A LITTLE CHRISTMAS HIKE

On Christmas day I took a little hike. We were visiting son and family out of town. I probably hiked about 1 mile and even went off trail. I was wearing my hiking boots and had wrapped the offending ankle. I also had my hiking poles with me.
It was great to be out in the wild. I had taken another little hike a couple of days before.

The physical therapist has told me to start walking on uneven ground as that act of balancing will strengthen the muscles in my ankle. After the Christmas day hike, I walked around my sons neighborhood for a while and that was painful but the next day I was doing better than ever, with less pain.

I seem to improve in fits and starts. Plateau for a while then improvement . I also got new shoes with better support and that seemed to help.
The source of pain seems to change also. After Thanksgiving most of my pain was in the inside of my ankle, right above where the plate is. Then, it seemed to move to the actual joint inside. That has seemed to improve in the last few days.

I am doing a lot of work on strengthening my leg muscles. Clam shells with the stretchy band. I am riding the bike for longer, also and with more resistance.

Still, I am unable to plan for the future. I cannot picture where I will be in a couple of months and am unable to make plans that involve physical activity. A friend asked my if I wanted to go on a snowshoe overnight in the end of March. I just am afraid to commit to it. Right now I can't imagine being able to do that. Hiking in Peru next summer? would I be crazy to commit?

THANKSGIVING

I went to the doctor Tuesday and he seems to think I am on track. I am impatient but I believe I am getting stronger and the very sharp pain seems to be gone. The doctor says he is glad because he really wouldn't know what was causing that. Dr W says not to baby myself. So feel beter about the 1/2 mile I did on the bike path - which left me in quite a bit of pain the next day. He also said to alternate between ice and heat. I have only been icing.

I have abandoned the boot completely. The crutches,boot and walker now into attic. (I am too surperstitous to get rid of them completely.) Mostly wearing my hiking boots.
Out of town for quite a few days. My husbands sister passed away after a long illness. A sad time for us.
I have come down with a bad cold or something uky so have not been back to my stationary bike routine but am feeling like I can go a while. I am doing little stints on my treadmile at almost its slowest setting.
I now have a car I can drive. It is a fun zippy car, old but hopefully will be ok for a while. I have a new sense of freedom.
Driving, no boot and walking better. Still - no hike in my near future.

Now must address the 4 pounds I have gained. Porbably more in fat terms since I have lost muscle.

TRYING LIFE WITHOUT THE BOOT.

If I never see another piece of velcro it will be too soon. Some of the velcro on the boot is wearing out, some seems determined to stick to everything. Also, my hip is hurting from being of two different heights. I thought of abandoning the boot but now am having second thoughts.

I have tried walking in my hiking boots and it felt pretty good. However, I may have overdone it. Had to travel and stay away from home for several days and did not wear the boot at all. Probably 6 days with out boot, including an all day train ride.
Lots of walking around. Tonight my ankle and foot were very sore. I hope I have not set myself back. I put the boot on tonight to work around the kitchen. I had felt that up to a point the more I walked the stronger I got but I may have gone just a little too long. We will see how I feel tomorrow.

Still continuing my exercises. There is one where I stand up and make a bigger arch, pushing my big toe into the floor. This can really hurt.

WORKING HARD, PROGRESSING MAYBE

I think I am making progress. I feel a little stronger walking around the house with out the boot.
Yesterday I rode a stationary bike for 25 min, the most exercise I have had scince the break.
I have definitely gained degrees to the angle I can bend my ankle.
My ankle is a little more swollen but I am really giving it a work out so I assume that is to be expected. Without the boot I walk very slowly. It was a strange sensation. I realized I was not really walking but putting my bad foot down flat then stepping with the other foot normally. I am trying to remember how to walk. I think there is something that I am not doing with my left hip.
The horrible pain has been gone for a few days, even when I tried have it by banging my boot on the stair. I am hopeful that it is actually better and not just waiting until I least expect it to surprise me.

Today I met with 3 childhood friends. Two of them I haven't seen in 21 years and then only briefly. What fun. We talked and talked and had a great time. Nosotras hablamos mucho!

PROGRESSING BUT WHAT'S THAT PAIN?

