Week 6 - Nah much…
Well, not much to report. Actually I forgot what week recovery I was in today! I guess that means I’m in the phase called “acceptance”. 
I’ve abandoned my idea of aggressive recovery based on feedback from others. So thanks again folks - Djcarranza, 2ndtimer, Smoley, for keeping me practical and safe!
Tape was falling off mostly so I just took the hanging pieces off. Scar is not bad.
Scar healing...
I’ve gone outside a few times, not for very long distance or time. Yesterday started out with the girlfriend and I struggling to figure out something we could do together that wasn’t just sitting indoors. Normally, on such a nice day, we’d go for a nice fall hike on a trail… I admit it crosses my mind about 20 times a day when I see the sun shining brightly, only to get the proverbial hook pulling me back to reality. It became a busy day of shopping, Dragon’s Den and episode of Mad Men (only season finale left!). By the end of the day the foot was sore, but I think mostly from being on my feet for a few hours.
It always feels good to get out of the aircast after you’ve been in it for a while, that’s for sure.
Target Wed. Nov 25, week 8 for what I hope is final doc visit and beginning of physio. Technically I’m supposed to go back to the office full-time on Nov. 23, I’m hoping I can still have at least a day a week from home if I’m also going to be doing physio (I plan to consult about aggressive recovery) to make things a bit more convenient to get back to 100%..
We shall see.
The bright side is that with the calendar year changing over at Dec 31, it should be good balance of my limit for physio expenses through work.
I have to say it is very nice to see others making progress!!
For now, I’ll just be a Dreamer for now and try to keep patient ‘Til I Am Myself Again…
Jenn Grant - Dreamer (great indie-folk singer!)
Blue Rodeo - Till I Am Myself Again (classic Canadian Rock band)
Cheers everyone!
B
Filed under: Uncategorized and
Very nice scar Bigred! It seems very thin!
Yes, we will have to make up for the lost milage on the trails next year…. Till then, try some people watching at the neighbourhood cafe. Shopping is the worst enemy, never realized it takes so much time till every minute on my feet counted heavily!
Hey Brian:
I agree- scar looks most excellent. I saw my Doc Wednesday and was given the go ahead to “bear weight as tolerated.” So I’ve been going 2 crutches and trying to find the happy balance between progress and risk. I am with you on the “acceptance” phase idea. This feels a lot like a plateau and I have to remind myself that if patience truly is a virtue, I should work on gettin’ some. I spoke with a friend today who did this last year. Because of his tear, and a conservative doc, he was in a cast to his THIGH for 6 weeks! He is playing soccer now and assured me that I have to trust that the rehab will come and not let the frustration cause me to do something stupid. After a couple of hours moving on with life I have foot/ankle-swelling. Do you get that? If so, do you stop and elevate or just forge ahead?
Kathy
bigred, how’s everything. i see we had surgery just a few days apart, and was wonder how far along you’ve been coming. i’ve noticed my doctor has had a more conservative approach, after surgery i was in a hard cast (also up to my thigh) for six weeks, and he didn’t put me in a boot, right to wearing a sneaker with some heel insert. i’ve been going to therapy for a week and a half now, and have noticed a lot of improvement in my range of motion, but my foot is still very stiff, and i when i first move it in the morning i need a little assistance from my hands.
hope everything is going great for you
don
Bigred - that’s one sexy little scar you’ve got there! And off to the side too, so it won’t rub on your shoes.
We’ve had a lovely autumn here too and it breaks my heart to see dog and husband go off for a romp in the woods without me. But won’t be too long before I can join them. Funnily enough, dog has developed a mystery limp in her front left leg. Can’t see anything wrong with it so reckon she’s taking the p**s out of me!
I like the neighbourhood cafe idea - as long as it is one of those special cafes where they serve beer!
Smoley
Hi Bigred, wow that’s an excellent scar and healing. I’m around 7 weeks post-surgery and I still have quite a piece of dried blood at the lower part of the incision which really restricts my ROM. I got into the boot last week and will remain NWB for another 3 weeks. Like Kathy above, I’m experience some swelling around the foot and ankle, especially at the end of the day. Just wondering if you have any of these conditions?
Good luck with your recovery!
Mike
***2ntimer: Thanks for the tip on people watching at a cafe! Great idea!!
***Kath: yes, I do get swelling after a while around the ankle and foot as well. I haven’t really worried about it during the day, I just “inspect” my foot afterward at the end of the day/night. I figure if it’s not causing me pain, then it’s not a big deal. I know that the aircast doesn’t have the greatest cushioning for me to walk around all day with it, especially on concrete. As fyi, when I’m not standing, I do tend to elevate the leg on the couch. I wonder if it’s my subconscious thinking it’s a good thing since I did the same while in the hard cast. Other than that, how are things on your side? I know you were having a bit of a rough go sleeping at night, are things more comfortable now? Are you still wearing the aircast at night?
***Doster: Nice to meet a compatriot in the same rupture to recovery timeframe.
I’m amazed you fast-forwarded to shoe so quickly. Very cool to start the physio and seeing progress. Congrats!
For me, I have “okay” ROM when wiggling the foot. I recall that when I first moved out of the hard cast, my tendon was VERY tight/hard to the touch, so I wonder if it may explain your limited ROM.
Currently my tendon has gotten more relaxed, but I don’t have full strength to step/push off with achilles, and my brain tries to save me by trying not to twist the foot, so I’m taking it easy for now until physio starts to get the official treatments.
I must admit the aircast makes me feel much more confident to walk around outside and go up & down stairs. I have on the occasion walked around inside in sandals, and feel okay, but definitely don’t feel the confidence in my step without the “restraint”. My step in a sandal is more lifting my foot along. If I try a “real” step, there’s some discomfort so I try to avoid it.
***Smoley: perhaps your dog is acting out “sympathy pains”? Hope it’s nothing worse! I never really thought about the benefit of having the scar off to the side a bit. I was a bit curious but forgot to ask! Interesting.
***Michael: though my photo doesn’t show it very well, I have some dried blood at the bottom of the scar too. And actually I’ve re-bandaged that spot because I didn’t like the look of it and thought it best to get it to scab up again and heal. But it doesn’t seem to impair ROM for me.
***To everyone: All the best on your recoveries, here’s to taking it easy!
Brian
Brian:
I made it exactly 1 1/4 nights with the boot at night. Into hour 2 on night 2, the room was filled with that sound of undoing the velcro with wild abandon and I never looked back! I had a great physio (we are all starting to get a little British, sounds so much cooler than PT) today and it was with a different person w/ more experience in this area. My other guy is good, but I feel like he was okay with just getting me functioning, as opposed to active. The woman today had me on the bike to warm up, starting a balance board (seated!), and doing some strengthening for the rest of my wasted left leg. Also worked on my PWB gait so that I get out of the habit of doing that “lifting the foot” thing that you mentioned above. She really stressed the importance of regaining my ROM to get the swelling down, too. I feel like there is hope, if I can just get over the fear of hurting it! I’m not working so I go bootless (and shoeless) at home and wear the boot for protection when I am out in the world. The type of boot I have prohibits a normal stride because of the big sole so I seem to make more progress without it. Therapist encouraged this plan, too.
Good luck everybody… we shall overcome!