Down, but Not Out!

Posted on July 10th, 2008 by fordtough

My mom always said that I couldn’t do things half way…

On June 2nd during a competitive league basketball game I suffered Bilateral Achilles Rupture while going up to block a shot. (Coincidentily, we lost by 2 in overtime, literally adding insult to injury.)  Oh and Yes “Bilateral” does mean the left AND the right Achilles ruptured.  It’s funny how when things like this happen, everyone around you becomes a medical professional; offering comments like, “You know you’re going to have to have surgery?”  Yeah genius?  Thanks for the update…

Anywho, like most of us the emergency room visit was followed by the subsequent Ortho visit, that ultimately lead to the “You know you’re going to have to have surgery” conversation.  After much internal debate and procrastination, I scheduled my surgery for July 3rd (I did mention procrastination right?). 

I highly recommend doing things you enjoy doing the days before the surgery as you will miss them during recovery.  My wife and I went to see “Hancock” (Retrospectively, I wish we would have seen “Wanted” instead…)  Surgery day went as smoothly as to be expected.  We had a wheelchair scheduling snaffu, but thanks to good friends and good drugs, it all worked out.  Other than the nausea, there was very little pain or discomfort day 1.  In fact, that was pretty much the best sleep i’ve had in years.

I anticipated pain and discomfort for day 2, but it never really came.  Same for day 3 and 4.  One week later, I have thankfully remained mostly pain free.  They say i’m built Ford Tough; I however wonder whether my doctor did anything.  Well we’ll find out on Monday, when the good doctor removes my cast.

 

 

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18 Responses to “Down, but Not Out!”

  1. annieh, on July 10th, 2008 at 1:21 pm Said:

    Hi from Manchester, England,

    About 15 years ago myself and some friends went to have tennis lessons, …. most of us in our late …eh…. no quite…… lets just say over 30!!! Anyway during the warm up we noticed Margaret had fallen down, we just laughed and carried on in our group, next thing the Ambulance crew arrived and carted poor Margaret off to Hospital, didn’t know until the next day she had ruptured both Achilles…. The good news is, she like me is now in her 50’s and she doesn’t play tennis any more but walkes miles every day playing golf.

    So, it will take a while but you will get there, this site is a godsend, check it out daily for advice and you will be amazed at the responses you get.

    Good luck
    Annie

  2. Craig, on July 10th, 2008 at 2:02 pm Said:

    Wow, been wondering if/when we would see a bilateral. Seems like you’ve got a good attitude which is 90% of the battle in recovery. Best of luck!

  3. damacar, on July 10th, 2008 at 3:38 pm Said:

    WOW. Well, if you’re gonna do both, you might as well do them at the same time!
    Take care, hang in there!
    damacar

  4. paigefifi1, on July 10th, 2008 at 3:58 pm Said:

    oh gosh. bilateral ruptures?!?! I have LOTS of respect for you as you seem to be in good spirits!!!!!! Good for you-having a positive attitude is the most important thing for recovery.

  5. jennstoc0613, on July 10th, 2008 at 7:08 pm Said:

    Hello from Pennsylvania - your post actually made me smile - I thought I was having it tough with one, but bilarteral!! Keep smiling and keep posting for us!

  6. scooby, on July 10th, 2008 at 8:09 pm Said:

    Wow that sucks! My first question is did you block the shot? The interesting thing, is my doctor had another bilateral also. I am very sorry to hear this, but I am glad to see that you have a positive attitude about this. Keep us posted, and if there is any advice we could offer let us know. I myself am almost two months post surgery and feeling pretty good, so in time you will get there.

  7. fordtough, on July 10th, 2008 at 8:28 pm Said:

    Oh, the shot went to the stands and I went to the ground. ;) I appreciate all the encouraging comments. I will keep all posted.

  8. dennis, on July 10th, 2008 at 9:20 pm Said:

    fordtough -
    Sorry to hear that you had ATR X 2
    I am glad that you are in good spirits, and we’ll all get back to blocking shots again!

    Looks like I am going to have to change the code for Achilles Profile. Currently, you can say that you injured either the left leg or the right leg, not both..

