AnnieH’s blog

Well I have finally achieved one of my goals which was to walk from my house down to the Village and back a walk of about 1.5 miles, I walked quite well on the way down, using just the 1 cruch for security really, strode out quite well, the journey back was harder because although it looks flat it is actually slightly uphill all the way and steps were much shorter.  Normally a walk into the Village would take me less than 10 minutes but today it took 30 minutes.  I will do it in less time on my next trip.

Having got into the Village I had a dental appointment which lasted 75 minutes, this was to continue treatment started in March but because of my achilles problem I put the appointment off.  Anyway, had the preparatory work for two crowns done and second appointment next Monday.

So with the walking and the dental work I feel a bit exhausted but exhilarated at the same time because I walked such a long way so I will spend some time watching the Olympics.  Saw some badminton yesterday, it was fantastic, I played Badders for 20 years but not that well, just liked the game.  Andy Murry played Tennis today and lost but we did get an unexpected Gold and Bronze in the ladies swimming. 

Well after relying on people to take me around and about for the last few months, I have done it  -  I have actually been out on my own.

Well almost……. -  My husband drove me into Manchester and dropped me off, I then proceeded to walk over our newly cobbled streets (looks nice but awful to walk on very slippy and uneven).  I only had one crutch with me as it was pouring down with rain so I needed other hand free for the umbrella.  

I negotiated the cracks in the pavements, the slippy cobbled sets, crossed over several roads reaching the pedestrionised area in St Ann’s Square where my hairdressers was.  I was relieved to get inside and take a deep breath.

I did think I might ring Martin to come and pick me up but I thought no… I’ve made it this far I can go and get the bus, I managed to walk past Marks & Spencers without calling in for a cake … and carried on to the bus stop.  I could see the bus coming down the road and I thought, please stop at the traffic lights, which it did, and that allowed me just enough time to walk briskly to the stop and get the bus.

So, now I’ve been let loose there will be no stopping me now.  Look out Manchester here I come…

I feel as if I have been set free.

Annie

Just read this article about Curtis Davies who sustained his achilles injury in March, wasn’t expected to return to football until October, but played yesterday in a friendly, last time I saw him being interviewed he was wearing the boot and talking about getting back into the first team by Christmas, well done I say to you Curtis….

“Aston Villa’s defensive concerns will have eased somewhat with the news that Curtis Davies has come through a friendly game to make his return from a serious injury.

The former West Brom defender, who was called up for England by Fabio Capello last season, played 60 minutes of a behind closed doors fixture against Notts County at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground.

His appearance marks a significant milestone in his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon sustained in March, and comes as something of a surprise given he was expected to be absent until October with the problem.

“I feel great,” Davies told the club’s official website. “It was a good game to get 60 minutes in.

“I felt I could have played the whole 90 but I’ll take it slowly, one day at a time and see how I came through it.”

I hope he does well and gives us all hope - just checking blogs whilst it is half-time in the Manchester City FC EUEFA Cup game, 0-0 so far, City should be 10 - 0 up by now!!  Come on you Blues !!!

Annie

Well, at last, 14 weeks post op and today my Physiotherapist and the Consultant were happy that I was at last showing some signs of improvement.

The physio wrote to my Consultant so he had a better idea of what types of treatment she had been giving me.   Lots of ultrasound, laser and megapulse treatments along with all the exercises I have to do at home and at work.  She had been quite concerned about the swelling, circulation and heel pain.

The heel pain which I still have all the time, is, according to the Consultant  the extreme tightness of the tendon and the fact there is a lot of fluid still in my leg and hardened areas around the scar.  He assures me it is not a ‘heel spur’ or a ‘neuroma’ which is what the physio was worried it might be.  Consultant thinks that over the next 3 or 4 weeks as the tendon hopefully becomes more supple that the pain will ease.

Both of them were pleased with the way I was walking  without crutches, much less of a limp now, and I actually ventured out from my office and walked on the very dodgy pavements and crossed a narrow road to post some letters - without crutches - it wasn’t far but I felt I had achieved a great deal.   Have to admit to being very nervous in case a car approached too fast as I crossed the road but all was OK.

Anyway, I am really beginning to see the light at the end of the very long dark tunnel.  Cannot wait to get out and do some gardening!

Regarding my other injuries which happened at the same time, the bits of loose bone in my knee - the Consultant thinks he can treat with a local anaesthetic and take out the bits of bone, the right ankle he said will need to be operated on (an arthroscopy) as soon as possible.  I will go ahead with both of these two mini-operations only when my achilles leg is strong enough.

Thanks to you all for your help so far I am having a day off work tomorrow and going to my sons flat, hopefully to sit on his balcony in the sunshine and watching the world go by, the view from the back of his flat is over the canal so that will be very restful watching the ducks, geese and longboats go by.

Now I cannot wait to get my Achilles.Blog T-shirts which I will be so happy to wear!!

Hi all,

I know my recovery has been longer than some, my age is aginst me, but this morning I went to physio and for the first time I went into the gym, did a few exercises then she wanted me to hold onto the wall bars and rise up on my toes, which I did 10 times.  Then she asked me to put my good foot to the side for balance only, not to put weight on it and try and rise up with my bad leg….. nothing….. absolutely nothing…. I was quite dismayed, thought I might have been able to lift the heel a little bit.

