'Twin Cities Live' co-host Elizabeth Ries was in 'excruciating pain' after breaking her ankle in three places

Feb. 22—Like many Minnesotans, "Twin Cities Live" co-host Elizabeth Ries has always feared hurting herself after slipping on winter ice.

"I'm a lifelong Minnesotan and I've been fearing it for 40 years," Ries said. "And it finally happened."

On Friday, Ries slipped outside her Minneapolis home and ended up with what she later learned was a dislocated ankle that was broken in three places.

"The pain was terrible," she said. "It was the most excruciating pain I've felt in my life, and I've given birth three times."

Friday morning, Ries filled in a shift on MyTalk 107.1 from her home studio. She was heading to her car for a meeting at KSTP-TV when she slipped.

"There was a little light dusting of snow, but I still shuffled. I'm always careful and I shuffle everywhere when there's ice," she said.

Still, she slipped and hit the cold ground, with her ankle taking the brunt of the blow. Due to the intense pain — and the large lump where there shouldn't be a large lump in her left boot — she was completely immobilized and couldn't move. Her husband was still inside the house getting ready to go out himself, but he was charging his phone and didn't hear Ries' two attempts to call.

While lying there in shock, she then called the station. "I called work to tell them they needed to find someone else to host the show. I don't know what that says about me, it may be a problem," she said with a laugh.

A neighbor happened to drive by and ran to the house to alert Ries' husband, Jay.

"He came flying out," Ries said. "He tried to pick me up, but that didn't work so he had to drag me to the garage. I was able to get a footing on my right foot and get into the car."

The couple live near an ER, so she arrived in minutes. But it was jammed and after waiting in line, staff got her onto a bed in a hallway, as there were no open rooms. There she waited two long hours before a doctor could see her.

"I was trying to stay as still as possible, because it hurt if it moved," she said. "Later, multiple doctors apologized and said they couldn't believe I didn't pass out or throw up."

Typically in a case like this, doctors will first tackle the dislocation through what's called a reduction — physically popping the bones back into place — and then wait a week or so to perform surgery in order to let the swelling reduce. But after two unsuccessful attempts at a reduction, Ries' doctor decided to schedule her for surgery on Saturday.

Ries was out for two and a half hours as a surgeon reassembled her ankle and inserted a plate and handful of screws. She was able to return home that night and quickly realized there was going to be a drastic shift in how she lives in a home with her husband and three children, ages 1, 4 and 7.

"It's another reminder that everything about your life can change in a split second," she said. "It was so shocking to me to not be able to do anything for my kids."

The 7-year-old asked her: "Mama, when will you be able to walk again?" She said it would be a long time. The 7-year-old's response: "So, like, two days?"

Ries' doctor said she can't put any weight on her foot for a minimum of six weeks. She has to keep it elevated and iced for two weeks. She uses crutches and just ordered herself a "fancy knee scooter." Her mother had to run to Target to buy her wide-legged pants after she realized yoga pants wouldn't cut it. She now sleeps on a sofa in her living room, with her husband sleeping on the other sofa. She's also mourning the loss of her much-loved, locally made boots that had to be cut off her body in the ER.

Friends and viewers have flooded Ries' Facebook page with their own stories of falling on the ice, including photos of their own X-rays. "I can't believe how many stories I'm getting," she said. "It's shocking."

Ries said she's unsure when she'll be able to return to the studio, but thought it might not be for at least a month, depending on the healing process.

Despite the pain and the emergency surgery, Ries was in good spirits just three days after the accident.

"Normally when I take this much time off, I get a baby out of the deal," she said, laughing.

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