I am working pretty hard at all of the physical therapy stuff. There is a sharp pain if I tweak my foot inward or it is bumped in certain positions. This pain is very sharp, like a 9 on the 1 to 10 pain scale. It has me a little worried. Other wise things seem to be going predictably.
Today I rode the stationary bicycle at physical therapy. Only for 5 min. But next time longer I am sure. I can walk with out the boot but at some point my ankle feels strange. Hard to explain this feeling - like it might just buckle, not a pain.
Consequently, I stay close to walls and things I can grab on to. I can stand up in the shower and my shower time is cut about in half.

Last night I took the bus for the first time since the accident. I went downtown by myself. Unfortunately, my bus line has changed its schedule stopped running into the evening so I had to take a cab home. It was good to be independent, non the less.

I CAN WALK

Dr. W says my bones have healed very well. I cannot hurt them. What a relief. I can walk as much as I want.
Of course, I could not get any clunking out of my ankle to show him but he says that there is not a tendon going over the metal plate. I can even get out of my big black boot if I want to, depending how things are feeling. First around the house then if I want to go out to dinner or something and wear shoes. Apparently, Dr W does not think the big black book is a fashion statement.

I walked around the park. I can't believe my good fortune. I keep looking for my crutches when I get up from a chair.
I think my work and probably pain will really start now. I was talking to a woman in the doctor's office and she had broken her ankle years before and said it was about a year before it was really normal. That seems to be a typical response. But right now it is just such a luxury to move around with my hands free.

When I took the above picure, our crow was on the wire in our back yard. We could only tell because she sits differently and when looking through binoculars we could see that one foot is a slightly different color. It was odd that she was the lone crow out there, sort of like she was welcoming me home.

IMPATIENCE, NERVOUSNESS AND , YES, PAIN

I had a few very low energy days, Friday thru Sunday. Tired, headachy and generally sullen.

Yesterday, felt good. Today, I realize that my ankle hurts on the inside if I move my foot sideways or bump or twist it (even in its boot) at all. In physical therapy it was making a clunking sound that therapist wasn't quite sure about. She thought the clunking and pain might be from tendon over the metal but really did not know.

Tonight, I couldn't study but did manage to do my homework. I am anxious for Thursday to come, my next doctor's apt. (also my birthday) I hope the pain isn't from the bone not healed properly. Husband expressed irritation at my fussing and worrying about this.

I hate to admit it but I really, really want to get in a car and drive myself somewhere. Shop by myself. Leave the house by myself, just for the hell of it or a cup of coffee. That freedom of getting in a car and doing my stuff , biking and walking being out of the question. This is such an awful American spoiled obnoxious thing but there it is. Look for little old and automatic cars on Craigslist several times a day but don't move on any.

A LOT OF CAWING

This afternoon I fell asleep reading and was awoken by many, many cawing and unhappy crows.

It seemed to go on for a long time. After about 20 min. or so of this Husband looked out the window and there was a red tailed hawk in the top of a tall tree right behind our house.

He looked pretty calm with all that racket. The crows were dive bombing him as well.

He finally moved to another tree, crows following. Around the neighborhood he went.

When we lost track of him we just looked to see where the crows were shooting for and there he was. This went on for quite some time and was a treat for us. We are used to coopers hawks but rarely see a big hawk in our yard.

I like to think that our girl was up there defending her territory with the rest of them.

I started physical therapy this week and will go twice a week for a couple of months.

Work is on my ankle of course, flexing and rotating but also have started stretching my hips.

The good as it is getting out of whack and the bad legs hip to strengthen it for the time when I will be really walking.

I am attending the local community college which is the largest institution of higher education in my state. The bathroom that seems to serve several buildings I believe has one handicapped stall and push buttons to open outer doors. After the first day of school the handicapped stall toilet has been out of order (it has an official looking out of order sign) and the push button for getting out of the bathroom has not worked at all. Glad I am not in my wheelchair anymore.

I have been feeling trapped lately. I would like to just run to the store or the post office or walk to the park with the dog. Husband is very good about taking me places but I would just like to go by myself and be on my own time. This weekend children and grandchildren visited and I went to the store with them. I cruised the isles in one of the little automatic carts, granddaughters assisting and that was fun. I didn't feel like I had to hurry. Those carts are fun and people should but don't always get out of your way. I am going to be much more afraid of those people in those carts in the future.

HEART WARMING NEWS FROM MY MECHANIC

We are looking for a car with an automatic transmission for me to drive. Today, I called my mechanic with a couple of questions about possible choices and found out that 5 years ago he, too, had broken his ankle bones. He said he has recovered almost completely and recently went on a 50 mile hiking trip. I was overjoyed to hear this.

