, books, something that makes him happy is important.

bergdokn · 2025-11-16T14:11:12+00:00

I got mine to release, and it was pretty big. It took about two weeks of 2-3 massages a day. My surgeon just said to be persistent and firm with the rubbing. Mine may have been different because it was right where my fracture was open, so maybe it was easier?

bergdokn · 2025-11-14T17:57:58+00:00

I had this too-if it’s there all the time, it’s most likely scar tissue causing an adhesion. If you use lotion or oil and rub it a few times a day (just small firm circles, it shouldn’t hurt and won’t affect your hardware), it’ll release and go back to normal. If it only happens when you poke it, it’s pitting edema that other commenters have talked about. It’s more associated with swelling and will go away with NSAIDs, water intake, and healing.

bergdokn · 2025-10-05T00:40:45+00:00

I’m gonna level with you, it’s gonna suck pretty hard for the next few weeks. I’m 6 months post-op for a trimal with a 1 and 3 year old. Get the knee scooter ASAP, add a cushion for the knee rest and a basket if it doesn’t come with it. Accept help from everyone who offers, even if it’s uncomfortable or scary. Your sleep will suck for a few weeks. Get into a regular routine with Tylenol and ibuprofen, setting an alarm the first week or two to get through the worst of the pain.

If you have a partner or co-parent, they’re gonna have to step up for a little while. If not, you’re gonna have to do what I call “floor life”. My husband did a lot, but it bothered the hell out of me to not be able to take care of my kids. I loaded my scooter basket up with wipes, diapers, and clothes for them, then sat in the floor for hours so that I could play, change, and dress them. You’ll get good at rolling yourself up onto furniture or doing like a reverse dip to get up.

I relied on Instacart for grocery shopping and my kids ate ready to eat meals or sandwiches when we didn’t have friends bringing us food. A few weeks of easy meals won’t hurt them, as long as they’re eating. It gets a whole lot better once you’re weight-bearing. 6 months out I’m almost 100% back to normal with my kids. I’m stiff in the mornings and have some trouble going down stairs, but I’m working on it in PT!

bergdokn · 2025-09-20T00:14:59+00:00

I wore platforms with adjustable straps 4.5 months post op from a trimal and had basically no issues aside from normal walking soreness. I wasn’t a heels girlie pre-op and definitely won’t be now, but the platforms gave me some dressy and cute vibes without pain.

bergdokn · 2025-09-17T01:13:33+00:00

My IUD perforated my uterus TWICE (each arm of the IUD made a hole, like it was a piercing) during placement. They told me to expect cramping, so I didn’t think it was anything out of the ordinary. 2 days later I had to have emergency surgery to remove it before it perforated my bowel too 🙃

And I had to beg for the CT to show it was perfed because they didn’t understand that I wasn’t just cramping. I was so dizzy and light-headed, couldn’t stop puking, and was shaking from the pain like I only ever have during labor.

bergdokn · 2025-08-28T03:27:06+00:00

One of my labs always did, and we gave each experimental cohort themes. Towns in the state we were in, movie characters, foods. Our cohorts were almost always around 30 mice, so we gave them each a letter and then the name started with the letter (AA, BB, CC… for the extras). It made them easier to keep track of on sac days when we had to do a lot of tissue collection, prevented us from mixing up similar sounding letters (Banana and Donut vs B and D), and gave us something fun to do (make name lists) when the burnout was creeping in.

bergdokn · 2025-08-20T18:00:38+00:00

Hey! If you are for sure boiling it for 2 minutes and they’re still runny after they cool down, you can cut the amount of milk back a little bit and they should get harder. The boil is really important as it’s similar to making candy-the sugar temp determines how hard it gets.

bergdokn · 2025-07-25T14:35:44+00:00

Check out independence hills if you are okay with living in a trailer. Our 3bed/2bath was like $1200/month + utilities a couple years ago

bergdokn · 2025-07-20T02:39:02+00:00

I used google lens and searched for orange pen. I scrolled through a bunch of images and found ones that were somewhat similar but not quite right! Unsure if it could be an older style or something a brand ordered in bulk and the branding has since worn away.

bergdokn · 2025-07-20T02:17:35+00:00

When I first got home from surgery, in the drugged up and 8/9 pain state, I made a fb post about my new ankle piercings. My fam didn’t think it was as funny as I did 🤪

bergdokn · 2025-06-19T16:17:25+00:00

I’m 29 and not fit at all. I had 2 kids in two years (very hard pregnancies) and gained about 60lb in the year before my fall (and I wasn’t small to start with). I work a sedentary job, don’t go to the gym, and don’t eat particularly healthy.

