My summer will begin with a slow, steady recovery

IMAGE / Mrs. Melissa Robinson
This is a walking boot, except I can’t even walk on it yet.

If you have’t been reading my series, I’ll bring you up to date: I went skateboarding. I fell. I broke my ankle. I had surgery.

Now you’re up to date, so … after my surgery on May 13, I have been in a splint while my stitches heal.

On Wednesday, May 31, I got my splint and stitches removed.

I had X-rays taken so the doctor could see how my ankle was healing. In the X-rays, I could see the plate and screws. I had eight screws and a large plate surgically implanted.

Seeing my leg after the splint was removed was really freaky. It was a lot smaller than my right leg since my right leg has been building up muscle as my left leg has been losing it.

My leg was also stained from the iodine they used during surgery and a lot hairier than I’d care to admit.

IMAGE / Mrs. Melissa Robinson
Bandages cover the incision from surgery.
IMAGE / Mrs. Melissa Robinson
Mrs. Tina Taunton (l to r), me, and Mom before the race.

My ankle was swollen, bruised, and I knew the 10 stitches were going to leave a nasty scar. It grossed me out.

Luckily, the surgeon told me that instead of having a permanent cast, I could wear a walking boot that I was able to remove to bathe.

This excited me because I would be able to clean up and not have a super weird tan.

In addition, in two weeks I’ll be able to go swimming!

I still can’t put weight on my ankle for four more weeks. But after that, I go back to the doctor’s office and, most likely, will start physical therapy.

I was also able to get my license and start driving, which I can do since it’s my left ankle that’s broken.

Not only that, but before I had broken my ankle I signed up to run in a Memorial Day race. Since it was for a good cause and I was looking forward to it, my mom and her friend Mrs. Tina Taunton decided we would still go and Mom would push me in a wheelchair.

IMAGE / Jenna Robinson
I still have to use crutches when walking for the next four weeks.

I haven’t let this injury take away any of my fun!

My ankle still aches a lot most of the time, especially when I’m out and about all day, but I’d much rather be out then stuck at home.

School will be out soon, which will make things much easier for me and give me a lot less to worry about. I can focus on healing and being able to walk again.

Jenna Robinson is an editor for The Eclipse. She is writing a series that  follows her path from the ER to recovery. This is Part 4, the final story.