There : Mid - March - Elgin slipped on a patch of ice. On that slightly snowy day, the routine task of closing a gate resulted in a broken ankle, surgery and several weeks of “no-weight bearing” recovery.
Here : Mid - August - Thankfully, the bone has healed well and Elgin's able to do his regular activities and work.
How did we get from There to Here ?
- a talented and honest surgeon;
- a physiotherapist who continues to be good at coaching Elgin and providing exercises to promote recovery;
- family and friends who have been supportive and encouraging both in-person and via social media
- a determined attitude by Elgin
- and especially....the members of our own farm team who made sure we got it all done – daily chores, calving, seeding, marketing, ice storm & wind storm recovery and much more!
Something to Share : There are others who have had to deal with situations much more difficult than ours, however, even this injury was cause for re-adjustments in how things got done around the farm. It’s hard to prepare for dealing with unexpected broken bones, illnesses or work interruptions but it is important. It’s also difficult to talk about tough stuff. I thought it might be helpful to write out a list of considerations we dealt with right after the fall and the surgery. Hopefully, readers will take the time to have discussions about these questions and, of course, we hope you won't have to deal with a similar situation.
What is your Plan B, or even a Plan C, in the event that a member of the farm team can’t perform their job for several weeks? Keep in mind that might also include replacing the person who is giving extra care to the person who is ill or injured.
How much actual first aid knowledge do you have? What method of communication do you have if someone is hurt and needs to let others know? Does everyone know the information that will be asked when calling 911?
Do you know how to turn off or turn on equipment? ( i.e. just because I can get my picture taken in a skid steer does not mean I know how to run it) What about fixing it or who to call to fix it? Are the phone numbers easily available for ordering feed and other supplies, for the veterinarian, for Hydro One?
Do you have a list of routine chores or basic operating procedures? Is it current? When you have farm team meetings does someone keep a record of decisions that you can refer back to?
How do you deal with accessing passwords – phones, computers, online banking etc?
Do you know where/how to access health care items (walkers, crutches, shower chairs) and service providers (physiotherapists, in-home care)?
And to conclude….a very sincere THANKYOU to everyone who helped in some way throughout Elgin's recovery!