IS IT CONTAGIOUS ?

Throughout this whole thing, I have been surrounded by other broken ankle karma. First, of course, the crow omen. Then there were the two women on a day tour in Hawaii. I had taken my granddaughter there a few weeks before my accident. One woman was just starting to walk after her ankle break/surgery and the other one had done it about 15 years before and was full of doom and gloom, which I thought at the time was not good for the poor recent victim to hear. (and, as it turned out now, not good for me to have heard either) Then, the new supreme court justice who had to chit chat with the Senate on the very day she broke her's, I believe. Then friends of friends stories flooded in. I picked up a mystery novel I had bought at a thrift store earlier in the summer thinking it would make good, light summer reading. The day after surgery I picked it up and lo and behold, the main character suffered from an ankle break and was somewhat crippled for life. Of course, he was a 13th century Knights Templar and screws and plates and the skill of Drs were not so good then. Two weeks ago, a friend's son-in-law suffered almost the same injury as mine. On and On.

Is this some weird confluence of events or just coincidence. If I had broken my arm or nose would I be suddenly aware of those injuries around every corner?

I am happy to be on the crutches. I feel more free even though I don't have the use of my hands while traveling and my hip and neck seem to suffer more than before but it is a great sense of normalcy. Injured NBA basketball stars use crutches. Old ladies use walkers.

Still get around house in wheelchair some which is good for chores like cleaning and cooking. (not that I am doing a whole lot of this these days- oh my, how dirty my house is). It am wearing my hiking boot to try and match the height of the big black cast boot and trying to stand up straight, still I feel that my whole body is going to need some serious realignment when this is over, in spite of my stretching and such.

ADVANCED TO CRUTCHES

I went to see the Doctor again. New xrays show that outer bone is healed pretty much but not smaller inside bone. I can now put up to 1/2 my weight on my bad leg. This will be basically for the next month. It is a lot easier to balance and get around even just being able to do this.

I am now practicing with crutches. Just being able to put a little weight for balance prevents me from tipping over backwards.

I ran into Dr W in hall on way to xray and said if I couldn't put any weight on my leg I would have a nervous breakdown and so would my husband and the dog. He then sent his P A in to break the news to me so he wouldn't witness the nervous breakdown. Ha!Ha!. But actually, I wasn't expecting to completely walk on it yet. He did come in to talk to me later.

I am now much sorer from just that little bit of weight and although the pain is completely bearable, I worry about doing damage to the screw. The doctor said that if too much weight on leg the screws could come loose. I have enough of those already.

I will start physical therapy soon. One more place for husband to take me. If I had an automatic car I would probably be driving myself now. We are looking.

I am taking Spanish at the local community college and it is great getting out by myself to do something different on my own. (After Husband drops me off).

The crow is still hanging around. She is not obvious anymore. We can tell her if she is sitting on the wire as she is a little bit more on body than the other crows. She also limps just a little while walking along the deck railing but it is getting harder and harder to pick her out.

This morning she actually hopped over her fellow to get to another bit of food. I assume this is called leap crowing.

A LITTLE TRIP

We decide to get away and spend 2 nights at the beach. We chose

a resort that we used to frequent when we were young. It is a good choice for one who is confined as the waves crash on rocks in view of the window. Husband and dog enjoyed hiking and walking on beach. The weather is beautiful. I cannot decide if it is harder to be here and not be active or not be here at all. The smell of the air and the sounds are wonderful. Monday and Tuesday were beautiful sunny days.

On the way over we found a nice wheelable path along the Alsea river at Salmonberry campground.

We saw whales and bats. I wheeled around the old part of Newport and watched the noisy and lazy sea lions piled on each other, some napping, some belly aching. The can't walk at all so what am I complaining about.

I have some concern about my foot. Sometimes when I touch the ball of my foot, near my toes,

there is a weird pain that is sort of electric that runs around my foot and toes. I don't know what this is from or how it will be triggered when I actually put weight on my foot.

Add it to list of things to ask the doctor next Thursday.

Poor husband had to do all my fetching and carrying from car and all of the driving. I am appreciative.

