What are things that a surveyor can do while nursing a broken foot?
Best Regards
Rahimi
Well, mine was an ankle back in 1992, but this worked for me 😀
Drink a lot.
Post interesting stories on this forum. Like the cussing matriarch, of the swamp lagoon. Like the story about the guy that overlapped his own survey. Maybe do some fine photo chopping, to make it look like your GPS system, has it's own feet, and can run.
Bummer on the foot. Say, how'd ya bust it?
N
Read, write, repeat....
> What are things that a surveyor can do while nursing a broken foot?
>
> Best Regards
> Rahimi
Cad calcs, Research, client /project coordinations, billing, map drafting, site recons, beerleg research.
11 yrs ago a compound fracture in my right ankle rendered me useless for anything aside from limited office work (had to keep ankle elevated), and farming out what little field work I had (Nov - Mch in Mi isn't real busy). Plus my office was upstairs and crutches & stairs don't mix, so I "dog scooted". That ended about 4 months later and I was basically broke.
I took the logical approach since I could "walk", albeit with a cane and decided to go back to not being in business and sought out the public sector office job. Good thing it was in AZ so I could get the hell out of depression ridden Mich. No humidity sure beats high humidity when it comes to busted bones.
Good luck and I can empathize with you to the Nth degree. Still got my 6 pins & a plate. Oh yea, the predicted arthritis has settled in too - just as doc told me back then. yippee skippee
Nate,
Fell off the roof while trying to remove a beehive..., the plak I was walking on gave way & it was 8 ft drop onto the concrete slab below..
Wayne, did a 2nd X ray yesterday and not much change from the view from last week. The heel bone at the base of the foot is broken.
The doc is pushing to have it operated on for faster recovery, I am not too keen for a couple of reasons, 1 I'll be hospitalised for at least two week and 2, some people has warned about long term effect of having metal implants..
What do you think? Should I opt for natural recovery, at least 3 months, or opt for operation?
I can't speak to metal implants in feet, but I have a titanium plate and six screws in my right wrist. The orthopedic surgeon I went to offered 3 options:
1) regular cast which would probably never heal straight,
2) external reduction - screws to a attach a rod above and below the break but I would have to "tighten" the rod every day,
3) internal reduction - plate and screws.
I asked which he would do - internal reduction, I asked another orthopedist (does not do wrists/hands) and he said the same. If I'm going to pay for their advice I take it.
Good luck however you choose to go.
ANdy
> Wayne, did a 2nd X ray yesterday and not much change from the view from last week. The heel bone at the base of the foot is broken.
> The doc is pushing to have it operated on for faster recovery, I am not too keen for a couple of reasons, 1 I'll be hospitalised for at least two week and 2, some people has warned about long term effect of having metal implants..
>
> What do you think? Should I opt for natural recovery, at least 3 months, or opt for operation?
Rahimi, I wouldn't wish that injury on even my worst enemy. A busted heel? Yikes.
My inside ankle bone busted out (the round one we all can feel) when I rolled my foot. Bled all over inside my boots they had to cut off. The outside ones just gave lose. At 6'2", 230 lbs at the time, I can appreciate the pressure.
They put a major screw into the inside bone, the plate and other five go on the outside. Doc told me they are built for life, but if you don't like them and want them removed, you'll be in a cast for 6 weeks. He also added that my ankle was now stronger than when I broke it....hmmmmmmm. Me, ain't nobody cutting me open because my foot hurts. Besides, with a stronger ankle than before I'm almost like super surveyor, except for hiking on side slopes (bad)
But a heel. Wow. That is a major impact point of every step you take. Different than an ankle. I think your so called "natural" recovery will result in you limping around, likely with a cane for the rest of your life. No real biggy if you can live with the inconvience (sp).
You get a "metal implant" for faster recovery, I'm not so sure you'd see much difference in 10 or 15 yrs. Maybe good after you get out of hospital and recovery, but you lost several months.
Maybe its a family decision, and not just a personal one. Mine was personal as I had no choice.
Just plan on limping and making the best of it. Time for office work to fill out your career IMVHO
Best of luck.
