Upper Leeda, Chattanooga, TN

Yesterday a few of us went out to enjoy some climbing and hiking today. We had a great time and I even lead an easy climb. I'm slowly becoming comfortable again as long as I am climbing something under my limit. I still get spooked when the climbing gets hard. It's just a big mind game for me right now.

Sandrock, Alabama

This is a very strange place! It's basically a boulder field (some of which are enormously huge and are bolted sport or left to be trad routes). There were a few boulderers there, and a few "climbers" throwing ropes over the top to TR the entire day. The rest where southern rednecks! There was graffiti everywhere, beer cans and garbage everywhere not to mention toilet paper and people "camping" between boulders listening to country music full volume and drinking! Not much of a "trip out into nature"! The bad part - it the parking lot is literally a 5 min walk from the climbs. Cool to see this place - but no need to go back. I would not recommend it for climbers - but maybe for high school rednecks who are looking for a party!

Foster Falls, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Today we climbed at Foster Falls. It was a pretty day and it was also my birthday! Yeay! I did some leading again which was tough on my ankle, but even tougher on my head! For me right now and for a while this is gogin to be a huge mind game getting back into leading. I still can't jump or run so I can't take any big whippers yet (not that I want to normally either) but especailly now I have to be careful. Hopefully I will be ready to do so soon. It seems the acupuncture is helping!

Disneyland, Bruce Peninsula, ON (the crag not the amusement park)

Yesterday we climbed at Lion's Head and today we went to Disneyland. A beautiful hike through the leaves which are all coloured and many have already made their migration to the forest floor. The trees are starting to look bare which is normal for late October. The weather however was not - it was beautiful! We ended up rolling up pant legs and taking off many layers - it felt like a summer day! My ankle seems to be getting better - it wasn't hindering my climbing much today. The acupuncture and Active Release Technique must be working! I go back this coming Friday to see the Sports Medicine doctor to see if the x-rays can determine more definitely if there is still a chip of bone floating around my ankle or not! It'll be good to know an answer! Keep your fingers crossed!

Lion's Head, Bruce Peninsula, ON

It's definitely Autumn. The leaves are falling and the trees are starting to look bare. A friend of mine came with us to Lion's Head this weekend for the first time. She did awsome! On Friday night we met up with a friend and all stayed at another friend's cabin. We tried to sing as the guys played guitar into the wee hours of the morning. Saturday was supposed to be a nice day but the rain showed up! For a while it was almost hard enough to make us leave, but then it cleared just enough to continue to climb and we ended up climbing back up and hiking out in the dark by headlamp. We didn't waste any of the day and my ankle was ok on most climbs. It's getting better! I am starting to think about leading again but I still can't jump on it so it will be a while yet!

Phantasia Wall, RRG, Kentuky, USA

Red River Gorge is one of my favorite places for endless amounts of quality climbing. We did the 10 hr drive down and back again this long weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving). My ankle is getting better. It's not great - but it's SLOWLY getting better. At least I am able to get out and enjoy myself. The depressing thing can be thinking of how much I would really LIKE to be doing but can't! I AM lucky to be back outside and on the rock though so I AM thankful! I have also been to see a Sports Medicine Dr who has noticed something in my x-rays. He has requested more x-rays (specific views no one has done before) to further investigate and confirm or rule out the bone chip theory!! In the meantime I am seeing a colleague of his twice a week for acupuncture and deep tissue massages. Regardless of if there is a chip of bone (which could mean surgery) breaking down the massive scare tissue that has developed in my ankle is a major concern. It's seven months later and it'll take a lot of work - but I am staying positive about it. I need my ankle back!!

Mt Nemo, Milton, ON

Got out to do a few climbs yesterday, not to mention a great deal of hiking (both on the top of the crag on the well-maintained easy trails and also along the rocky path at the bottom of the cliff on the rubble of rocks...). It was great exercise for my ankle! It took me ages to do the hiking/scrambling along the bottom but I would say it's equivalent to about 3+ weeks worth of "wobble-board exercises"! I had to go pretty slow and really concentrate and be careful about foot placement. My physio therapist should be impressed! The ankle is getting better and she says it's a pretty fast recovery - faster than most of her patients who have hurt themselves to a lesser degree! Yeay! I'm coming back! Watch out!