If we thought we were getting away from our crow friends we were mistaken as they paced back and forth outside our room. These crows are smaller than the ones in my backyard. I think there was a mom and child as one crow kept going up to the other with its mouth open and then tried to take something out of the "presumed" parents mouth.

We also had a nest of swallows over our motel room door. These guys were big and there was no room for mom in that nest but she was dutifully bringing them food. It seemed late in the year for babies but they were staying at a pretty nice place.

MORE ENERGY

All of a sudden, I seem to not be getting as tired. Up until a few days ago I was exhausted in the evening even though I hadn't done much on any day. The last few days I have not had this feeling in the evening. Perhaps most of my internal healing has been done.

Anyway, I feel a little more normal.

I am icing and flexing my bad ankle and my foot is getting a little closer to the size of its mate. Still puffy and ankle looks like it is concealing a tennis ball.

Yesterday we took visiting relatives on a long sightseeing tour. My longest day out yet.

I was able to do most tourist things in a wheel chair but took a few wrong turns and ended up crawling up a staircase. Then the tire came off my wheelchair which left me balancing on one foot while Husband tried to repair. Not an easy task and eventually and old trucker friend managed it. I am now becoming much more aware of what I have heard for years. Places that claim to be "accessible" aren't really.

LABOR DAY

The crow is making progress and can walk on her leg now. We can still identify her.

I have been reading the book "Crow Planet" by Lyanda Lynn Haupt. The injured crow in her yard was accompanied by its parents who stayed with it long after its fledgling status, so perhaps that is who the other 2 crows are.

Maybe soon we won't be able to recognize her different gait and she will be lost in the crowd.

That is the crowd of crows that now hang on our wires and trees waiting for the suet and eggs.

My shoulder continues to be a problem and I am icing and trying not to use the walker quite as much. It actually is more painful now than my ankle. I continue my exercise routine.

My ankle freaks me out when I look at it but keep doing it anyway. A morbid fascination. 18 more days before I go back to the doctor for the verdict of putting weight on my leg.

I have gotten out with friends again and for a long ride to my daughter's house about one hour away. My mood goes up and down. Down when I think of what I would like to be doing this September and up when I do something, anything. I think that is the secret. Get up and do one task, useful or creative thing. Doing one thing usually leads to another. The secret is to just get going. Showering being one of those useful things which takes 10 times as long as before.

I am scanning old family photos for my family. This is a task I meant to do last winter but was busy doing something else (I'm not sure what) instead. I am busying myself with 19th century Iowa and Missouri farmers, My grandfather in the Spanish American war, a great uncle dressed in women's clothing, my aunt always looking sharp, like a movie star.

OUT AND ABOUT

Yesterday friend J took me to rent a wheelchair and then we went to lunch and shopping at the toy store for a birthday present. It was good to be out. I had an emotional meltdown that morning when discovered that the doctor's office had not faxed prescription numbers for the wheelchair to wheelchair rental place. I became irrationally upset that all my planning had gone for naught and bawled. Not a rational reaction warranted by such a little snafu. The wheelchair wasn't that expensive even if I rented it myself. A sign that I am not quite emotionally stable yet behind all of my thinking that I have a good attitude.

The days outing was great and I was out of the house for about 5 hours.

Today my daughter in law and her two children flew in from a visit to her home country,

Paraguay. She had been visiting her family for about 6 weeks. So now there is more activity to break the monotony and I can get around the house better as my shoulder is becoming very sore from the walker.

No sign of crow today but Husband is cooking some eggs. They seem to like eggs and suet the best.

My foot seems to be a little less numb today. The skin is still tight. I am flexing. Up and down is easy, Side to side much more painful.

Yesterday, I started a little exercise floor routine. Leg lifts and sit ups and stretching.

A DOWN DAY

Last night I had shooting sharp pains on either side of my ankle while wearing boot.

Became sad and negative.

Today I did not get dressed and spent several hours watching TV and playing games on my IPOD.

However, I have not experienced those pains today.

It was the most totally mindless activity day I have had in this experience.

I am flexing my ankle.

I can't believe how much different my left calf is from my right. It hangs down completely floppy with no muscle tone. How can so much be lost in just 2 weeks.

Husband has a bad 24+ hour migraine so I am pretty much alone. Did not look for the crow.

I did start scooting around in my office chair which made kitchen tasks easier.

A phone call from one of my oldest friends perked me up in the evening.

STITCHES OUT; I WENT OUT TOO.