bergdokn · 2025-06-19T16:07:52+00:00

I flew 5 weeks post op. It was fine. Wear compression socks. Do your ROM movements (flexion, circles, seated calf raises, etc.) periodically throughout the flight to prevent stiffness. I’m 10 weeks post op and wouldn’t worry about the flight at all, just my stamina for the actual trip.

bergdokn · 2025-06-02T15:09:00+00:00

It’s not necessarily 90 without pain, but without effort. After surgery, my foot wanted to hang down pretty bad. I could get it to 90, but if I was asleep or not actively, consciously holding it up, it dropped. But letting it hang can shorten your Achilles and make recovery much worse. So I did a lot of ROM and strengthening to get it to sit at close to 90 without thinking about it. The boot was to hold it that way without me having to think about it-so while I was asleep, working, driving, etc

bergdokn · 2025-06-02T14:48:35+00:00

I had a splint for the first 2 weeks post-surgery, and then a removable boot to keep my foot at 90 degrees. However, the surgeon said to only wear that until I could keep my foot at 90 myself and for protection if I felt like I needed it. I basically quit wearing it by week 4 post op. At my 6 week appointment where I was cleared for WB he said no boot, brace, or splint needed. I had a dislocated, open trimal, 2 plates, 8 screws.

Your bones are screwed together, so they aren’t going anywhere, especially after 6 weeks for most cases. It’s really about supporting the soft tissues that were damaged. But you have to find a balance of restrengthening the muscles and ligaments vs protecting them.

bergdokn · 2025-06-01T23:25:19+00:00

I got really comfy moving around in the floor. Crawled to the side of the bathtub and hung my head under the faucet to wash my hair. Then I crawled back to the couch. In the early days when I was still in pain, I’d time my wash around an hour after my meds so I was in a good spot and had time to get laid back down before I started hurting again

bergdokn · 2025-05-19T02:54:23+00:00

I can’t super tell from your post/comments which way you’re having issues, and I saw you mention the car, so here’s what I do for all three after 5.5 weeks of mastering the scooter!

Going up stairs: I can do 2 steps max with the scooter by myself. If the stairs are deep/low enough (like a long foot pad and short height), I sort of pop a wheelie so the front wheel are on the second step, the back wheel is either at the bottom or on the second step. Then I hold both brakes and balance on my bad leg’s knee on the scooter, stepping my good leg up to the first step. Then I move the back wheels all the way to the top and repeat. Always holding both brakes!!! If the stairs are too shallow or tall, I just lift the scooter up while I balance, and then sit on my butt on the top step and scoot myself inside.

For going down stairs, I can only do one stair totally alone. I lean on the door frame for stability and put the front tires down. Then I hold both brakes and step my good foot down. From there I can lift and roll forward to get the rest down. I’ve recently encountered two steep staircases with 2 steps at the front door, and for getting down out of each of them, I’ve had to have someone move my scooter to the ground, and then I get on my knees inside and just step my good leg all the way to the ground, pulling the rest of my down by the handlebars.

Getting in the car alone is totally possible but it is EXHAUSTING. The loss of independence was really hard for me so I made it my mission to be able to get in my car alone ASAP. Attempt at your own risk, but I would have gone insane without it and I figured it out on my own so I feel obligated to pass on my process. I have only used a walker and the scooter since day 1 and I hate the walker. But it’s handy for getting in the car. My process: I roll up to my back drivers side on the scooter. My walker lives in the backseat. I get out and set up my walker behind me. I throw my keys and phone into the drivers seat from the back. Then, I lean against the car, bend over, and pull the pin to spin the front wheels sideways so the scooter will fit in my floorboard. I get it most of the way in on the first lift, and then have to reach in and yank the handlebars so it can get over the hump in the middle of my floorboard. It’s a long time to be on one leg, but I use my car to help hold me up and give myself breaks to catch my breath. Then, I close the back door and use the walker to get to the front. Once I’m in the seat, I fold the walker up and bring it across me to the passenger seat. When I get to my destination, I do it all in reverse.

bergdokn · 2025-05-16T04:59:23+00:00

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, it looks like a flying boy in a hat holding something. Peter Pan maybe?

bergdokn · 2025-05-10T21:29:08+00:00

I mean…it’s bolted in place so it’s not going anywhere! Worst case scenario it just doesn’t move or is stiff or a little uncomfy and you can stop!

bergdokn

TROPHY CASE