White's Bluff, Lion's Head, ON

The first "unsupported" LeftLeg photo standing on the right leg since March! This past long weekend we went to the Bruce Peninsula. I used one of my hiking poles and managed the approach along the Bruce Trail without too many issues (although slow at times). We had 4 days we were able to visit Lion's Head, White's Bluff and TV Tower Crag. All are very beautiful. My boyfriend did some climbing and I tried top-roping a few of the easier climbs just to see how far I could push my ankle. It was very tired afterwards and I could tell I had used it, (a lot of those muscles haven't returned to normal after 5 months of atrophy), but they ARE getting better every day! We had a great time and I was so happy to [somewhat] be doing the things I enjoy again!

Little Rock City, Tennessee, USA

Happy Happy Happy! While I was in Tennessee I made it (hobbling) to a few crags and boulder fields! I also got an Orthopaedic Surgeon there to have a look at my ankle and give a second opinion. He mostly agreed with what the notes from my Canadian doctor said but pointed out all the details and any concerns I should have. By the way he read the notes I don't think they were very detailed - but that does not surprise me. The US doctor thinks I should try to gradually use it as much as possible (hence the hobbling to the crags) and that eventually it should heal back to full mobility which he says could take up to a year! He says to not worry about wearing the brace. It was reassuring and he told me a few new things that are serious concerns but the chances are so minimal he says he wouldn't even worry. He took about 5-6 more x-rays and explained what he saw in my bones compared to a "normal" x-ray. He was a great help! Talk about a lesson in patience for me = it's now been 17 weeks!

OBED, Tennessee, USA (waiting for a second opinion!)

On June 15th after calling the Digital Imaging Dept everyday and annoying the people there; after the hospital losing my first set of paperwork with the referral; after them generating a new set; after then having two contradicting MRI's recommended by the reviewing doctors, etc etc etc... I finally was scheduled for an MRI! To make a long story short I had the type of MRI with the shorter wait time even though another doctor had recommended the second type of scan which meant waiting for an "urgent" MRI scheduled in August. The results although inconclusive were enough to convince my Dr to send my to Physiotherapy so that was good news (I think)! He does not explain anything. Anyway - my Physiotherapist used to work for the National Ballet of Canada and knows her stuff! She seems nice. She has explained more in 15 min than my Dr did in 15 weeks! I was also given permission to "fly" and I came to Chattanooga finally. I have an appointment made to see an Orthopedic Surgeon while I am there. I am sure my Dr has done everything correctly, but after this long and this much confusion I will see this Dr that agreed to see me anyway. It can't hurt!

Toronto, ON - STILLLLLLL!

I had been patintly waiting for my appointment yesterday to to receive the news from the bone and tissue scans. Well - the Dr. came over to me and asked the same questions as per usual asking me to stand on it and try to walk for him... then he went to my file and noticed I had had a bone scan (that he had ordered!) The scan was cool to look at and seemed normal except for my ankle which was black. I looked from over his shoulder and I managed to read something about the results indicating a hyperthremic area around the R ankle. This basically meant that something more serious might be wrong. The good news is that the rest of my body seemed to be "normal" which indicates it isn't some bone disease or other complication - it appears to be isolated. Still doesn't offer any explanation though... something IS wrong with the ankle so now I am on an "Urgent List" for an MRI. Still no word.... still waiting....

