MY MIL, 82,with moderate dementia fell from the stairs the other day. She has swelling on her ankle and some swelling on her wrist. There is some pain but no fracture. She is dragging her feet while walking. She is highly diabetic and takes insulin, three types a day, in max doses and tablets. Wondering how long it will take to heal as I have heard healing is very slow for diabetics. Or will it be like a permanent thing? Wondering if I will have to buy walkers etc.
Dragging her feet and having swelling are both problems that can lead to more falls, damage to her swollen skin that can result in infection, etc.
A podiatrist can do nail care, skin assessment of legs to toes, and give you instructions on how to keep her skin intact.
Soft tissue injuries sometimes take longer to heal than broken bones. A physical therapist working in conjunction with your doctor’s input may be able to give you a more practical sense of what you can expect, especially since your mother s dealing with at least two difficult conditions.
Hoping you get some advice that will be helpful to her soon.
I sure do wish you luck, but MD questions need MD answers; your MIL's doctor is familiar with her case, her underlying issues, her diagnosis and her prognosis. And all this understanding that, as my oncologist used to say "Medicine is anything but an exact science" meaning it often comes down to best guess.
Again, wishing you the best.