  9. dennis, on July 10th, 2008 at 9:25 pm Said:

    fordtough -
    Please fill out the Achilles Profile? Here is the link for you:

    http://achillesblog.com/fordtough/wp-admin/users.php?page=/home/valuemav/public_html/achillesblog/wp-content/mu-plugins/user_achilles.php

  10. fordtough, on July 10th, 2008 at 9:27 pm Said:

    You sure are lucky you said that Dennis, because my entry for tomorrow was going to be about Bilateral ATR Discrimination! :) Why not? I’m not doing anything else…

  11. dennis, on July 10th, 2008 at 9:30 pm Said:

    For the Achilles Profile, you can now enter that “Both!” for which leg. :)

    Please let me know if there are other things on the site that need to be bilateral ATR friendly. :)

  12. Tom, on July 10th, 2008 at 9:41 pm Said:

    fordtough - You’ve definitely taken achillesblog.com to another level. Sorry to hear about your ruptures. As some of the others have mentioned, it’s good to hear that you’re in relatively good spirits. Please keep posting your recovery experience.

  13. dennis, on July 10th, 2008 at 9:47 pm Said:

    fordtough - okay.. new code. fixed the bug. It should work properly. Your “which leg” is set to “Both!”..

  14. daveleft, on July 10th, 2008 at 11:21 pm Said:

    fordtough, bilateral sympathies and sorry to hear this news.

    I tore mine during hoops…going up to block a shot as well…but the only thing that went into the stands was my yell. My opponent swished the shot.

    Btw, like the name. Learned to drive in a F100, three on the tree. I think that truck is still running somewhere.

    Needless to say, best wishes during your recovery.

  15. hobblit, on July 13th, 2008 at 2:41 am Said:

    How do you go to the toilet? I thought it was tough hobbling on one leg! I guess you’re using a wheelchair everywhere you go? You are Ford tough!

  16. kkdub, on July 13th, 2008 at 11:10 am Said:

    hye ftough - I went out of the second time yesterday since my surgery. We went wine tasting. After about an hour I had to sit and was exhausted. I could only think about - “what if I did this to both legs/A’s”. I thought of you and you just need to know everyone on this site cares and is pulling for you. Keep us updated.

    kk

  17. sheila, on July 25th, 2008 at 3:10 pm Said:

    OMG! I was wallowing in my own ATR hell and hadn’t seen this! Just saw your update post and had to track back to how it happened. Glad you found the place. Your experience will certainly be helpful to others down the road. Please keep us posted on how you adapt and manage. May you have a safe and speedy recovery!

  18. sheila, on August 1st, 2008 at 8:01 am Said:

    I’ve been thinking - as hard as it must be to go through this, there is a low chance of rerupturing once you heal (something like 2-4%). So technically, the odds are in your favor that this is the only time you will have to go through this - compared to the wimps (like me) who only ruptured one at a time. We stand a 10% chance of rupturing the other down the road and getting to do this ALL.OVER.AGAIN. :) Kinda like getting the mumps with the measles, no?

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  • kristinatl | September 2nd, 2008 | 5:04 pm

    OK Ford Tough…so I just now saw you were an Atlantan. Me too. Where’d you go for surgery? Me, Resurgens Ortho. Can’t believe you are a double…guess you gotta do it in a big way. Your incisions look like they are doing great. You’ll be 100% in no time!!
    OK…and, I took a sec to read the Egg story…my sister swears by the egg…and…I am SOOOO embarassed to say….I bought one…It is disgusting..the shaving collection thing…I was cracking up when I saw your post….and I shouldn’t admit that I HAVE ONE! :) Have a good night!

  • sandyinga | August 18th, 2008 | 5:37 pm

    Hi there,

    SInce I am also in Atlanta, who in the heck is your surgeon? I think I made the wrong choice….also, I now have a DVT and PE, which is a very scary complication. Were you on blood thinners after the surgery? THanks, Sandy

  • sheila | August 18th, 2008 | 2:55 pm

    Yay, you! Welcome back to the world of the walking! What wonderful news. I’ve been enjoying the Olympics, too, maybe even more than usual in part because of my greater appreciation for the body, limits and abilities. Amazing, really. Congrats and keep us posted as you progress along.

  • screwdriver | August 16th, 2008 | 7:25 am

    Holy s#%@
    I need to move to atlanta and maybe the food or the air is different there……

  • daveleft | August 15th, 2008 | 12:56 pm

    Truly unbelievable…I don’t think even Wolverine heals that fast! Congrats on getting back on your feet. They must have used adamantium in your repair. Hope all continues to go well.

