They call them “Pump Bumps”

Here I am, 5 weeks post op, PWB, still using the crutches and boot cast.  The stitches came out 2 weeks ago (I removed the ones the surgeon missed)  I was able to go back to work, desk work only, at my desk in the basement of the Home Services office that I work for.  I’d much rather be out seeing my patients, but then they would focus on me and my foot rather than letting me focus on them.

I am frustrated with my perception of the slow healing process and my inability to work in my normal capacity as a home services nurse.

On the positive side, I AM enjoying my temporary handicap tag when I go shopping and get to park in the good spots and even use the motorized carts at the “big box” stores!  My husband has been great about helping around the house and taking care of me through this (we’ll be celebrating 23 years of marriage on the 6th of this month)

Well, thanks for letting me vent, I don’t let these feelings out at home with my husband because then he gets as frustrated as I do (bless his heart)

I had my surgery on July 29th in Indianapolis.  Today is day three post op and the pain is kicking in now that the Bier Block has worn off.  The surgeon took out a couple of bone spurs that had broken off and embedded into my tendon and removed a polyp.  What the heck is that doing in my heel???  The bone has been shaved down and tendon reattached.  

I’m not weight bearing at the present, crutches aren’t much use because the other foot needs to be done as well, so I found that a task chair (the small desk chair on wheels) comes in handy for mobility and I can chair surf around the house!  Watch the tail, cat, here I come!

I finally talked my very conservative podiatrist into a referral to a surgeon. I had an appointment with my podiatrist Thursday (7/4), who wanted to try physical therapy again. I have maxed my podiatry portion out of my insurance, so everything from here on is mine, unless I fight with the insurance company.

Monday, (7/7) I will see the the surgeon and hopefully set a date to get these half walnut shell sized things off my heels!

Thanks for the input and support. I called my podiatrist’s office to see if I could get in sooner, a whole 4 days sooner. The right heel now has some indentations and I’ve lost some of my range of motion in my foot. One of the patients I saw a couple of weeks ago had the same thing done recently, the tendon ruptured, and she told me that my heels look a lot worse than hers did when she had her rupture. This is scary! I’m just glad there are others out there who have gone through this and I can read your blogs, thanks for helping me through this!

Hello out there. I have had problems with my achilles tendons since I was in basic training in the Army 25 years ago. Now I have not “officially” been diagnosed with having tears in them, but all the signs and symptoms are there. I’ve been to the podiatrist who took x-rays and told me I have calcaneal spurs (”Pump “Bumps”), talked me into cortisone injections (OMG, that hurt like HECK!!!), physical therapy with iontophoresis using cortisone, then, later, acetic acid. I kept telling the podiatrist that it feels like somebody has kicked me in the backs of the heels or like a stone bruise. This has been going on for more than 6 months. I have another appointment with him early in July when he will finally refer me to a surgeon. I have worn a night splint for the past 6 months to help relieve the symptoms and excruciating pain.

I’m a home health nurse and I spend several hours on the road, driving from one home to the next, and when I get out of the car, it’s very hard for me to walk. I get shooting and stabbing pains in my heels even when I don’t move my feet.

Anything anybody can do to help me figure out what to do next, or what to ask for, by all means, I’m happy to listen!

It’s nice to meet ya’ll!