Broken foot

[Air_Stewardess]

I fell over on my foot hard on Friday, went to the ED and it was badly bruised and swollen. The doctor said it might be broken but they weren't sure so I have a temporary cast and crutches and cannot weight bear, I have to go back to see a consultant Wednesday and the doctor mentioned I will get a boot cast and it will heal in 4 to 6 weeks...

Now I'm thinking I won't be able to go back to work flying in 6 weeks time. I have to actually get to the airport then I fly long-haul and not sure I could work for 13 hours at a time! I'll get sick pay and I live with my husband who works an office job so he is doing everything for me.

Fed up and just hoping they do put me in walking boot and I can weight bear!

[crazylegs]

That really sucks Are there not any light duties you can do? You must be going stir crazy already...

[Sapphire Silk]

I fell over on my foot hard on Friday, went to the ED and it was badly bruised and swollen. The doctor said it might be broken but they weren't sure so I have a temporary cast and crutches and cannot weight bear, I have to go back to see a consultant Wednesday and the doctor mentioned I will get a boot cast and it will heal in 4 to 6 weeks...

Now I'm thinking I won't be able to go back to work flying in 6 weeks time. I have to actually get to the airport then I fly long-haul and not sure I could work for 13 hours at a time! I'll get sick pay and I live with my husband who works an office job so he is doing everything for me.

Fed up and just hoping they do put me in walking boot and I can weight bear!

You should ask for light duty; disability rules say they have to give you reasonable accommodation. I don't know what that would be for your job.

You will probably need to keep off it for as long as possible for at least 2 weeks. Then limited weight bearing, but being on your feet for 13 hours will be out. Is it a job related injury? You'll have more pull if it is.

I feel for you. I broke my foot last year, and it still is not completely healed. I was in a walking boot, never a cast, but I had to use crutches and was non weight bearing for a couple of weeks, then limited weight bearing. You can't wear a shoe with a walking boot, so your toes will be exposed; that may mean you can't be on a plane (I couldn't be in the hospital). You may have to take FMLA, or use up your sick/vacation time. Short term disability if you have it. If it's a workman's comp injury you can't return to work until you're cleared by the doctor. I'd check with HR to find out how your pay and benefits will be affected.

You don't want to mess around with this. Your feet are your job. Take care of them. Follow your doctor's instructions. Ask for a desk job so you can stay out of the air until you're ready to go back.

[Seshat]

There has to be a steward-related desk job that you can do.

Perhaps reviewing the latest instructions from plane manufacturers and safety authorities and ensuring that the steward/ess handbooks are up to date with regard to them?

Perhaps reviewing emergency procedures and comparing the standard plane supplies with the emergency procedures?
(EG: if there's smoke in the cabin but also a fire, the captain doesn't dare drop the oxygen masks for fear of making the fire worse. Do you have filter masks for the passengers, or at least enough napkins you can wet and give them to put over their nose and mouth?)

You could think about other issues as well, and come up with solutions for them to put in the handbooks. EG: plane crash-lands, everyone's fine, but the nose gear collapsed on landing. How far off the ground is the bottom of the rearmost slide? How can all the passengers in the back of the plane get out without any sprained or broken ankles/legs? Even the little old frail lady in seat 34F?

You and I both know that an air steward/ess is more than someone who delivers drinks and food to people in the air. You're stuck with desk work until your foot heals: find a job that needs doing, that everyone's been putting off because the work they had seemed (or was) more urgent.
By doing it, you'll probably become the company expert in that part of the field. Excellent for job continuity.

[Air_Stewardess]

Thanks for all the comments! I used to be a nurse and feel that I can identify with how my patients felt now!

I get to the airport on the tube and don't think I could even manage the walking and stairs, my manager did say I could do some ground duties once I am able to weight bear and mobilise but it's the actual getting to the airport part which might be hard.

I will get paid my basic pay so not so much worried about that but even if I am better in say 6 weeks, it could be even longer before I can fly again

[Sapphire Silk]

Thanks for all the comments! I used to be a nurse and feel that I can identify with how my patients felt now!

Well you're following a proud tradition in aviation history, then When commercial flight first started, to be an air stewardess you had to be a nurse first, in case someone got sick in flight. That changed when planes got better and air sickness was less of an issue.

I get to the airport on the tube and don't think I could even manage the walking and stairs, my manager did say I could do some ground duties once I am able to weight bear and mobilise but it's the actual getting to the airport part which might be hard.

I will get paid my basic pay so not so much worried about that but even if I am better in say 6 weeks, it could be even longer before I can fly again

Is there an elevator you can use? Also, look into getting a knee walker. They look like this:



They can be pricey; see if you can rent one or borrow one. I used one when I had my foot surgery, and later when I broke the foot. It was a godsend.

[Seshat]

I get to the airport on the tube and don't think I could even manage the walking and stairs, my manager did say I could do some ground duties once I am able to weight bear and mobilise but it's the actual getting to the airport part which might be hard.

In Melbourne, the train system is set up to maximise the ability for disabled people to use it. Lots of ramps, elevators where there's enough traffic at the station to warrant it. The drivers and conductors have always been gracious and helpful to me, even when I'm forced to travel in rush hour with a full-size mobility scooter.

If you can get a mobility device to allow you to get to the airport, and your train system is as friendly/helpful as mine, you should be fine to get to work.

That said, be gentle and patient with yourself. Pain is a stressor, and travelling with the mobility tools is nowhere near as easy as travelling with a healthy body.

It's possible that you might be able to do work-from-home work if you want to.

Or you could take the opportunity to do some of those hundreds of things everyone wants to get done 'when they have time'.
You know, stuff like organising your photographs, scanning in the physical ones, distributing thumb drives of the organised photos among your family.....