  • damacar | August 4th, 2008 | 10:20 am

    Hate to break i to ya kkdub, but its coming to get us! I’ve seen it. Its disgusting.

    The washcloth works the best. You don’t want to take too much skin off. I would put lotion on at night, then use a washcloth in the morning in the shower. Works great. My foot is back to pretty. =)

  • marianne | August 3rd, 2008 | 5:22 pm

    I’m West coast and have seen it on TV…..I thought it was a pretty cool little invention—won’t buy one though:)

  • kkdub | August 3rd, 2008 | 1:21 pm

    Luckily this has not made it to WEST coast tv. Can I assume you are all East Coast? What ch’all doing to those feet for these types of inventions?

    Thanks for the post - I love the humor / “I”m so bored what can I post” posts.
    kkdub

  • chowderlad | August 3rd, 2008 | 9:10 am

    I agree with you 100% I must have seen this commercial 1000 times in the last month and every time it weirds me out. I didn’t understand the scene with the orange when it shaved off all the skin, and yet, it’s so gentle it won’t even pop a balloon!

  • jenny | August 2nd, 2008 | 8:02 pm

    Hey Fordtough, I agree with you about the egg. It looks like some kind of medieval torture device. I had the same problem with the top of my foot starting about four weeks post-op. I looked like some kind of shrunken snake shedding its oversized skin. Grooosssss!!! Anyway, I found a really rough facecloth, wet it and scrubbed away followed by a really heavy foot moisturizing cream. It worked like a charm and everything looked nice and pretty again. If you are really a go-getter, you could go through your wifes nail polish collection and get her to paint you up real pretty. My toes are a lovely purple, which complements my hot pink cast. Anyway, the cloth and the moisturizer will do the trick. It’s funny, but once my foot looked good again, it seemed to feel better too. Good luck with your recovery.

  • kndunn | August 2nd, 2008 | 7:55 pm

    Hey guys…. The path to beauty ain’t pretty

  • jacksprat | August 2nd, 2008 | 4:00 pm

    Hi fordtough,
    at least the egg is better than using a cheese geater, or something. Sandpaper? Anyway, there is a much more funs way to do this - have your feet tickled all over by tiny fish nibbling your dead skin. Dont believe me? Look at the news link below.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/videos/901b51b.shtml

  • sheila | August 1st, 2008 | 8:01 am

    I’ve been thinking - as hard as it must be to go through this, there is a low chance of rerupturing once you heal (something like 2-4%). So technically, the odds are in your favor that this is the only time you will have to go through this - compared to the wimps (like me) who only ruptured one at a time. We stand a 10% chance of rupturing the other down the road and getting to do this ALL.OVER.AGAIN. :) Kinda like getting the mumps with the measles, no?

  • sanfrantourguide | July 26th, 2008 | 4:05 pm

    Hey, now I feel better - someone with two ATR’s! Thank God for Guinness and DVD’s and computers! Here I am moaning in my cast, but this site always cheers me up –or is it Schadenfreude?

    I wonder sometimes, when this is all done, a year from now, will I just forget this long, boring and frustrating summer? I do tend to forget bad things easily….

    What do you think?

  • Sheila | July 26th, 2008 | 7:32 am

    Love the attitude. You seem to be rolling along (!) nicely. I, too, enjoyed Dark Night. Captivating performance by HL. ‘Wanted is on my list, too, good to hear you liked it.

    An aside to Ed - my geek/labelmaker obsessed coworker put ‘teh boot’ on my boot this week when I returned. I suspect more will be turning up over the weeks.

  • sheila | July 25th, 2008 | 3:10 pm

    OMG! I was wallowing in my own ATR hell and hadn’t seen this! Just saw your update post and had to track back to how it happened. Glad you found the place. Your experience will certainly be helpful to others down the road. Please keep us posted on how you adapt and manage. May you have a safe and speedy recovery!

  • screwdriver | July 24th, 2008 | 8:49 pm

    you deserve music here by the foo fighters - MY HERO

    MY HERO “That’s my way of saying that when I was young, I didn’t have big rock heroes, I didn’t want to grow up and be some big sporting hero. My heroes were ordinary people and the people that I have a lot of respect for are just solid everyday people - people you can rely on.” Dave Grohl

    you are an inspiration my man.

