When you're the mother of five boys, life is already an adventure. For Christie from Indianapolis, having an active lifestyle isn't a choice: it's part of the job. From the normal, non-stop events like monitoring homework, being the mom chauffeur, and making sure everyone got fed that all parents experience to sitting on the pool deck for hours, watching all five boys dive, Christie was always on the go. If that weren't enough to keep a person busy, Christie is also an avid tennis player, hitting the courts several times a week, as well as a regular exerciser and skier.

Being a full-time mom, however, is hands down Christie's favorite activity. Spending time with her boys, doing the things they all love together, is life's sweet spot for her. Sometimes, when you're having one of those parental highs, you do something "cool" to impress your kids that doesn't end up working out quite the way you'd hoped. Just ask Christie.

The story began in 2017 when Christie, her husband and sons were on their annual spring break ski trip. Christie's husband had been a ski enthusiast when they met in college, and over the years she'd picked up the sport as well - but her kids teased her that she's the slowest skier in the family.

"The boys had stopped in the middle of the run to wait for me and I thought, 'Hah, I'll be really cool and just ski on past them and beat them to the bottom!" As Christie flew down the slope, she didn't realize a mogul was lying in wait for her under the new-fallen snow. "When I hit that bump, I got air. One ski flew off but the other didn't, which made my leg twist - as soon as I hit the ground, I knew I'd broken my leg."

An x-ray showed Christie would need surgery for her broken tibia and fibula in her left leg. Christie choose to come home to Hendricks Regional Health for her surgery.

Getting back on her feet—fast

The day after Christie and her family returned, she was able to see Hendricks Regional Health orthopedic surgeon Dr. Chad Waits. Further x-rays confirmed the Colorado diagnosis, revealing that her break was fairly serious - a spiral fracture of her left tibia and a minor fracture of her fibula that would require intramedullary nailing of the left tibia along with screws. Christie was promptly scheduled for surgery. "Part of my approach to treating patients is getting to know them and understanding what's important to them in their lives," Dr. Waits said. "So knowing that Christie is the mother of five boys and very physically active, I knew that getting her back to full speed quickly after a pretty major surgery was of paramount importance."

Following surgery, Christie worked with her physical therapist, Doug Wyneken. "Strengthening Christie's supporting foot and lower leg muscles was really important to helping her recover faster," Wyneken said. "So I'd have her do ankle mobility exercises utilizing a balance board, calf raises, exercises like those to help with mobility and strength."

Getting back to what she loves

year later, Christie and her family hit the Colorado slopes again. Getting back to what she loves, and doing those things with the people she loves, is something Christie doesn't take for granted. "I got hurt pretty bad, but it was fixable. What I really like about Hendricks is the warm, community-focused atmosphere," Christie said. "Hendricks is a great place. The staff listened to me and gave me wonderful care that allowed me to pick right up where I left off - only maybe a little more cautiously from now on!"

From diagnosis to treatment to recovery, Christie received the benefit of the seamless expertise and care that the Hendricks Regional Health team offers every patient. Whatever Christie's doing right now - killing it on the tennis courts or cruising the track meet sidelines cheering for one of her boys - she's able to do because of her determination to recover and the dedication of her medical team to make that happen as quickly as possible. "I play tennis with some older ladies in their 80s, and they're amazing! I look at them and think, 'I hope I can be doing this forever!'"