Arrrgh. I was in a really bad car accident last week and have been extremely lucky to escape with just a broken foot, a bit of shock and a lot of whiplash and head pain. But my broken foot is driving me mad. I am in plaster up to my knee, I can't drive which means I can't go out testing participants, I can't get to my office as I am currently being looked after back at my parents' house, and I'm going mad after just 4 days! My parents are driving me to uni (80 miles away) to see my supervisor tomorrow to discuss how to proceed with things...I guess I will just have to try to do some written work until I am mobile again (likely to be 2-3 months). I know I am really lucky- both cars were written off in the accident- but I am so frustrated!!! What would you get up to if you were immobile for 3 months? Any suggestions welcome! Thanks, KB.

Oh dear KB, so sorry to hear about your accident. You sound like you had a lucky escape! It must be terrible to be stuck at home - you have my sympathies! At least you'll be able to get a good amount of written work done in the meantime which will save a lot of stress when you're finishing up!

Look after yourself :-)

Hi keenbeen - so sorry to hear about your accident. I hope no one else has been injured! I have been signed off work for a few months, and although I can technically work at home, I can't physically make it to the office. THis means that those little admin jobs I did once a week are very difficult e.g. getting peoples signatures. - for this I am relying on the other people in my office and will just have to buy them a massive box of chocolates if/when I get back.

A lot of my PhD is easy to work on from home. Writing mainly, but I have stats to analyse too. If you are really stuck, then how about writing your work so far into some publications?

Goodness, you sound really lucky if the cars were a write off! Still not much fun for you though:-(

My supervisor had foot and shoulder injuries a while back while she was on funded research leave that completely incapacitated her. Couldn't use the computer either. She had to switch round her research timetable, postponing all the jetsetting around archives abroad, meetings etc, and concentrated on doing the reading instead. She kept face to face meetings to a minimum, doing them over the phone if possible, or having them at her house if they were essential. I believe she made a lot of use of a selection of helpers (domestic slaves?!).

Look after yourself! :-)

Ohhhhh!!!!!!!! I am really sorry to hear about ypur accident....but look at the bright side of it, it could have been a more serious injury...

As it is in my nature to find only the positives in everything, maybe you can try and do that also!
You can see your stay at home as a good opportunity to do some writing and reading, things that you will ahve to do after finishing ypur research.
Also, you can see your stay at your parents' house, as a good opportunity to be looked after, to relax, to eat healthy food, to have all your laundry and ironing done....

Hope you feel better soon......

On the bright side, you're still alive.

If I was immobile for 3 months, I'd go to www.goodreads.com and start ticking off all my 'to-read' books! (up)

Hi Keenbeen,

sorry to hear about your accident. However, as you indicate, perhaps you have been lucky, that nothing more has happened.

Regarding your foot, depends on time, healing process and type of fracture, but there is a special type of "shoe", which one can use to walk with. This "shoe" is still quite large in size, but would make you more mobile. Unfortunately one is not allowed to drive with it.

Ask the surgeon when you see him / her next (up)

Thanks guys! I think you are all right, I should take advantage of this time and send it writing my next paper and reading etc. I don't really have enough quantitative data to do any stats or write any results chapters or papers yet, but I am working on a second review paper, so it would be good to get that written and submitted, and start analysing the interview data I have gathered for my qualitative study. Have just spent most of the day transcribing an interview, but my head and neck are so painful it's really hard to concentrate. I truly am grateful it wasn't much worse...I only knew I was going to crash a split second before it happened, but in that split second my only thought was, 'you're a gonna'. So I will try to quit whining about a couple of broken bones and get on with things! Thank you guys, for keeping things in perspective for me :) KB

You're totally right keenbean, although, take a day or two off to chill out if u feel like it, I broke my wrist back in May and it's not fun working on those painkillers! I had to redo a good bit of work when I was actually thinking properly!! :-) I know how frustrating it can be when you have to put off your sampling work, I wasn't covered by insurance for a few weeks so I couldnt do my fieldwork which put me back a bit, but when you're feeling up to it definitely use your time for writing and getting stuck into your lit review etc, you'll be glad of it when it comes to writing!!
But yea that it's not more serious! I hope everyone else is ok too :-)

Oh sorry to hear that KB, at least you're basically OK though, still sounds like a horrible experience and you're probably still getting over the shock. Like others have said, I would just do some of the more desk-based work you need to get done, also this time at your parents' house might give you a chance to reflect on what you've done and have some 'thinking time', I know that might sound a bit stupid but it can be really helpful.

Its horrible when you feel sorry for yourself and can't do much though, a few months ago I had a horse-related accident and fractured my knee, as well as nasty cuts all over my arms, I felt terrible when people used to just stare at my ams without saying anything! But like you said, it could have been a lot worse for me as well. But I hated having to rely on my parents again and I felt so useless, its lovely of them to drive you all the way to uni tomorrow though! Take care, Natassia x

Hi KB, I hope your meeting went well. I've sent you a pm
CG
(sprout) - full of vitamins to help your leg heal!

Hi KB, I hope your meeting went well. I've sent you a pm
CG
(sprout) - full of vitamins to help your leg heal!

KB, I'm so sorry to hear that you have been through this! I hope the other passengers are ok too. If I were laid up at home for 3 months I would write and read. And in all honesty I would pobably watch quite a lot of TV for hte first week, then get bored of that and start listening to radio 2, thengo a bit mental and insist people take me out in their cars to places at least once a day. Get well soon, and good luck at your next supervisory meeting.

Here's a mince pie: (mince)

Thanks guys! I am already going a bit mental and it's only been 6 days! Been back to have my foot re-plastered today and it will be at least two months before I can drive...I am really frustrated, I had just got going with my testing and now I'm immobile. Grrr. Not to mention all the police and insurance and personal injury claims paperwork which is arriving daily, I am so rubbish at that sort of thing- thank goodness my dad is a paperwork guru! But I had a good meeting with my sup yesterday and we have agreed things for me to work on from home, although I am finding it very hard to concentrate at the moment (which I believe a bump to the head can do to you for a while). I also feel very guilty as I have teaching commitments and was closely supervising MSc students who I should be meeting with regularly- my sup has now had to take this on until I am back, and although she has been fine about it, I know how busy she is and feel really bad. Oh well, I shall just have to save up my energy and be an awesome student on my return! Cheers for the words of encouragement and advice guys :-) KB

Keenbean, could you drive an automatic if it's just the one foot?
My hubby knackered his achilles a while back and was in a cast for months, he swapped his car for an auto and whizzed about ok in that.