Posted on June 1st, 2010 by chuckv
Greetings everyone. I just passed the one year anniversary of my break. I hardly think about it anymore as walking, climbing and other physical activities such as mowing the lawn, blowing snow and working the garden pose no limitations. I still hesitate to sprint and I cannot do a single-foot toe-stand from flat. I can raise on two toes and hold with the weak one alone for a while but the calf quickly tires. I have done lots of walking and on May 30, I Kayaked Duxbury bay and loved it. For all of you newbies…Keep faith and push yourself when it feels OK. Time passes quickly. Be nice to the people that are helping you get through this and remember that they don’t want you to re-injure yourself so they don’t have to go through this again.
Good luck
No Comments »
Posted on December 9th, 2009 by chuckv
Hi everyone. I have been checking in but not writing as everything has been going fine. I just thought that at the 6th month anniversary of the repair that I would touch base.
I seldom think of the foot unless I am about to climb a ladder or when I wake in the morning and start stretching and feel the stiffness in the left calf. Walking is limp-free and I only notice discomfort when I spend a lot of time without shoes and no orthotic. The orthotics were from a local guy who gave me a pair right off the shelf and charged me a very reasonable 40 bucks for the orthotics and the visit. I don’t know if it was the operation or the orthotic or a combination of the two but I now have an arch in my left foot. My left foot was soooo flat I actually used to make suction cup noises when I walked on a smooth floor.
Still not able to do single left footed toe raise but I am getting stronger every month.
I finally got the kayak in the water at the end of September. Two hours on a local pond. I fit in it, It tracked like an arrow and I was in seventh heaven. I will patiently wait for next season.
Happy holidays to everyone. Have faith…with time just about everything will heal.
Chuck
2 Comments »
Posted on September 24th, 2009 by chuckv
It’s been about 3 1/2 months since surgery and I saw my ortho for what hopefully will be be the last time. He looked at the PT release form and said, “They don’t release you unless you have been really good or they are just trying to get rid of you.” Fortunately I think it is the former.
No kidding , he said I was good to do just about anything. He scheduled me for another follow-up in December but said that if all is going well to cancel it. By anything of course he meant anything that I would normally do which will not include rock climbing, jumping off of things Etc. I can bike and I can Kayak. I had him autograph a photo of the kayaks for my wife’s sake (she would never believe me). He wrote, “Good luck, Kayak with vigor”. I framed it and put it on my desk as a reminder of the summer of ‘09.
I told him that I can’t walk on my toes and I can’t do a single leg toe stand. He said that those could be a long way in coming and definitely not to rush it. I can live with that. I will put away my ballet shoes.
3 Comments »
Posted on September 1st, 2009 by chuckv
Last week I cancelled PT after visiting my surgeon for what seemed might be an infection. It turned out to be an inflammation. The doc told me to rest and maybe go back to the boot. I rested, I iced and I cut back on the walking and 24 hours later everything was back to “normal”. I did not go back to the boot. The redness was like a sunburn and the skin actually started to dry up and peel a bit just like it does after a sunburn. The bottom line was that by Wed night, I felt better than ever. The redness diminished and the whole incision looked more uniform and “tight”. I have been using some of my wife’s expensive face cream on the incision just before bed. Can’t hurt right? It does look some much less wrinkly now and as long as wifey doesn’t notice her supply is diminishing…
My PT agreed with my conclusion that walking had caused a “release” of an adhesion or two. My movement is more natural now and my limp has all but disappeared. Believe me, I am still weak in the calf but I get less of that pulling feeling that seemed to limit me before.
I have been released from PT but made one more appointment for evaluation just prior to my follow-up with the surgeon on Sept 23. I have some exercises for home and some for the health club. I will continue balance work and toe raises and use the club for half-round ball, calf raises on the Cybex machine as well as the stationary bike. Getting stronger.
3 Comments »
Posted on August 25th, 2009 by chuckv
I am 11 weeks post op today and was supposed to go to PT at 7AM. I cancelled.
Here’s what happened…
I went for a short walk Sunday night after a weekend of relaxing, partying and watching people have fun water skiing, wake boarding, tubing and KAYAKING. My little walk around the block caused such an inflamation that I suspected an infection. Two very red/purple spots about 2 cm across at a position 2 thirds up the incision. Everywhere else along the scar is tight as a drum and no tenderness. These spots felt like a sunburn and emanated some warmth.
I got to see my surgeon first thing Monday morning. Guess what he said?
“As you probably know from reading the web that there are a lot of people out there still in a cast at your time frame. Maybe you are pushing things just a bit. There are a lot of sutures under those spots holding everything together and they are telling you to slow down.” He said that an Achilles injury is a slow recovery. I am starting to believe this, but if I slow down anymore, my heart is going to stop.
He suggested that maybe I should go back into the boot for a while and crank it to 20 degrees. I am saying to myself, “Dumbass, you knew it wasn’t an infection, why did you come here?”
