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Good to hear from you erie! I was just thinking this a.m. that we hadn’t heard from you in a while. You’re just 4 weeks ahead of me, you’re definately further along in progress. My doc on Monday said no jogging. So, I have to wait until after my next appt, October 3rd, to see if I can “jog-ish”. Good job on the workouts! I can’t wait to get back into the full swing of things. This half ass stuff is nice sometimes but other times i just think, forget it.

This IS a very conservative approach. Honestly, I can’t say that PT makes all the difference… feel like my leg would be getting slowly better anyway… but it does make me feel like I’m doing SOMETHING to help the situation. I think discomfort is part of the injury… don’t think there’s any avoiding it. Whenever you do more, your leg will respond with a little pain. So I’m not sure it matters whether you push it now or later. Question: how’s your walking? Feeling good? Looking good?

That laptop is tough - what make is it
Its amazing how easily we take our independance for granted and how much it means to us when it is taken away. The internet has taken the place of TV, something we cant live without. You should get a cheap IBM or something from eBay and keep it as a reserve for emergencies.
The piano is a magnificent instrument, I cant play but my mother can play by ear. The piano can convey every mood and emotion effortlessly (to the listener!). To also beat the boredom I was thinking of getting a keyboard to teach me the basics. I have no idea about them but if you have any tips for makes/model that would help me out.
If you dont like spiders you could get a pet Bat or Owl Hopefully your spiders are not poisonous?

Screwdriver - I went to 1st PT yestreday and today I have a massive improvement in how my leg feels. The mobility has increased a huge amount and a lot of the stiffness has gone. I was told when I got the boot that I should be able to catch up (why that other Cast dude chose to arue with the surgeon about putting me in a boot I will never know) and thats how it looks now. In the house I can walk with one crutch easily. Im over the moon. Had my first shower on two legs!
You are right about the soccer socks, wore mine today and no problems. My foot is still quite swollen; I must remember to wiggle toes often and do the ROM exercises frequently (I didnt today at work).
The boot is even higher than my running shoes; looks like I will have to visit a retro shop and get some 70’s heels

Hi Hilary13,

You are now in the worst phase. I think weeks 3-5 are the worst. Just keep blogging. Kinda like “just keep swimming….” Assuming you know Nemo…Hang in there!!

Once you make it through the worst…you can start looking back. TRUST ME. I’ve been having issues with a sore leg this week, which sucks but its sore from WALKING. How can I complain about that? I still do, but when I start complaining to myself, I try look back on how far i’ve come. Its day to day.

glad you’re still connected. I couldn’t do this injury without the computer (or my job!). I admit that I cried when I dropped a fork with chili all over it on the kitchen floor b/c no one was there to help pick it up and clean the floor. I mean…how? Anyway…glad you are back on line.

BTW - I just got my grand piano about week before the injury and I was bummed about not being able to play this gorgeous instrument, I now have a series of handles, bars, and leg support set up around it so I’m a happy Chopin practicing player again. You’ll get there.

KKdub

Great post! Sexy scar and hoisery! Thanks for pointing out where your fingers started the scar, b/c you give me hope that I’ll start fading up there soon too!

Glad you feel so good about starting to walk. I’m just thrilled - just little steps but I can see a great future ahead of carrying the mail, wine, and coffee.

kkdub

Hi,
congratualtions! I will be wearing 2 shows next week, do you have any advise on what to expect? I am really scared my foot still feels a lot sore and weak. I hate and love my aircast boot at the same time since I feel protected of anything hitting my foot you know what I mean. Well enjoy your recovery and I hope I hear from you soon

Thanks! I live in Central New Jersey, so I usually golf at public courses around here. Hope your recovery is going well!

Hey Dennis

When was the ATR bikini party and why wasn’t I invited??

Doc Ross

Congrats! Enjoy this milestone.

Laurie,

Wouldn’t have put you down as a Sun reader but.. WOW, what an absolutely awful tragic horrific story, it really did make my toes curl, what kind of sick women could do that to anyone. Horrendous.

