Week 10 - “These things have a habit of getting better on their own”
Quick report from another doc appt at hospital…
Doc: Start walking in 2 shoes, keep rotating foot, come back to my office in 6 weeks.
Me: That was exactly what you said the last time.
Doc: Yes, so keep doing it.
Me: What about physio?
Doc: No, not yet. These things have a habit of getting better on their own. Just take it easy, it’s Christmas time and they’ll probably be closed anyway.
Me: But isn’t physio better to help get better faster?
Doc: Okay, come see me in 4 weeks.
Aughhhh! What the heck doc?
Well, considering I’m 2 weeks since getting back in 2 shoes, I walk with a slight limp still, but not too bad. Almost a real walking stride when I really focus, but not really.
This first song sort of expresses my frustration in music. 
And wanted to post another song from a new band I recently learned about: Frightened Rabbit, from Scotland. Their album is fantastic!
All the best to everyone in their recoveries! I am thankful with where I am in the process, though I still wish I could get better faster. I’m going to take it easy over the next while, so hope it’s not too premature to say Happy Christmas, Hannakuh and Holidays to everyone! I love this time of year! Cheers!
Brian
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B-
Kind of funny that my anti-spam phrase for this comment is “get better.” I have been going to PT twice a week. Maybe this stuff will help. I see 3 different people b/c of scheduling and here is what I get out of it: One thinks the key is strengthening of bum leg and has me do various leg extensions and lifts. Two says I gotta stretch so has me focused on basic calf/tendon (runner warm-up) standing stretches and theraband stretches. Three just keeps saying, “Gee. It’s still so tight.”, and makes me feel hopeless and eventually leads to tears, usually in the car on the way home. They all have me do warm-ups on the bike and all recommend rolling the foot/ankle around on a ball while stuck sitting around. They also agree on the importance of trying to walk w/o limp (so sloooow, so hard) and to help with that I bought a cane on their recommendation. I kept leaning with one crutch, thus the cane. You don’t rely on it so much for WBing, but it helps the stride, maybe w/ balance?? They all do a great massage. I’m pretty diligent about massaging scar because I had adhesions with an arm injury and I’d like to avoid that! No one has given me any ultrasound treatments or anything fancy. I know the frustration of it all and in a way, the thought that these things “get better on their own” gives ME hope because some days I feel like I’ll never walk normally again, much less play tennis and ski.
On another note, my mp3 player is going to thank you for all of the new tunes!
K.
I wonder why some docs do not like physio….
Anyways, you can always go to a clinic, and pay out of pocket.
OHIP covers only at the hospital - and they may be too busy, or closed for the holidays indeed… To build the calf muscle back and get into good habits it would be useful. Or you can try on your own - the pool would be a good place to start - but do not slip there!
It is annoying how casual so many docs are about how long we are out of commission, isn’t it? They do the surgery, see us for a few minutes now and then over the next few months, and seem to give little thought to our recoveries and how they impact our lives. I had a mixed experience with my ATR.
On one hand, I’m very unlucky to have a big, strong daughter with autism and severe behavior problems, so any time is a terrible time to have an injury like this. On the other hand, I’m very lucky because my doc put me in a removable splint after my surgery, which left me free to use my medical training and my sports background to fashion my own rehab program.
Had I followed my doc’s advice, I would have been NWB and doing nothing but light stretching for the first 6-7 weeks, and my wife might have chosen suicide by the time I recovered. Instead, I was walking in my shoes in 3-4 weeks, holding up my body’s weight on my injured foot’s toes in 8-9 weeks, and my wife survived the ordeal.
Someone said recently that this recovery is not a race, and that is true. Still, we all have somewhere to go, so sitting at the starting line in a cast for several weeks before going anywhere, (and often getting insufficient guidance after that), doesn’t seem to be a good approach, either, especially for those of us who have good reason to be in a hurry.
Rant concluded,
Doug
I’m 10 weeks out and have had 2 weeks of PT now.
Yesterday was a big day for me at PT.
I do believe it helps.
B-
Had to pass on that I played some of your blog music for 19 year old son and “we were promised jet packs” CD has appeared on his Christmas list.
K.
Thank you everyone once again for great comments.
2ndtimer - I’ve renewed my gym membership and at the pool, slowly but carefully testing and self-rehabbing.
Doug, I have a tonne of admiration for your bravery and strength to get back into things juggling everything you have! Keep up the great work!
Mari, thank you! I’ll mention at my next appt.
Very cool Kath!! I’m glad to pass along the gift of music. Your son will be the coolest kid on the block, as I’m sure that this band is just up-and-coming and will be making more in-roads and becoming more popular as time goes on.
Happy New Year everyone! All the best to you in your recoveries in a new decade!