He suggested that I stop PT for a while and rest this week with a lot of ice.
I politely agreed and told him that I would see him at my Sept 23 appointment.
The incision actually looks much better this morning. I am happy but disappointed that a short walk around the block could cause such a mess.
I may put the boot on if I have to walk a distance but I am not turning it back to 20 degrees.
1 Comment »
Posted on August 12th, 2009 by chuckv
Well, last week I got the go-ahead for two shoes and strengthening at PT and on my own. I have been walking twice a day ( 1/2 mile each outing), doing my balancing on one foot , stretching Etc. I have been getting swelling in the ankle, which I think might be normal, but I have been getting some redness along top 50% of the incision. The incision seems to have healed with the exception of one little spot that looks a bit rougher than the other parts. The red skin is really sensitive to the touch. I have been treating it with quality hand cream with vitamin E and Aloe from Whole Foods and icing the ankle.
I switched from shorty socks to high and mighty whitey athletics this week too. I wonder if that is irritating the skin? I changed because I thought the short socks were rubbing the scar at the elastic but maybe the cotton rubbing on the wound while walking is causing a problem.
My PT suggested squishing the oil from a vitamin E pill and rubbing that on the area.
Any ideas out there? Other than this I feel like I am moving ahead regarding strength and stamina. No pain while walking except from the skin inflammation and neighbors say I am not limping.
Chuck
3 Comments »
Posted on August 7th, 2009 by chuckv
I saw my Doc this week. I marched in with the boot on and a second sneaker in my hand as I was sure he would say… “Ditch the boot and walk my man”. He came in looked at my scar and said, “That looks great”. He grabbed my calf and squeezed while saying “Does that hurt?” No, it feels great” says I.
He barely read the notes from my physical therapist, but signed off on another 3 or 4 weeks of PT with strengthing as the goal.
I asked a few questions regarding the boot and shoes like “Do I need this Darth Vader contraption anymore?” He said I could start going two shoes but use the boot when I get tired. My wife heard “Wear the boot for a couple of hours then wear shoes and alternate.” I know he didn’t say that. She is just trying to protect me and also trying to avoid another 8 weeks of the reality show… “Life With Gimpy”.
Then the big question…. “Can I use my brand-new,never-used,hanging-on-the-wall, I’ve-been-waiting-so-freakin’-patiently-for sea kayaks?”… “Next season” says he.
My heart sank. How about the end of September? The weather is still pretty good on the Cape then. He just smiled. I get to see him again Sep 23. Even if I can get one outing I will keep that as my goal.
My first PT with shoes and no boot. I whined a lot and told my therapist how disappointed I was about the doctor visit but said, “I will suck it up and start acting like a grown-up.”
Now the exercise started in earnest. Squats, stretches, rubber bands, standing on one foot with eyes closed on a squishy pad, rocking back and forth on a rocker board. I was whipped at the end and realized right then that I have a way to go before I can be balanced enough to keep from stupidly twisting my foot while getting into a kayak. I will be patient and I will work hard.
In the mean time it does feel great to be walking without the boot. I do wear it sometimes if I want to be an exhibitionist or keep people away. When out with no boot, I recommend carrying a cane or crutch as it tends to warn people that there is a problem with this guy. My wife gets pissed when I hold the crutch up high and say “look at my lightning rod!” No sense of humor.
1 Comment »
Posted on June 26th, 2009 by chuckv
Here’s a question. What is the best way to make your good leg as long as the one with the cam walker boot? The PT says that I should be able to walk at some point with the boot and crutches for balance but trial runs seem awkward as I tend to spin on the boot due to the ~2 inch difference in height. Somehow I think that having two different length legs could result in hip or back pains. Do I nail a piece of 2X4 to my right foot?
4 Comments »
Posted on June 25th, 2009 by chuckv
Met with PT yesterday AM. This guy seems to know his stuff and I came away feeling very confident. He made a very thorough survey of the situation, did some measurements and careful manipulation to determine basic range of motion. I got a great soft tissue massage to relieve the swelling (edema) and a run through of the basic ROM exercises that I was to do at home. He told me to be cautious and not too anxious to get to the end as he explained that the tendon really needs a full 8 weeks to mend. That’s OK with me. My wife is cutting the grass for me but I am able to fold all of the laundry. Cooking on the outdoor grill is a snap.
No Comments »
Posted on June 20th, 2009 by chuckv
I was fitted for the cam walker yesterday(6-18-09) and I am feeling very optimistic. The boot is set at 20 degrees and will remain at that setting for 4 weeks then to 10 degrees for another 4 weeks then who knows. The support is great and the funny foot feels very secure. The pressure is evenly distributed as to eliminate any “hot” spots that beg you to move you foot. I took a road trip this morning…down the drive way and back to pick up the paper. I carried it in a plastic back with handles. I am adapting.
3 Comments »