Annie

I agree with Jon,

Here in ‘rainy’ Manchester we have had the central heating on in the office for the last few days, crazy!! We are hoping the sun might stay with us today as my hubby has tried for the last few days to get to watch Lancashire Cricket club play but we have had some torrential rain, and more predicted for the weekend.

Don’t want it to be scortching hot, just a nice summer temperature where I could get out into the garden sometime.

Annie

Hi… I’m non surgical, but still in cast for 3 weeks or so, then the NHS skiboot and physio.

Co-incidentally there is a third non-op John on the site, who is well on the way to full recovery, have a look for a blog by JohnK

Feels Ok this morning. I did take a couple of ibuprofen and the tingling as settled. Certainly I didn’t feel any tear or pop so I think it was just a little scare and reminder to be mega careful all the time. Shiny side up definitely best!

I can’t believe you guys are complaining about the heat?!
It’s August 7th and it’s rained off and on here (just outside Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK) for about a week and I’ve got cold toes!

At least I won’t have ridiculous tan-lines I suppose.

Fancy a swap?

Jon

laurie,
since I’ve been on crutches I’ve inadvertantly put weight down 3 times, all when crutch was put down on liquid on the floor. I had the same twinge of pain but it subsided after an hour or so and with the help of some ibuprofen.

As my motorbike buddies say ” be careful and try and stay ’shiny side up’”.

Keep smiling,
Jon

To somewhat quote Homer Simpson, “Mmmmm beer!”
I’m enjoying it now because once I start heavy training again it will become scare once again. Single malts, well that is a different story. Feel free to come over and have a few with me at any time.

You got some intense PT going. I don’t do any of my exercises there. But you are at a different stage than me. I am not supposed to do any specific strength exercises yet. No tightness up the leg, but my heel just hurts more as I move around and stand on it.

Yes, this experience sucks but I am sure we’ve all learned a lot. Gaining more appreciation for family, and the smaller things in life that we probably took for granted before.

Be a true Canadian and drink beer!
I suggest Nickelbrook, Kawartha Lakes Brewery, Keith’s, Steamwhistle or Sleeman. Yup, all Canadian brews.

Hoss,

Nice to hear you are happy with your progress so far. I must agree with this process as well. I spend at least an hour and a half at PT starting with 10-15 on bike. Then deep massage, which is very painful, ultrasound, laser and electric stimulus therapy with the resistance band. I then finish up with weights for the quad/ham…After all of that I use heat therapy for 10-15 minutes. I feel better and stronger after each session.

At first I felt it was very tight lower on the achilles, but now it seems to be getting more loose and the tightness is moving up the leg. Do you get the same sensation?

I started driving 2 weeks ago and I welcome getting such an important aspect of my life back. I am FWB, but I use the boot most of the time when walking. I do test my gait without the boot and I see the progression as there is less of a limp each time.

I still can’t believe this happened to me, however I know that there is a lesson to be had with this entire experience. I feel that I am a better person and it has opened my eyes to aspects of my life that I took for granted. I think most people would feel the sam

Hey Jon,

Sounds like we’re in the same boat. My rupture occurred near the same location. My ortho said that non-surgical treatment was the only option.

John

I can relate to that. I get home from light duty @ the unACed lifeguard staiton,and ac is like a drug. Let me tell you, N FL in August is HOT. Not to say that LA isn’t , but our humidity is legendary. I am thankful I can can take off my boot for a minute or two. Stay cool. Matt

gottheboot,
check my blog site regarding my Pt appt. I probably should have replied to you on your site…..sorry.. I gave you a blow-by-blow account of my PT adventure, but wrote it out on my site.

