Here's how I broke my ankle:

After suffering a broken ankle in a silly soap box derby accident that I was doing for charity, doctors told me with two broken bones and three months of healing in a cast, I could have NO WEIGHT on that left foot for at least three months. No going to work, so KHITS graciously set up a studio in my home so I could still do the show. Getting  around was tough with a walker, a boot, a wheelchair.  Man what a drag. Then after three long months it was time for a final check up.

X-Rays results have revealed everything had healed and it was finally over!!! The doctor told me the boot I've been wearing for almost a month could come off and I could start wearing a regular shoe on my left foot. WOW. Funny how things you normally take for granted can be such a reward once you've lost them. I am so happy to be back to normal or as normal as I can be. Thank you so very much to those of you who have offered me words of support and advice for all your emails, cards and phone calls during this entire ordeal. Also thanks to the incredible doctors and staff at Kaiser who made sure that my ankle healed as good as new. My undying gratitude to the staff and management at KHITS for their understanding and help that included putting a studio in my home, and last but not least, to my wonderful wife who was there for me for everything from the moment it happened. Thank you all so very very much.

It's my left ankle. On the inside (left on the Xray) you can see two large screws they inserted directly into the broken bone on that side. Those screws are about two inches long. On the outside of my ankle(right side of Xray) you can see 5 smaller screws each about an inch long that are attached to a plate and then drilled into the other broken bone. There is a sixth screw that is not attached to the plate but inserted directly into the bone. The doctor assured me he meant to do that and did not miss the plate by accident. The doctor says the healing is doing very well and that after another four weeks in the new cast that they placed me in on Tuesday June 29th, I will be placed in a walking boot and put into a physical therapy program to get me walking again. The screws will stay in my foot for life unless I suddenly develop an aversion to them which would mean another surgery to remove them. I don't plan on that. So, if you see me at the security line of an airport about to go through the metal detectors, don't stand behind me. I think I'll be there for a while explaining the beeping detector to the officers. Actually my doctor says the screws are too low to the ground so unless they wand me, I should have no problem. Yeah, and Soap Box Derby cars are completely safe.

Joey Mitchell