Waiting in Toronto, ON

I went to the fracture clinic on the 22 May eager to be referred to a Physiotherapist and start the long process of getting my ankle back to working order! Well the Dr. was happy I can weight the ankle and said I can stop wearing the AirCast. He gave me a brace instead and he finally realised that perhaps the healing was taking a irregularly long time and gave me some paper work for bone and tissue scans. I was able to get an appointment on Thursday 24th. Basically they strapped me onto a machine while I was laying down and injected me with some radioactive fluid that disperses through your body and goes into your tissue. The thing you lay on moved and the slide me into the machine from me knees down. The technician told me the fluid only takes 8 secs to get down into my toes and let me watch on the monitors. After that I was told to drink lots and lots and to come back in 2 hrs to have the bone scan. It was similar but I had my entire body scanned. You must remain completely still while you are laying there and a big machine comes down within a few mm of you. So after all those fun and games, now I have to wait for my next appointment to get the results...

Toronto, ON Again!! (but not for much longer...)

This might be the last time that you see me with the AirCast. Tomorrow morning I go back for yet another appointment at the famous and much loved Fracture Clinic. Hopefully (please, please, please!) this may be one of my last if not THE last appointment I have at the Fracture Clinic. I am able to put weight on my ankle now while it's in the cast, even managed my first "leftleg" standing on the right leg since I broke my ankle 10 weeks ago. I am pretty excited. I have been walking on it as much as possible in hopes that this means my Orthopaedic Surgeon will be able to hand me over to the physiotherapist and I can start the rehab on my ankle. All the muscles in my leg are in atrophy, I have no muscles or range of motion in the ankle at all, and it seems that it will be a long time before I can walk on it unassisted. On a positive note I did buy a cane today! No more crutches!

Hardwood Hill Lookout Trail, Algonquin Park

Most will think I am crazy - especially after doing a hike and trying to put weight on the foot all day Friday, but on Saturday I wanted to try something just a bit harder. Well the Hardwood Hill Lookout is just a fraction longer and it's not wheelchair accessible so I pretty much knew I was in for a work out... perhaps I should have thought about the fact that a lookout is generally from a high place... this trail (which I have done many years ago) is all up and down hills with trails full of rocks and roots! But do I ever turn down a challenge? No not me! So we had to finish the trail which was definitely pushing me to my current limit! The thing was it is not my ankle that was bothering me, but my wrists! My goal is to be able to put weight on the ankle by the next time I go back to the Fracture Clinic (May 22). After returning from camping I used a scale to estimate about half my weight can be supported on the ankle while it is in the cast and I am standing still. The trouble is - in order to walk ALL of your weight must be on that ankle even if it's just a second while the other foot is lifted up to take the next step...

Spruce Bog Hiking Trail, Algonquin Park

A broken ankle isn't going to keep me in one place! I have now had 4 casts, 21 x-rays and what feels like a million appointments at the Fracture Clinic!!! I am allowed to gradually put weight on my ankle now which is encouraging. I measured on a scale and I was able to put between 25-30% of my weight on my ankle while in the cast. I was supposed to go on a canoe trip (with portages) with 7 others this week, but obviously it was still a bit soon for that! Although I couldn't go canoeing as planned, I decided to keep the days I had booked off from work and at least get out of the city! So my boyfriend and I went camping in Algonquin Park. On Friday (the 11th) I was feeling energetic and we did a very short "educational" hike and learned everything you might ever want to know about the formation of Bogs! This is me exhausted at the end of the 1km(?) wheelchair accessible hike!!! Have to start somewhere!

Niagara Falls, Ontario

I still have the AirCast but I am allowed to start putting some weight on the ankle now, so today my boyfriend and I went to Niagara Falls just for a day trip. We met up with my cousin, saw the falls and then we decided to stop by Niagara Glen (which I haven't been to yet this year since I can't climb). I was very impressed with myself! I made it all the way down to the river on my crutches without too many problems (DOWN being the operative word!) to the area called "the Land of Oz". The challenge was getting back UP the the steep hiking trails covered in rocks, stairs made of rocks, roots and obstacles (and my wrists really did pay for it)!

