I broke my leg skiing on February 2, 2025…this is my summary of the experience. I’m so glad to be moving on two legs again! What a long road it is to complete recovery. My surgeon says I am far from being healed, but healing…
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On Sunday February 2, 2025 I was happily skiing on Bald Mountain in Sun Valley with the Wood River Jewish Community. It was a really good ski day for me. I was especially proud of myself since it was a powder day and I really was having fun skiing on powder. I even skied the black part of Limelight which has the reputation of being a very difficult run.
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| Jo Ann and Rabbi Klein |
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| Rabbi Klein and Joe Schultz |
I also was proud of myself since I was keeping up with Jim Fabe (who runs Wood River Jewish Community’s Mount Hermon Ski Club) and I was also enjoying talking with Rabbi Klein and Joe Schultz who were snowboarding with the group. 2024-25 ski season was the first year I’d been able to keep up with the group.
When the group met at the bottom of Frenchman’s lift to ride up together, I took some photos of the group and especially was delighted that I got a photo of me skiing/posing with the Rabbi! How many people can say that they have a rabbi that skis almost every Sunday of the winter season with them?!!!
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| Joe Schultz, JO ANN, Rabbi Klein, Jim Fabe |
Our group was really tired by then since we’d done a lot of runs together starting at 10:45 am from the top of Lookout Lodge. I’d already skied in the Seattle Ridge area of the mountain down Lower Broadway before the group met and also had done Lower River Run a few times.
Earlier in the morning I had boarded the free Red Bus Route that goes through Elkhorn and then to River Run base. The bus was really full and everyone on board talked about all the powder. Just before I boarded the bus I had spoken to my neighbor Greg Gushwa and had asked him for a ride to the Annual Red Bus party which was going to take place on February 19.
Anyway, after some really hard skiing, our group was heading towards the Warm Springs Lodge for lunch. My husband Dan was going to meet the group there at 12:30 and was about to board the Blue Bus towards Warm Springs. I was thinking I couldn’t wait to eat the great cinnamon roll I always got every Sunday at the Warm Springs Lodge. I was hungry and had worked up appetite.
Jim Fabe is a really fast skier. After the group met at the bottom of the Flying Squirrel run, I followed Jim towards Lower Warm Springs, while Rabbi Klein and Joe snow boarded down Lower Picaboo. Jim waited for me a bit, and I tried to keep up.
I was really tired by then and I don’t quite know exactly how I fell, but the powder was really thick. I decided to traverse across since Lower Warm Springs is so wide. Maybe I was going too slow…but all of a sudden I fell. I seemed to fall forward on top of my right ski, and as I fell forward the left ski went behind me and I heard a crack. My ski boots did not release from either binding. I knew then I’d broken something and assumed it was my ankle but the area right under my knee was where all the pain was. The pain was excruciating and I couldn’t move! It was about 11:40 am.
I was in so much pain that I cried out for help, but no one answered. Finally, another skier stopped and asked if I needed help. He called ski patrol and another skier gave me some ibuprofen which I took with some snow powder! They helped me get my right boot off the binding, but no one dared to touch the left boot or ski for safety reasons.
The ski patrol arrived and when I told them my pain was at a 10 level, the paramedics arrived and an ambulance was called too. It took some effort to get me into the stretcher and on to the toboggan that took me down the rest of the lower Warm Springs run to the ambulance that was waiting for me. It was terribly painful to go down the mountain when I hurt so much, but I did make it.
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| I revisited the Warm Springs ski area on March 27, 2025 where I broke my leg on February 2, 2025 |
I recall that the paramedics gave me something for the pain on the mountain and inside the ambulance I was given fentanyl.
I called my husband Dan just before he boarded the Blue Bus and he arrived at the Warm Springs Lodge at 12:30 which was just in time for the ambulance to stop and pick him up on the way to St. Luke’s Hospital.
I also recall how hard it was for the paramedics to get me from the snow on to the toboggan and from the toboggan into the ambulance.
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| This is the area at the bottom of Warm Springs where I was transferred to the ambulance |
Once we got to St. Luke’s we went to the emergency room where X-rays were taken and I was told I broke my leg. The break was on the Tibia and the smaller break was on the Fibula.