Am I a long way behind others?   It is 14 weeks since my operation now.  Did a few more exercises but could feel nothing in the bad leg from the knee down, did feel strain behind knee but that was all.  I see my Consultant next Wednesday and my physio said if I wasn’t seeing him anyway she would have asked for an early appointment.  Should I be worried.  Still have bad circulation and a lot of swelling around the ankle area.

Went to see my physio this morning and she also was surprised at how swollen and blotchy/blue my leg was.  My ankle is very swollen and red and the heel pain is no better. 

She decided that we should not do any stretching exercises and she concentrated on ultrasound and laser treatment on my heel to try and reduce swelling.  She is also going to send a report to my Consultant who I see on 23 July.  She asked if I normally had problems with circulation which I don’t really have - the only times I do have problems is in the very cold winter when the tips of my fingers go white, but no other problems as such.

She wants me to rest much more and go back to PWB, she also thinks my progress is quite slow so I wasn’t too happy to say the least.   I have to keep doing my normal exercises at home.   I see her again on Wednesday if I still have the same pain she said she might suggest an x-ray to see if there are any ’spurs’ in the heel.

Have just taken her advice and sat and watched the mens doubles (the oldies) and my all time favourite Henry Leconte made me laugh out loud, so that was good.  Venus has just won ladies final. 

Anyone else had such pain in their heel?

Added just now:

Was just telling Nerys I had been watching a DVD which my husband and I were extras in a few years ago, it was about  Manchester City FC so I googled it and, shock horror, there on the site was a picture of me….

 It isn’t a great pic but that is me top right, wearing a big grin (and glasses) to the right of Ray Winstone and Gina McKee.. The film in case anyone is interested in it was - There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble - we had a great time during the filming so it brought back happy memories and took my mind of my heel pain for a few minutes…

I know it was mentioned in posts yesterday and I commented that I was sitting at home watching the tennis in agony with my leg in the air.

Well, it has continued, was awake all night and had to get up at 2:30 a.m. to take some painkillers, still in agony today at work, don’t know whether to laugh or cry, leg swollen and blue.  The pain is awful and is constantly there.  My heel is very sensitive and very hot, but do not think it is any kind of infection, keep putting ice pack on floor of office and resting my foot on it to try and get some relief.

Due at physio Saturday morning and will see what she says.

Going to my brothers 60th birthday party tonight so will have to be very brave and just keep smiling!!!

Annie

As if things aren’t bad enough, my husband and I got to our office this morning, we run our own accountancy practice, got inside and the whole office had been trashed and I mean trashed, when the Police arrived they said they had never seen anything so bad, they poured sand inside all the computers, fax machines, telephones, keyboards etc.  Threw all our clients files, papers, bills and receipts into a pile on the floor and mixed them up.  It will take us months, if ever, to sort it out.

Got home late feeling drained, tired and which one hugely swollen, throbbing leg, and tomorrow will be just the same,….. what do they say, rest, put your feet up, take life quietly.  We have had one disaster after another, when does it end.????

Anyway, will go a rest my tired legs and look forward to another day.

 Just an example of the mess, we have 6 rooms, a store room, a   loft   and a kitchen and they all look similar to this.

I’m not a religious type, but if any of you are, then say a little prayer for us as we try and put our office back to how it was.  A let me have a little rest.

This is my leg five days after the cast was removed.  This was taken early morning, by the end of the day the ankle area is very swollen and sore which I presume applies to all of us.

Had my first physio on Saturday and although she thought the scar was quite good she was a little concerned about the colour of the leg and asked if I had problems with my circulation.  I did say my fingers and toes whent white in the winter!!!

She said I would need at least 6 weeks physio because the leg was very hard and tight.  Apparently the rupture was very severe, much worse than I thought.  Also, there is a concern that I might have an internal stitch that has not dissolved, she will give it a little more time but thought I would have to see the specialist again just to have it checked out.  I go again on Thursday so will see what she says then.

It is still more painful walking without the security of the cast, but I can now manage quite well with just one crutch giving me a free hand.

Have put a comment on the site about ROM, I do not know this expression and wonder if someone could fill me in if this is an exercise I should be doing.

Thanks for your comments re ‘Cracking up’..  I have sat down and analysed what I think is wrong with me.

• Yes I think it was the insecurity of walking without the support of the cast.
• I now look forward to operation on my right ankle
• Then have to sort out knee cartilage problems (sustained when I fell and did my achilles)
• My GP in her wisdom has taken me off HRT which I have been on for over 20 years
• I have lost a filling from my tooth and cannot get to Dentist
• Have a condition called Trigeminal Neuralgia which is extremely painful (and quite rare)
• My 92 year old mother in law (who lives with us) fell a couple of weeks ago and broke 3 ribs so needs a lot of care 
• Lack of proper sleep
• Looking at the state of the house and garden, which is all in a mess and I am a tidy freak usually
• My hiatus hernia is causing me problems because I took some ibuprofen last night
• My sons flat was flooded in January and builders have only just turned up yesterday to start the repairs as it took so long to dry out…

Does that sound a good enough reason to feel down today..??  If so I promise to get back to my positive side tomorrow.  Going to take some painkillers tonight as my leg is quite red and swollen today