Cast removed and stitches (actually staples) removed.

Well, It was no worse than I expected to look at, still I got a little weepy while left alone with it for a few minuets. I had actually not really looked at my ankle since the initial accident.

The nurse said "Oh its not swollen at all." When in fact it seems to me that my left ankle is twice the size of my right.

There is some numbness around my foot and ankle. P.A. "B" says it might be from the incisions.

Not sure of the prognosis of that.

Anyway xrays apparently were good.

Now I have the removable boot which will some day - maybe 4 weeks- become my walking boot.

Now, no weight on my foot but I am to flex my ankle ( painful) which at least will give me something positive to do. I can also take boot off to shower and sleep.

I asked when I could expect to , say, go on a two mile walk and "B" said - 3 months from surgery. Seems like an eternity. 2 1/2 months now or 74 days give or take.

Instead of the scars I am showing a picture of my xray. That metal is way bigger than I thought it would be.

Husband took me to one of our favorite cafes. We sat outside. I hopped with my walker.

It was good to be out of my house. I am not sure I have ever been confined to my house for that long a time in my life. As we were leaving the cafe - me hopping with my walker - a very little girl pointed and said "bike, bike". If only it were so.

Tomorrow, I am going in search of better means of locomotion.

The crow is definitely putting more weight on her bad foot and using it to sort of limp on.

SUNDAY AUGUST 23, 2009

I woke up in the night with little anxiety surges. Just little spikes. I have been getting these from time to time the last few years. I could take a pill but instead listen to "THE SEALTEST VARIETY THEATER" with Dorothy Lamour. Some good old music and little skits with David Nevin and Alan Young (long before Mr Ed came along).

Yesterday I went out to get some sun on my deck. It was great to be outside. I was outside sitting in my swing for about an hour, even enjoying the heat. All at once my ensconced leg began to itch, something I have avoided so far. I hot footed it back in the house. (Literally as deck floor had become quite hot and my good foot was shoeless.) Thankfully, once my leg cooled off, the itching stopped.

The crow came today. She seems, now, to be accompanied often by two companions. We are calling them the three amigos. Are they really her friends or are they just accompanying her because they have discovered Husband puts out better bird food when he sees her around?

She seems to use her bad leg for balance a little more. Perhaps it is getting stronger.

I accidently did this. Got up too quick and tottered on to the bad leg. OUCH. Then I spent hours worried that I had done some damage.

SETTLING IN

I continue to have very little pain in my ankle. After the first days on the walker, however, I felt like I had done 500 curl ups and my arms and sides were very sore. After two days, this pain disappeared. I am hoping for Popeye like biceps. I am so pleased with myself when I accomplish little tasks like getting my own lunch, washing my own hair.

Friends have brought me wonderful food, beautiful things from the garden and tasty comfort food. I bathe and get dressed every day. I am reading. For the most part I am keeping my sadness in check and my leg up. Yesterday, however, I had a setback. Did not get dressed until 1:00 in the afternoon and felt very low energy. I did drag out my drawing things and drew my feet (good and bad) and wrapped up leg.

I am also listening to old radio shows on line. I had started doing this a few months ago.

If I couldn't sleep at night, Fibber Magee and Molly would lull me back to sleep. Then I was listening to Jack Benny almost every night and craving JELLO, his long time sponser.

Now, I am branching out to various mystery and drama theaters and have just discovered the

series: BOLD VENTURE which starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

Husband bustles around the house and tends to me. He is keeping busy with his projects.

Milestone one will be next Wednesday when my stitches come out. I will see Assistant B and must ask him about that "almost". I have been reading other blogs about ankle recovery and become overwhelmed so I have decided to stop reading until I start putting weight on my foot and rehab. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. I found that thinking of 8 weeks as 56 days was very helpfull.

I try not to think of hiking or paddling my kayak or September coming up, my favorite month.

A few days ago the crow came to have a bite and was chased off by another crow who then grabbed the food right out of her mouth. She sat on our neighbors roof for a long time. Husband said she looked sad. Today, however, when she came she had other crows with her who didn't bother her at all. Maybe she has friends and family.

AT HOME AGAIN

Surgery went well according to Dr W.  He said that my bones were strong and, although a bad break, he got it together very well.  He does 2 or 3 of these a week. Usually, they are  almost as good as new.  Wait a minute; didn't Assistant B say "as good as new"?  No almost in there.  I distinctly remember.

