Many of us have sprained or even broken at least one of our limbs at some point in our lives. When this happens, we end up wearing splints or casts for weeks that prevent us from easily doing various regular tasks or even some of the fun things that we enjoy. I had surgery on my ankle about two and a half weeks ago, and I'm planned to be in a cast that goes up to my knee for probably around eight more weeks, so this list definitely speaks from experience.
1. Showering
Even though it's something most of us do on a regular basis, taking a shower when your leg is a cast is extremely difficult. Since you're not supposed to get casts wet, you have to attempt to "waterproof" your cast in some form or another. While this task is made easier if you have a cast cover, it's very difficult if you don't.
2. Going to the beach
Since showering is a difficult task, most beach activities are completely out of the question. Swimming is impossible, and attempting to traverse the sand is just plain madness. Just imagine the discomfort if sand gets in your leg cast, which won't be removed for weeks!
3. Going up/down stairs in public
Okay, depending on your skill level with crutches (if that's what you're using), this might be doable. But if you aren't good with crutches or are using another mode of transportation (like a knee scooter) to get around, traversing stairs in public is almost plain out of the question. Stairs are evil, and are best avoided during your time in a cast.
4. Being patient
While this lioness doesn't exactly display patience, she displays the anger and frustration that builds up as a result of being unable to do all of the things that you could before you were put in a cast. Being patient isn't easy for everyone, and it can be difficult. Learning to adapt and do things differently than you could before is going to be hard, but it's not completely impossible.
5. Asking for help when we need it
Often times, people don't like to ask for help for many different reasons. Whether it's an issue of being too proud to ask for help, or if it's a matter of not wanting to inconvenience others by needing their help, people would rather struggle on their own to accomplish something that would be accomplished easily with help. Trust me, things go a lot better with help, so don't be afraid to ask for it or accept it when someone offers it to you.
Even though certain things become impossible or hard to do when you're in a cast, one of the most important things to do is to remember that your struggles are only temporary, and everything will get better with time.
