www.gipsverband.de
Claudia

Leg fracture, transport to hospital, X-ray, the doctor's diagnosis, castroom - these are the facts shortly.

When the first cast was applied to my lower leg, the assistant physician fetched a pair of crutches for me. I had to stand up in order to adjust them according to my size. After some advices how I have to walk, he wished me all the best and made an appointment, then I should come in again in order to get a definite cast and so on. My mother stood in the corridor already and we went to the car.

That I had to walk with these crutches for three weeks was a horridness for me. I could not endure these two things. The short leg cast itself, which was the result of tumbling down the stairs, looked like to be a tolerable problem. And it should take three weeks until I got a walking cast. I was annoyed in some way but I could not change it.

When we arrived at home, the first thing I did was to place the crutches beside the entrance. My mother did not agree with me, I said: "Inside the apartment I could jump on one foot." Because I must not put weight on my broken left leg. She replied: "But this is too exhausting." That was the key word whereupon I decided to use the crutches as rarely as possible. I wanted to prove not only to my mother but also to myself that this is not exhausting. So I jumped on one foot at home.

At the beginning I noticed a little pain in my right leg when I hopped for a while, but I did not let it get me down. Two days later I had to go to school again, unfortunately with crutches. Because firstly my mother did not allow to go to school without crutches, and secondly I thought it would be a little bit more difficult.

But what should I wear? It was the end of October and the temperatures not so high. My large black jeans was okay. But the crutches bothered me again, because while walking the upper parts tugged always at my pullovers. Finally I decided on the beige sweater with which the tugging was bearable. For outside I put my green jacket on, however I did not put anything over my cast. If I must walk with crutches I did not want to hide the reason with a sock.

In school my classmates asked of course what had happened. I explained it, especially how they applied the cast to me at hospital. It was strange, all listened and were fascinated.

It bothered me a lot that I had to limp on crutches through the classrooms the whole day. You do not have a free hand when you walk or stand, and when you sit down you have problems where to put the crutches. Furthermore somebody had to carry my books. It all got on my nerves.

But at home I placed the crutches in a corner and jumped on one foot. Day by day it was getting better and it took longer times until my right leg hurts. I found a technique how to hop in the best way: To put the weight on the front part of the foot is better than on the heel. And the more soft the ground the more pleasant the hopping.

Once in the afternoon, my mother was not at home and I had to buy a workbook for an examination paper. I had the idea to try going on the street without crutches. The shop where I had to go was not far, it could not happen anything. So I decided to leave the crutches at home and to hop to the shop. I put my jacket on and a comfortable shoe. And it went on.

It was a crazy feeling to jump on one foot along the street. People looked at me and were surprised. Probably they thought I lost or forgot my crutches or anything else. Inside the shop nobody respond to my hopping. I bought the workbook and set off. On the last meters I felt tired. It was not a severe pain in my right leg, but I felt a sense of exhaustion. Nevertheless I had done it and I was full of pride.

Later I told it to my mother. Indeed she was a little bit furious but could not change it anymore. She added: "You exert your healthy leg too much. It's not necessary." I did not agree. My weight is not one hundred kilograms, and it was not so difficult as she thought.

The day came I should get my walking cast at hospital. But the day before I fancied my chances: I went to school without crutches! Even my mother could not make me change my mind.

It was already in the middle of November, low temperatures, but I still did not put a sock over my toes of the plastered leg. The larger trousers, that I got, were ideal with the cast. That day I choose the blue jeans and my favourite green pullover which I could not wear before because of the crutches and the tugging. I got my white jacket from the wardrobe, fetched my bag, put the most comfortable shoe on and hopped out of the apartment.

It was a strange feeling when I jumped into the bus. The passengers looked at me the same way like the people at the street when I hopped to the shop. After a while a classmate got in the bus. She said it was cool that I finally went to school without crutches. I told her before how I hate these crutches.

Like always the bus stopped in front of the school building and we got out. I was surprised that I could keep her pace on one foot. In the corridors some looked confused. Some guys did not only look they stared at me. Although they had seen me more than two weeks with cast and crutches, now it was something special for them. I suppose that I was more noticeable with the hopping than with crutches. And so probably much more people stared at my cast and my bare toes.

I got over that day in a good condition, although I stood at school often on one foot or hopped around. As well at home in the afternoon I was less tired than I supposed. I only thought: I should have done this before !