Eastern Sky Ridge Bridge LookOut, Red River Gorge, Kentuky

I went back to the Fracture Clinic to see the Orthopedic Surgeon on the 2nd April and he was happy enough with the progress of my ankle. He was kind enough to release me from the 35lbs of suffering that was attached to the end of my leg!!! So now I have an AirCast. Things are good. I still wake up in pain sometimes in the middle of the night, but at least I can get around a lot easier and my knee isn't in as much pain from the extra weight. I was supposed to go on a climbing trip that had been planned since last year sometime. I really didn't think I could go, but since I got the cast changed things have become 100 more comfortable and 100 times easier! It was pretty crazy trying to get to the GoTrain platform and meeting up with the people I was catching a ride with, but in the end I made it. The 11 hour car ride with my leg raised on pillows was very long and a few pain killers were needed, but it was great to get out of the city. I haven't been anywhere but work and my apartment for the last month! I got to see people and even made it to a couple crags to watch. Yeay!

Toronto, ON (cause currently I don't go anywhere else)

Tomorrow will be the big day. If all goes to plan I get my 6th set of x-rays tomorrow!! So far the Dr tells me he likes what he sees and I might (fingers crossed) get his piece of plaster (my third cast in three weeks) off! Not that I am home free, but last week when I went back to the hospital for my weekly x-rays and visit to the Orthopeadic Surgeon, he told me they would see if they could put me into an AirCast the following week. I hope so! Seriously! This one is sooooo heavy. An AirCast would allow me to move around easier. The doctors are not worried about the broken bone but are concerned that I have ripped apart all the ligaments/muscles in my ankle. I am down to only one or two pain killers a day at the most - there have even been days when I haven't taken any. I am working full days again but I have to keep my foot up on the desk! People have been kind enough to pick me up and drive me home from work so I am pretty lucky. I can't really take public transit yet but at least I am not stuck home laying in bed going out of my mind! Fingers crossed you will see a new cast up here soon!

Toronto, ON (At Home for a Week!)

This is the best I can do folks. I can't do much better than this. Last Monday (March 12th) I rolled my ankle and "broke" it. I went to the ER and waited patiently until a doctor had time to see me. Finally they gave me lots of drugs, I had some crazy dreams, they set my ankle, took some x-rays, refused to let me eat and told me that I would have to have surgery in the morning and possibly have 2 pins put into my ankle. I tried to sleep (but barely did) until morning when the Orthopedic Surgeon came in early in the morning, took some more x-rays and said that although the ankle had been set very well, the cast had not. So the cast was taken off and a new one put on. I was then told that I did not need surgery and I would be discharged but I was not allowed to put weight on it or do anything. I was given pain killers and crutches and told to come back for an appointment and more x-rays. So to date I still don't know if it's dislocated, fractured or broken... Tomorrow is the big day.

Blue Pillar, Kushog Lake, Haliburton Highlands, ON

This is me posing at the end of a day of ice climbing at Kushog Lake. The weather was great and since there were 3 climbs all with in a short walking distance from each other, we really lucked out! This is a 40m pillar that was not quite as nicely formed as the other climbs we did that day. It's called Blue Pillar (WI4).

Blue Boy, Kushog Lake, Haliburton Highlands, ON

This is the second climb we did. After topping out on Blue Boy (WI2) on my way down I stopped part way to strike another left leg pose. The morning was cold, especially walking across the frozen lake, but the sun was shining on us all afternoon and warmed us up. This climb had water dripping off of it and after a few climbs, it started sounding hollow! Yikes! It was a close to perfect day though! I think I might like ice climbing more than I thought!

La Cloche Silhouette Trail, Killarney Prov Park, ON

Well a 100km snowshoe trail, a pretty cool 4 season tent, a borrowed -40 sleeping bag, new fleece pants to add as one of many layers, frozen food, water, fingers and toes, -30 degree weather and a stove that was functional at best... all lead to a scaled down version of this ambitious little trip. Still - a week off work and being in snow covered forest with nothing but our gear and the beautiful peace and quiet was all I needed to rejuvenate and "get away" for a while. I WILL do the whole trail - but I might just wait 'til spring!