Hi gottheboot,
I also felt my first therapy session went well. Not much range of motion here, so that’s what they are going to be working. First, they wrapped my leg in a warm pack for 10 min., then on to ultrasound massage. On to the exercises: they put a towell on the floor and had me try to grab the towell with my toes for 5 min……didn’t do so good on that one Next, they dumped a bunch of marbles on the towell and set a mug down and I had to pick up as many marbles, with my toes, while dumping them in the mug……They gave me 5 min. for that exercise also. I think it took me at least 2 min. to get one marble in the mug. But, by the end , my brain got my toes moving and I actually got 22 marbles into the mug. Yay Me!! Next, onto a wobbly board, that I rocked back and forth,( while sitting in a chair) forwards, backwards and to both sides. Last, was this blue foot rocker thing that you put the bad foot on and while standing, and holding onto a table facing sideways (bad explanation) you stretch the calf/tendon by rocking and holding for count of 5 for 5 minutes. Then, my therapist also did the deep massage around

i hope you did not lose anything from the 2 weeks extra youve been in the cast.

a piece of advice but you might have figured it out already . get a shoe that matches the boot in height and use it IN THE HOUSE . i know a lot of us walk barefoot inside but walking with both leg lenght the same will save you a lot of aches and pains .avoid as much as possible walking with one foot in the boot and one foot with none .

alos your soccer socks will come i handy - when i got my boot - i tried different socks and i find the soccer type socks felt the best .

good luck and take care man.

I like that title - no, this injury will never make us smarter! I keep telling myself: Mary, you wanted to have a break, you LOVE films and books and Internet, now you get to do it for months on end! Be Happy!!! But no, of course, now that I can and must take this extended vacation, I get fed up with all the waiting and passive activities.

So…it’s onward, onward, onward, and take NO FALSE STEPS!

Good going, it sounds like you are well on your way. I went to work a couple of times 2 days after my Op! Not good - foot swelled big so I stayed home for 2 weeks. I have a desk job and the docs were happy as long as I was static with my leg up. Im surprised the doc says “No” to work after 10weeks and you dont seem to have any complications (I havent read all your blogs); maybe you could get other opinons from different doctors about this? I dont get paid either if Im not in work so I know your concern about paying the rent and stuff. Good to see you are healing well and on your way to a well earned “parole” and release from the confinement of crutches and the clod-hopper Keep it going, mate!

I’m up here in San Francisco and Oakland, and it’s been a very blessedly cool summer. I wonder, would it be better to have this injury in winter - but then it’s raining, so that’s hard, too. You can have the heat down there in LA!

But Batman was worth it right?

Hey Stageogre - heard you saw Tanya downtown yesterday. she says you’re getting along pretty well from what she could tell - good job! Sorry you had a set back this weekend.

I too am officially tired of this. I’m back up elevated and icing all day today b/c I left the house for a couple hours to the spa yesterday and my foot is now objecting. Mostly in my heel and incision.

Hi Ben
I also tore my achilles from the heel bone. At first it was thought to be a small tear so the conservative approach was taken and I was put in a cast for 4 weeks in hopes it would start to heal. When that didn’t happen surgery was scheduled for June 3 and at that time they found that it had pulled from the heel bone . I am now 9 weeks post surgery(5 weeks in a cast & 4 weeks and counting in a boot) Started therapy today and it went well. I have been allowed to drive for the past 3 weeks. Because its my right achilles, I take the boot off, slip on a shoe while driving and them put the boot back on when I get out of the vehicle. I’ve also been allowed walking in the house only without the boot. Ahhhh bare feet on bare floors. I’ll be trying to go back to work on the 18th with the boot at first. For me the pain & swelling has been minimal. At 58 yrs old I thought this was going to be one of those forever healing processes and although it’s been a long haul, it appears from what I read I’m no slower or speedier to heal than anyone else. I think the healing process is a little different for each one of us. Goo

Mine still swells also, but I sit in an office chair all day.
I ice/elevate when I get home from work.
Last night as I was putting away the peas, I thought to myself, while glaring at the peas, I’m never eating peas again. As if I thought they would hear me. LOL.
This injury is making me question my mental stability.

Hi zurichfan-

You know what? The last 2-3 days for me have not been good ones. I’m having calf pain also. Of course, I had an Ortho appt on Monday. I normally have really good range of motion but on Monday (dammit!) my calf, ankle and tendon were so tight. The doc pushed my foot back, it didn’t budge past 90. I can flex my foot and get it almost even with the good one, but NO, not on the day I visit the ortho. Needless to say, I got coached on stretching, blah, blah, blah.

