How it Happened
This time 14 months ago I weighed about 80 lbs. more than I do now. Lots of spynning, running, lifting, and careful eating later, I told a friend’s roommate that I’d play on his soccer team if he was short a girl (you know the old girl rule). And I used to be good at soccer. And I was running 4-5 days a week. And I was strong like bull. And damn it, this never should have happened to me!!!
So half-way through the game I had the pop, the kicked-in-the-calf feeling and the instant recognition that something awful and wrong had happened and that my life was going to be damned inconvenient for the next few months. At least. My team consisted of the athletic trainers for a local university, so I was elevated, iced, and diagnosed within minutes.
My ER doctor confirmed, with the added secondary diagnosis of playing team sports after the age of 30. He was a really nice guy actually. Had a meeting with the orthopaedist within 36 hours. Confirmed again. At this point, I had no doubt that surgery was going to be my choice. When the doctor told me that he was going to Florida in the morning, and would be back in 10 days, I just about wanted to cry. Until he asked me when was the last time I’d eaten… Four hours later, I was sewen back up and drifting in my morphine haze while my spinal numbness slowly subsided.
I had a half-cast splint for 2 weeks, then I was jammed in one of those hideous black walking boots that are hot and heavy and destined to be smelly.
And here I am… almost 4 weeks from injury and few days short of 4 weeks from surgery. Reading these blogs helps a lot in anticipating what may be to come. I get my foot out every day and massage the poor neglected foot and calf. My college roommate has become the worlds most overqualified massage therapist, and she performed a lymphatic massage on me (soooo great—felt awesome after and my bruises progressed beautifully afterwards) and also myofacial release on my calf, in an effort to keep the muscles supple so they don’t pull on the tendon.
Other than that, not much. I see that a little ankle rotation is not frowned upon at this point, and great idea from Dr. Ross to write the alphabet with my big toe. I think I can definately handle that.
Like many of you, very little pain throughout, but feeling my leg and ankle strength ebb daily. I try to stay very busy with work and play. I continue to go to my BodyPump class and do the upperbody stuff, substituting pilates leg work for the squats and lunges. I find I can still do much of the back and bicept work on my knees. And I do sit-ups like it’s my job.
I’m praying that my doc will let my toss the crutches when I see him on Thursday. I hate them with a passion that consumes me, and live for the day that I can carry a cup of coffee across the room all by myself… For now I focus on the fact that I have time that I used to work out to practice my guitar. I’ve progressed from tunes that are unrecognizable to ones that are merely embarrassing. And I gotta say, happy with a relatively desk-only job for the first time in my life. I have to go to court on occassion, and the Judges are particularly nice to me, though the last time I was there a Sherrif mocked me for my backpack, saying “And what grade are YOU in, little girl?” But if you can’t laugh at that, you’re empty inside.
2 responses so far
I totally get where you’re coming from. I’m about 2 weeks behind you in terms of recovery. My achilles popped playing flag football trying to get the exercise my doctor wanted.
I’m still looking forward to the boot. My surgeon is really conservative about the wound healing process and will have me in the cast for a total of 4 weeks after surgery. I was in the boot prior to surgery to keep the ankle stable, so I’m just looking for the steady transition to weight bearing.
I agree - crutches are evil. My biggest problem is trying to explain to people who’ve never been on crutches, exactly why they are so evil. It just doesn’t connect for them.
By the way, I’m referencing you on my next post. I was at Universal Studios Hollywood and rented a wheelchair for $7. The wheelchair was MONEY! It was good on so many levels (more in the post).
Take care.
-Mike
Whats up everyone, love this site!
I have been lurking for a while reading all the comments, but I hadn’t gotten around to actually giving any input until now.
Me and you are on a pretty close time frame Dutchgirl. I ruptured my Achilles playing basketball on April 8th, and I had surgery on April 21st. I was laid up on the couch for about a week and a half, then I went back to work about 10 days after the surgery. The pain was the worst on the first 3 days, after that it only got uncomfortable when my foot wasn’t elevated.
At my first post-op visit 2 weeks from surgery, I was moved from a splint to a fiberglass cast. The doc wanted to get my foot to 90 degrees, but I didn’t make it so I had to get my cast changed to following week. (Why did none of you talk about how painful the first time they stretch the tendon is?!?! Was it just me???)
I have been pwb on the cast without crutches around the house for the past few days and I have had very minimal pain in my heel. Not really enough to even talk about. As long as I am not on my feet for a long time its been cool.
Anyway, I have my 2nd post-op tomorrow (I am exactly 4 wks post-op today) and I am supposed to be moving to a boot, which I was wearing before my surgery.
My question to the (right ATR) vets is this..When did yall start driving? I’m itching to get back behind the wheel.