cams’ AchillesBlog

Yesterday I went out on the open streets sans crutch.  Again, that very naked feeling of vulnerability, but those little milestones mean a lot.  Still have that annoying sway when I walk without the crutch.  Although I have a much more fluid stride with the crutch, I alternate between a step-lurch or a step sway.  I guess the stride will come in time.  Have to focus on rolling to the ball of my foot I guess.  My neighbor, who is a cranio-sacral therapist, let me borrow her rubber cushion to stand on.  It feels like I am walking on the sand, and need to be careful to not roll too far back onto my heels, but I suppose it is designed to help strengthen the tendon as well.  The first day of using it was difficult, but I’ve got the hang of it now.

There is nothing like freedom.  Today I took the bus to and from work.  No taxis, no car, just a clip of my card and I am there.  The bus drivers were considerate, and waited until I could get my bearings before the forward lurch of the bus.  People were nice enough to allow me to sit and make room for me (although I’ve made good progress and graduated from two to one crutch, I use it in public as an alert device to indicate to others to keep their distance).  Ok, I admit, my foot was swollen by the end of the day, but in the end, it was worth having the opportunity to go home on my own.

A bit late to this blogging bit due to being side-tracked by loads of American television shows I’ve missed over the past 5 years.  However, after 8 weeks in the boot due to non-operative surgery, freedom feels great, given the return of warmer weather.  Despite the free healthcare in Copenhagen, it would still be great to have a bit more instruction.  I was sent home with a pamphlet with instructions on toe-pointing to bide my time as I await for physical therapy.  Due to inactivity for 8 weeks, my additional complication is the tightening or shortening of the tendons in my knee, which makes attempted walking without the crutches to be challenging.  Anyone who might have a suggestion on what to do about the knee and returning to normal gait would be greatly appreciated.

So, tired of crossword puzzles, and can only see so much on internet television and Netflix.  Decided to invade my knitting stash that I haven’t breathed on for ages and dig up all of those patterns I saved over the years during the time when I was too pre-occupied with writing my thesis and journal articles.  Since being bound to the chair, I have knitted pieces for a fair isle vest (Louisa Harding), a cable sweater, a hat, and most of an angora short sleeve top.  The hardest part is putting all of the pieces together and sewing them up, because I like to press all of my pieces before I sew them together.  I’ll save that for when I can stand on two feet.

I’m an instructor, and I teach epidemiology and nutrition for a small teaching college in Copenhagen

(http://www.phmetropol.dk/Uddannelser/Bachelors+Degree+in+Global+Nutrition+and+Health).

As our institute has an interest in fun and fitness, I decided to volunteer as a player in the yearly dodgeball tournament.

Although I am sure the students were looking forward to clocking their instructors, like all responsible events, it began with a warmup.  Although I consider myself active, as I usually bike to work on a daily basis (Copenhagen is famous for its bicycle paths) and practice yoga regularly, the warm-up exercises pre-tournament were movements that I don’t normally do on a daily basis.  Usually stretching of my Achilles involves a vertical stretch, but these warm-ups consisted of a horizontal motion by scissoring of my legs across the floor.  In addition, I didn’t have the best shoes on my feet, just a pair of leather low Keds type shoes, the kind one may wear running errands.  I was playing dogeball after all ;).

So the familiar feeling of being kicked in the back of the ankle, and a strange feeling of the floor being uneven, as if I was wearing a high heel shoe.  And so now the real high heel shoe is mine to wear for the next 8 weeks.