It seemed that time had stopped, but eventually the surgeon on call came in and told me surgery was required immediately. The surgeon’s bedside manner was harsh and I asked for a different doctor, but I was told that my only other option was to be moved by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital in Twin Falls, but I declined that idea, so soon I was prepped for surgery.
I had not eaten anything that day except a cup of decaf coffee in the early morning which was good because no food or drink is allowed before surgery.
All seemed a bit of a blur, but I woke up from surgery around 7 pm with a splint/cast was on my leg that went way above the knee.
The cafeteria was closed, but the nurse that attended to me, named Christian, got me some crackers and some tomato soup and something to drink.
I was heavily medicated so the pain was not that bad.
My husband Dan got a ride home from Kyle Robertson, one of our neighbors. He took my skis, boots, helmet, and poles home.
I had removed my contact lenses before the surgery, so I couldn’t see that well, but made do. My husband Dan did not return to the hospital that night since the snow was really heavy that night.
I was up most of the night, but did get some sleep and watched some TV even though I did not have my glasses. Christian gave me pain meds throughout the night. One of the male RNs at St. Lukes, Owen, came to visit me around midnight since he is our neighbor and wanted to tell me he hoped I would be okay.
Around 10 am the next morning my husband Dan returned to the hospital and I recall eating a hot breakfast.
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| My hot breakfast the day after surgery |
That morning the Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist came and taught me how to walk with a walker. I was delighted to find out I was allowed to put some weight on the splint/cast since a titanium rod and screws was holding my leg together.
We waited all day long for my orthopedic surgeon to okay me to leave the hospital. He didn’t arrive until about 3:15 or 3:30. I was told I could not get the splint/cast wet and to see him in two weeks.
I was wheeled out of the hospital in a wheelchair and helped into our car. We were given a pediatric walker to borrow until we could rent/buy a walker that was the right size for me.
Dan stopped at Chateau Drug to get my pain medications and then we headed home. I discovered it was very difficult to hop on one foot using the walker, but we did get into our building and made it back to our condo.
We even logged in on Zoom to the Wood River Jewish Community’s Beyond Torah Study from 5:30–6:30 pm!
I rested a while and decided I had to take a shower, so we put plastic bags over my splint/cast and I sat on the bath seat that Dan had purchased at Chateau Drug when he picked up my pain medications.
It was very hard to shower and eventually I did get to bed.
The next day my husband Dan went to the airport in Hailey to pick up my daughter Annabelle who flew in to help and also see our dog Duchess.
On their way home they stopped at Luke’s Pharmacy in Hailey and rented a wheelchair for a month.
Rabbi Klein came to visit me that afternoon. I noticed during his visit that my energy had increased a bit and that I could move pretty well around the condo with the walker. I was allowed to be weight bearing, so I was able to even go up and down stairs. It was fun to visit with Rabbi Klein and show him our Sun Valley condos.
Rabbi Klein asked my daughter Annabelle and husband Dan if I was always so energetic and of course they said yes!
Annabelle and Dan went to Chateau Drug later to get me a plastic cast protector and buy some groceries at Atkinson’s. Our dog Duchess was just so happy to see Annabelle that I think they took her with them shopping.
That day I stayed in bed with my legs up and let Annabelle cook us some dinner.
The next day, Wednesday, the three of us went to the YMCA. It was fun for me to play ping pong with Dan and also use some of the machines that just used my arms. It was also fun to watch Annabelle use the climbing wall.
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| My daughter Annabelle at the Wood River YMCA |
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Before we went to the YMCA, we went to The Goldmine, Ketchum’s local thrift store, in search for a walker since I had to return the one the hospital had lent to me. We were delighted to find out that The Goldmine did not charge for walkers, crutches, or wheelchairs since their policy is to just return when you no longer need those assistive devices.
It was essential for me to use the wheelchair and walker since I could not get the splint/cast wet and there was just so much snow in the streets. Once I got somewhere indoors I could use the walker.
After we left the YMCA, we stopped at St. Lukes Hospital to return their walker and then we headed to Hailey to go out to dinner at KBs, one of our favorite local places to eat healthy Mexican food.
