Shannon’s AchillesBlog

Hola! Sorry I haven’t checked in for a while… Not much has been going on. Just riding the bumps and curves of a life recovering from an atr injury. I was stille quite stuck in the emotional quagmire aspect of the injury. I could have filled a hundred bathtubs with tears. My son went on vaca and suddenly I was left to do everything on my own… The thought was overwhelming and scary, and then…

*badabam, badaboom!*  I got friendly with my aircast (well, friendlier, I supposes). I set up my kitchen to be much easier for me to navigate and started cooking to bounty of produce that I have been getting in my CSA and I started feeling somewhat normal. Phew. I was ready!

The ionto treatment along with daily stretching alleviated all pain in my left Achilles. I received a second treatment today. It has made a world of difference.

Last week I started 25% weight bearing last week and took the last wedge out. Of course I tried to experiment with more weight but pulled back when it got to the level that I call ‘icky discomfort’. My shoulder and hands were achey throughout the week and my booted leg swelled slightly but consistently throughout the week. Especially if I was on it most of the day. It is also elevated less now. I had enough discomfort through these changes to take a Vicodin on two occasions this week. I was also told that I could start sleeping without the boot. Guess what? I kept it for a night or two, then wore it 1/2 of the night for a couple of days, but now I have been boot free for 2 nights.

After most of a lackluster (but at least NOT catastrophically emotional) week at 25% I kept trying a bit more weight. I continued to have jolty/hot/pins and needles pain  when I would roll through to my toes and is I would back off.  Monday I could do it I have been walking gently (not jerky and rough) with one crutch (and even a little without). It now feels right and ready. Yesterday I carried a plate of my hot lunch across the room. No Tupperware - a plate, a plate with no cover! For the first time I am actually starting to see the light. Today I was officially supposed to start 50%, 75% next Tuesday and 100% the following week (will be my 12th week). What a long strange trip it’s been