That’s quite the tape job. I can’t decide if it looks more like a wishbone, or a pilsner glass. Maybe I need a wish and a beer? LOL

Keep us posted. I’m curious since i’m within 2 weeks of you.

Hi Marianne
Just got back from my first therapy session. I thought it went well. Did a lot of range of motion measurements and then a deep massage around the incision site. Went through a routine of excercises to do at home and ended with ice pack and elevated leg/foot for 10 minutes. Was sent home with the list of exercises to do and another appointment for Friday. All was painless. Apparently 2 visits per week for the next 6 weeks. Next milestone will be going back to work on the 18th (with my boot on & hopefully not for too long). I’m already allowed to walk without it in the house only (what a treat). Shoes next. Woohoo! Amazing the little things we take for granted like a stroll bare footed across the floor. Hope your therapy went as well as mine. Let me know.

Laurie,

It won’t be the last time either that you do something like that. I have done similar many times over the last few months.

Sometimes we are just too careful. I think you do just need to keep it iced, elevated and rest a bit more.

Hope your daughter wasn’t upset at what happened.

Annie

Does anyone know what NWB exercises I can do while still in my cast? My calf has atrophied a lot and now my upper leg is looking puny. Has anyone tried to strengthen the leg before going FWB?

Doc Ross - good to know. I’m getting more numb by the day, but Im more active at almost six weeks now and I just went FWB. Its really annoying, but happy to be getting around a little better.

Back to bed and rest for you. I hope its not serious.

Jenny.

Nothing to worry about. As you progress different muscles will “come alive” again after being dormant. As long as it lasts only 24-48 hours there is nothing to be concerned about. If it lasts longer and increases in severity check with the surgeon. Also you may notice other toes, front of your leg as well as the thigh muscles going thru the same thing.
Progress can be stressful.
Let me know if you have other questions.

Doc Ross

I took my husband to all of my appts except the one I had on Monday. I didn’t have a choice, he had to drive me there anyway plus it was an extra sounding board. My husband asked questions that I had mentioned at home and clarifying questions different than mine. Beware of who you take with you….your guest and the Doc may gang up and pick on you! I speak from experience!

Hi, I’ve just discovered this site through a good friend, and after seeing that everyone likes it here, I am considering opening my own blog here! Keep up the good work.

Mario, hope surgery goes well for you today. Remember to keep that leg elevated, and don’t be afraid to take your pain medication for the first few days. It will be tough at times, but following in the footsteps of this big group of people who have been there, you’ll make it. Think of it as a chance to enjoy some relaxing time with your wife over the next 2+ months, as you wait for the newest member of your family.

Nice going, kkdub! My experience was that once you took the first few steps without the crutches, it all came back quickly. Be sure to smile as you change your status from PWB to FWB!

Nice pics, Brendan, and congratulations on your continued healing! Keep us up-to-date on any new milestones.

I’m only a week or so ahead of you, and I have some similar symptoms: numbness on the top of my foot, and pain around the incision.

I’ve attributed the pain on the incision to scar tissue, it seems to hurt most the day after a good rub down in PT.

I’ve attributed the numbness to the constricted blood flow due to swelling. The numbness isn’t nearly as bad as it was right after surgery, and I’ve read that it isn’t un-common to experience some numbness for up to 6 months.

I just consider these reminders that it is a long healing process and try to make comparissons with where I’m at on a weekly or even monthly basis as opposed to a daily one.

Love the kid train! I told my husband last time we were at the bike shop that we should get a “bicycle built for two.” Then if I my leg gets tired you can pedal. “Hell no! I carted your a@@ around for two months in a car, what makes you think I want to continue? And on a bike no less?” The sympathy stopped as soon as I dropped the crutches!!

Needless to say, we still each have our own bikes.

Great Pics,

and, you can go up on your toes!!! Fantastic

Annie