Annabelle was a bit concerned about our dog Duchess, but we thought it would be okay to get home later so we could eat out.
When we returned home, Duchess was so happy to see us! She ate a good doggy dinner and we settled in for the night.
It had been a happy day….
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| Duchess sick 2/6/25 |
Then at about 2 am, I heard Duchess throw up. Usually, when she vomited, she just went back to sleep, but this time was different. We were up all night caring for her which changed Thursday’s plans for Annabelle since she was going to do some fun things. I seemed to be able to help even though I had to use the walker and I’m guessing the Airbnb guests that were staying below us heard a lot of noise due to the walker and splint-cast.
As Thursday progressed, we got more and more concerned and by that evening we’d called our other adult kids and told them to get to Idaho asap since we didn’t think Duchess was going to make it.
On Friday morning the snow was very, very deep, but we were all determined that even though I had to use the wheelchair that I’d get to the veterinarian. We were almost sure that Duchess might not make it past that day.
Somehow my daughter got me into our car while my husband picked us up near the very snowy street and off we went to Sun Valley Animal Hospital where my daughter Rebekah and son in law Ben met us. They’d driven all night long.
Ben got me up a disabled ramp at the vet while Annabelle and Rebekah got Duchess into the vet’s office. The fact I could be there with my broken leg was quite a miracle.
We were told to just let Duchess rest and were given more medication to help her with the nausea.
Ben and Rebekah took Duchess home after the vet appointment, but Dan, Annabelle, and I went to the Kneadery to go out to breakfast. We must have used the walker to get inside so I hopped up the stairs somehow and once inside could put weight on the broken leg. People were very helpful as I used the walker to get to our table.
After breakfast the snow had improved. I got down the inside stairs by holding on to the handrail and Annabelle got the car close so I could get back into the car safely and without getting the splint/cast wet.
Annabelle got me back inside our Elkhorn Village building and up the elevator a back inside our condo. Doing simple things had become a major chore.
Friday was complicated since my son Joel had a car problem two hours away, so Dan immediately drove to Shoshone to pick up Joel. That is where the car he was driving was towed to.
In the late afternoon, I was determined to go to Shabbat services at Wood River Jewish Community which is across the street from our condo, so Ben got me across the street in the wheelchair and through the deep snow. Once inside I could use the walker.
Dan and Joel had just arrived at the Shabbat services and Ben decided to stay for the service too. Even though I was in pain, I was able to put up my leg and enjoyed the service and the visiting after.
Dan and I and Ben even helped the rabbi and his wife Elana clean up after the Oneg. I seemed to be able to walk just fine on the splint/cast if I held on to things. When we were mostly cleaned up, Elana asked if we wanted the leftovers and that was good since our entire family was together.
Ben did a great job of getting me across the very snowy street in the wheelchair.
When we got back to our condo, pizza was waiting for us and we also enjoyed the congregation's leftovers for dinner.
Over the weekend, we had a nice visit with my adult kids and Duchess started to get better.
On Saturday February 8, Dan, Annabelle, and I went to the Wood River Jewish Community YMCA. We played ping pong, watched Annabelle use the climbing wall, and worked out upstairs on some of the devices that required no legs. Dan and I also played four-square and I even tried to make baskets! I invented a new sport: “Walker Aerobics!”
On Sunday, I was determined to join the Mt. Hermon ski club for lunch even with my broken leg, so we somehow got to Warm Springs. When we arrived at the Warm Springs lodge, it was so, so crowded, so using the walker and wheelchair, we got to Apples. My family had a great time there visiting with Mt. Hermon’s ski club coordinator Jim Fabe. Joel and Rebekah went skiing on Sunday.
On Monday we had a wonderful time visiting with our kids. Annabelle and Ben went cross country skiing and Rebekah went to the Y. On Monday evening, Annabelle and Ben and Dan and I got across the street again and went to Wood River Jewish Community’s Beyond Torah class and Joel connected in on Zoom.
We had leftovers and played music together in the evening and sang together too!
On Tuesday morning we woke up early so we could spend time with our kids and Duchess since they were going to drive back to Colorado that morning.
