Roxanne Stein breaks arm during horse jump

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- Many of you have been wondering what happened to Roxanne Stein.

The popular morning co-anchor on WPTV NewsChannel 5 and WFLX Fox 29 has not been on the air since she left on a holiday vacation in December.

Roxanne wants her faithful viewers to know she will be returning, although it might not be for a couple of more weeks at the earliest.

On December 22nd she was riding her horse Bamboo and had an accident.

Roxanne has been riding horses her whole life. It's her passion. But during the second of four equitation classes showing with "Palms Stables" of Wellington, she and her Hanoverian Hunter had a miscommunication on a jump.

Roxanne Stein on Bamboo during her winning ride before her accident. Photo: Steve Moss

Both took a tumble. Roxanne fell clear of Bamboo but her left hand rolled under her body and she suffered a compound fracture. Her ulna bone was broken and her radius bone broke in six places.

Her husband took her to Wellington Regional Medical Center where she was diagnosed with a broken arm near the wrist.

She needed surgery but had to wait until the swelling went down.

On December 28th Nicholas Sama, MD., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, performed an operation that lasted nearly two hours.

He determined that she had a complex fracture of the joint surface of her wrist. He reconstructed the bones with a steel plate and seven screws.

X-ray of Roxanne's arm

She had no use of her limb and couldn't touch, pull, or push.

Roxanne is now undergoing physical therapy. Although she is in pain, she is working hard to get her mobility back.

She is right-handed, but has discovered how much she depends on the use of her left hand.

Roxanne can't drive, and it could be a year before she is fully recovered, but she wants to get back to work as soon as she can.

She is optimistic she will be back in the studio by the end of January.

She says Wellington Regional and Doctor Sama have been wonderful and incredibly supportive. She misses the Today on 5 and Fox 29 family and appreciates all the well wishes.

Her horse Bamboo was not injured. In case you are wondering, she hopes to ride as soon as she's physically able.

You can write to Roxanne and wish her well on her Facebook page by clicking here or visiting: http://on.fb.me/WxjqXM