PS - Since my surgery, I've hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon twice (yes, back up). Plus dealing with my daily work chores in these not so friendly mountains, washes, distances, etc I have to deal with. Still hurts, but just move on.....
I carry a lot of spare parts, hence 'thebionicman'. Metal plates in general aren't a problem for most people. Contrary to popular belief it is rare for them to be noticeable.
If the doc says fix it, get a second opinion. If the second guy says the same chances are it needs fixed.
Like we say all the time, let the Professional figure it out.
Good luck, Tom
It may be hard to do, but consider yourself lucky that it is only a broken foot. A fellow I knew did something similar but landed head first on the concrete. He was in a coma for a few months. Never was mentally the same again. Died a few years later. He was a State Legislator when it happened. That seat was "vacant" until he was cognizant enough to know what had happened and signed papers to resign.
> I can't speak to metal implants in feet, but I have a titanium plate and six screws in my right wrist. The orthopedic surgeon I went to offered 3 options:
> 1) regular cast which would probably never heal straight,
> 2) external reduction - screws to a attach a rod above and below the break but I would have to "tighten" the rod every day,
> 3) internal reduction - plate and screws.
>
> I asked which he would do - internal reduction, I asked another orthopedist (does not do wrists/hands) and he said the same. If I'm going to pay for their advice I take it.
>
> Good luck however you choose to go.
>
> ANdy
Thank you for the heads up, I guess we'll decide after the CT scan, which is due end of next week..Yes the docs are proposing internal reduction..
> My inside ankle bone busted out (the round one we all can feel) when I rolled my foot. Bled all over inside my boots they had to cut off. The outside ones just gave lose. At 6'2", 230 lbs at the time, I can appreciate the pressure.
>
> They put a major screw into the inside bone, the plate and other five go on the outside. Doc told me they are built for life, but if you don't like them and want them removed, you'll be in a cast for 6 weeks. He also added that my ankle was now stronger than when I broke it....hmmmmmmm. Me, ain't nobody cutting me open because my foot hurts. Besides, with a stronger ankle than before I'm almost like super surveyor, except for hiking on side slopes (bad)>>
Mine was definitely less gory, no blood just sharp pain when I tried to stand up.
Thinking back, it is rather amazing that something like this did not happen much earlier in my surveying career. Anyway, thank you for your 'been there done that' perspectives, much appreciated..
Regards
> I carry a lot of spare parts, hence 'thebionicman'. Metal plates in general aren't a problem for most people. Contrary to popular belief it is rare for them to be noticeable.
> If the doc says fix it, get a second opinion. If the second guy says the same chances are it needs fixed.
> Like we say all the time, let the Professional figure it out.
> Good luck, Tom
Thanks Tom..
> It may be hard to do, but consider yourself lucky that it is only a broken foot. A fellow I knew did something similar but landed head first on the concrete. He was in a coma for a few months. Never was mentally the same again. Died a few years later. He was a State Legislator when it happened. That seat was "vacant" until he was cognizant enough to know what had happened and signed papers to resign.>>
You know, I couldn't help but look back at my various surveying adventures over the years, and have done worst things..gave me a shiver now that something like this happened. Be careful everyone, when there is a risk, it's probably not worth taking. Yes Holy, things could've been worst..Thank GOD..
> What are things that a surveyor can do while nursing a broken foot?
>
> Best Regards
> Rahimi
this is what I did in the year following 6/20/1976:
learn office work skills
turn a hobby into a source of income
see if a title company needs skilled help with math and mapping
learn machine work
read
raise guard dogs
yes... it still hurts every damned day but that year was a good turning point for me.
speedy recovery!:good:
well broken bones(in my foot), alohg with cysts, a 46 year old cut tendon that has become overstrained, ... ready to tear, diabetes and a heart condition has allowed to retire, sail, forget about surveying and becoming a more calm person
I recently spent 14 weeks digging through our archives and submitting GPS on Benchmarks to OPUS DB, and breaking OPUS Projects, after a knee injury on the job. I have been back at work for 7 weeks and still have some submittals in the OPUS DB cue. They did not like 2 of my pictures. Down time like that is also a good time to work on your field to finish mapping skills so you can be more productive when you are back on your feet, and maybe spend less time on your feet in the future .