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| This was the last time our whole family was together with Duchess - February 11, 2024 |
Saying goodbye was hard. They wheeled me to the garage and we got a great photo of me in my cast and of all of us with Duchess too.
Once the kids left on Tuesday, February 11, Dan and I enjoyed the quiet and most of the time I kept my leg elevated in my condo.
We visited the YMCA often and I kept my leg elevated.
On February 17, I had my two week follow up with my surgeon, Dr. Tony and I was so relieved to get my splint/cast removed! My toes were almost red due to poor blood circulation and the splint/cast was just so uncomfortable. (To take showers I used a water proof cast over and used a bath stool, but once I had the splint/cast removed I was allowed to take off the orthopedic boot while showering and sleeping.)
I was permitted to take the orthopedic boot off and home, but I still very much needed the walker and wheelchair. I also bought an under the orthopedic boot sock which made my leg and ankle comfortable.
We went to the local Ketchum thrift store The Gold Mine and got me some crutches.
I began physical therapy at St. Luke’s on March 5, 2025.
After a month in the orthopedic boot, Dr. Tony, transitioned me into a high top hiking boot. Underneath the hiking boot, I continued to wear the high orthopedic boot sock and also an ace wrap. Unfortunately, my incision had become infected so I had to clean it thoroughly and put a disinfectant called Bentadine.
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| Incision got infected |
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| Celebrating the end of the season with some of the members of the Mt. Hermon Wood River Jewish Community’s ski club: Joe Schultz, Jim Fabe, Jo Ann and her none skiing husband Dan, and Rabbi Klein - late March 2025 - I was so glad to be there with them! |
I was still in a lot of pain but I didn’t let on how much I hurt with anyone except family.
At night, when I took off the protective wrap, the pain was very real especially when I walked from my bed to the bathroom.
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| These photos were taken the day we returned my wheelchair |
Once I was in the protective boot I was determined to do the things I love: Snowshoeing, classic cross country skiing, skate skiing, downhill skiing, biking, ice skating, and scootering. Even when I wore the orthopedic boot I was able to scooter again since I purchased a scooter with a hand brake.
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| Incision got infected |
I love swimming, but can’t do it until the incisions heals completely.
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| Returned walker and crutches - April 2025 |
In mid-March Dan and I were in a Purim play at the Wood River Jewish Community and we both ended up shortly after getting Covid. I was able to drive for the first time at the end of March to get to the pharmacy in Ketchum to get a home Covid test for Dan.
Dan and I went to one of the 2025 World Cup Skiing events in Sun Valley in late March and I walked up a very steep hill to watch the event using one crutch. We took a photo of Warm Springs and so I revisited the spot where I broke my leg. Knowing I could do that inspired me to go to Dollar Mountain and try to ski again on the easiest hill. I couldn’t get my alpine boots on yet, but I could get my Telemark boots on, and I skied again!
Over Dollar’s closing weekend I alpine skied! The following week I did the easier trails on the River Run side of Baldy, and during the last week the mountain was open I went to Warm Springs and skied down the area I got hurt on four times!
Also during the recovery period, Dan and I regularly went to the YMCA. There we played ping pong, used the rowing machines, and the recumbent bikes, but we also took a ballroom dance class every Sunday. The first week we went to that class I was wearing my protective orthopedic boot and couldn’t dance for long. When I didn’t need the orthopedic boot we continued to dance!
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| Enjoying Sun Valley with Dali and a healing broken leg |
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| Introducing Dali to biking with me - Mid April 2025 - that was scary! |
On April 1, 2025, we got a new puppy named Dali since sadly, on March 10, 2025, our sweet 13.5 year old Duchess died. It has been wonderful to be able to walk and scooter and play with Dali without a broken leg. Poor Duchess: she got sick only a few days after I broke my leg and I imagine she was wondering what was going on with her Mommy.
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| Duchess |
My doctor, Dr. Tony, says, “You are not healed, but healing.”
Yes, the pain is still there and there are some things I still cannot do, but now I appreciate the gift of being able to walk again and do other things again so much! Hopefully I will never again break a leg or ankle!
JO ANN Schneider Farris
May 4, 2025