I am mostly pain free due to block that went in leg before surgery.  

I come home with a walker and crutches and take to my bed for the evening.

Two weeks in this hard cast then 4 to 6 weeks more with out any weight on my foot.

I am 58 years old. Before now 

I have never been laid up for even close to this long.

I have never had surgery.

I have never been overnight in a Hospital

I have never taken Narcotics.

I have never broken a bone.

I am a very lucky person.

My life's experiences are growing by leaps and bounds.

My dog, Robin comes to me in bed and licks and licks my face.  She has never done that before in our 9 years of sleeping together.  Then she curls up beside me.

The crow with the broken leg is on the power wire in our back yard.  She is a little unsteady as she tries to balance on one good leg.  She sways like a tight rope walker.  She does better when she sort of sits on the wire instead.  Another crow is gobbling up the chicken Husband has laid out on the deck railing.  Stuffing as much as he can into his mouth, he barely makes flight.  Only crumbs left for poor one leg.

MY SITUATION - FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF

If this accident had happened in October I would have been much more at peace with it.  Or at least that is what I believe.  Due to some domestic chaos we were in great need of our long looked forward to summer excursions.  A week on the Alaska cruise and most of September tramping nomadically in our old Volkswagon camper.  Hiking, tromping, exploring.  Just us and the dog.

Free.    

Sorrow filled me up.  It was not just the fact of missing the fun of these trips but the feeling that my life and our happiness  was somehow totally dependent on this time away.  I did not know how to deal with this sadness.

At the same time deep down I did have some perspective hidden in reserve.  I was thankful, things could be worse, a lot worse.

AT EMERGNCY

I slide myself down the rest of the hill to the waiting car.  It is a quick ride to the hospital.

The first person who comes to me is a young woman who tells me she has broken her ankle twice.

She is walking.  I told her I took that as a good sign.

I am literally whisked in and attended to.  The quickest I have ever experienced in emergency.

A good thing too as my blood pressure has taken a nose dive.  Fluids and pain meds started.

A nice emergency room doctor, Doctor N.  says my ankle is dislocated and suddenly fixes that.

I actually saw it coming.   Xrays confirm ankle broken in both bones.  I am deliriously happy that I do not have to move off of my bed to get xray.  Dr N splints my leg.  Husband and I are both interested in this technology.  Splint becomes rigid when soaked with water.  I reward Dr N by throwing up during this procedure due to pain medication.  A hospital is, thankfully geared up for all such changes in fortune.

Husband leaves from time to time to make sure dog is ok.  He believes that our 9 year old springer is traumatized by my accident.  Also, must make sure she is not too hot in the car but does not take her home as he believes she is traumatized by MY accident.  It gives him something to do.

I am admitted and scheduled for surgery with Dr W that evening.  I rest in my room.  Nurses and staff are great.  Dr W's young assistant, B, comes to talk to me about surgery.  He is very nice and tells me that most of the time these come out good as new.  I have time to reflect on my situation.

THE EVENT Thursday, August 13, 2009

I am going on a cruise to Alaska.  A first cruise, a first look at Alaska.  I am all packed.  All arrangements for the home front have been made.  I am relaxed.  

I must state that I am the worlds biggest advocate of sensible shoes.  Even my dress shoes are sensible.  I only wore the flip flops because they are so comfortable and we were only going out to breakfast.  Walking the dog after breakfast in the dog park would be ok in flip flops, surely.

I told Husband that I did not want to go on the trail system in my flip flops so we would just stick to the park.  But . . . then I got talking.   I wasn't paying any attention and headed down the steep, wet grassy hill.  Swoop, I was skiing on flip flops.  Crash.  Sharp pain.  Ankle at pretty much right angle  and very painful.  

Mind you, this is not the first time talking with out thinking has gotten me into trouble.  In fact it has pretty much been a way of life for me.

THE CROW : An omen?

For the last few months a crow with a broken leg has been a frequent visitor to our bird feeders.

With difficulty, he hangs from the suet feeder.  He prefers to hop around on the ground picking up dropped bits.  Husband has taken the damaged crow into his heart and puts out food on the deck railing.   Other crows are not helpful.

On August 13, 2009 I slipped down a steep,  wet, grassy, slope at a local city park.  I dislocated my left ankle and broke both bones as well.  My sympathy for the crow has increased ten fold.