  • Marcus | July 24th, 2008 | 7:30 pm

    I think most of us have thought people don’t really understand what we’re going through. But the funny thing is even though I have an ATR, I still can’t imagine what it’s like to have a two-fer.

    If daveleft, a re-rupture, thinks you make him look like a wuss, then the rest of us are downright slackers who should be out playing basketball, softball, soccer, tennis then doing some dancing afterward!

    Cheers, superhero. You deserve that Guiness.

  • edforman | July 24th, 2008 | 7:05 pm

    Wow - I am humbled. Watch that oozing - keep it dry and clean. The more often you can get it out of teh boot to “air out” the better… Would be good to get that resolved before you atart PWB - once that happens, the boot could irritate the incision…

    Amazing how good-spirited you are abou this ordeal!

    Ed

  • dennis | July 24th, 2008 | 6:27 pm

    fordtough - glad that your recovery is coming along nicely. Looking forward to reading your future posts.

  • daveleft | July 24th, 2008 | 6:18 pm

    Dude…you are a superhero. You make us re-rupturers look like wussies…that photo of the dueling boots makes me cringe! Glad to hear that things are progressing though. Keep fighting the good fight.

    dave

    PS. Even in your condition, I bet you could still block my patented mid-range set shot.

  • kkdub | July 13th, 2008 | 11:10 am

    hye ftough - I went out of the second time yesterday since my surgery. We went wine tasting. After about an hour I had to sit and was exhausted. I could only think about - “what if I did this to both legs/A’s”. I thought of you and you just need to know everyone on this site cares and is pulling for you. Keep us updated.

    kk

  • hobblit | July 13th, 2008 | 2:41 am

    How do you go to the toilet? I thought it was tough hobbling on one leg! I guess you’re using a wheelchair everywhere you go? You are Ford tough!

  • daveleft | July 10th, 2008 | 11:21 pm

    fordtough, bilateral sympathies and sorry to hear this news.

    I tore mine during hoops…going up to block a shot as well…but the only thing that went into the stands was my yell. My opponent swished the shot.

    Btw, like the name. Learned to drive in a F100, three on the tree. I think that truck is still running somewhere.

    Needless to say, best wishes during your recovery.

  • dennis | July 10th, 2008 | 9:47 pm

    fordtough - okay.. new code. fixed the bug. It should work properly. Your “which leg” is set to “Both!”..

  • Tom | July 10th, 2008 | 9:41 pm

    fordtough - You’ve definitely taken achillesblog.com to another level. Sorry to hear about your ruptures. As some of the others have mentioned, it’s good to hear that you’re in relatively good spirits. Please keep posting your recovery experience.

  • dennis | July 10th, 2008 | 9:30 pm

    For the Achilles Profile, you can now enter that “Both!” for which leg. :)

    Please let me know if there are other things on the site that need to be bilateral ATR friendly. :)

  • fordtough | July 10th, 2008 | 9:27 pm

    You sure are lucky you said that Dennis, because my entry for tomorrow was going to be about Bilateral ATR Discrimination! :) Why not? I’m not doing anything else…

  • dennis | July 10th, 2008 | 9:25 pm
  • dennis | July 10th, 2008 | 9:20 pm

    fordtough -
    Sorry to hear that you had ATR X 2
    I am glad that you are in good spirits, and we’ll all get back to blocking shots again!

    Looks like I am going to have to change the code for Achilles Profile. Currently, you can say that you injured either the left leg or the right leg, not both..

  • fordtough | July 10th, 2008 | 8:28 pm

    Oh, the shot went to the stands and I went to the ground. ;) I appreciate all the encouraging comments. I will keep all posted.

  • scooby | July 10th, 2008 | 8:09 pm

    Wow that sucks! My first question is did you block the shot? The interesting thing, is my doctor had another bilateral also. I am very sorry to hear this, but I am glad to see that you have a positive attitude about this. Keep us posted, and if there is any advice we could offer let us know. I myself am almost two months post surgery and feeling pretty good, so in time you will get there.

  • jennstoc0613 | July 10th, 2008 | 7:08 pm

    Hello from Pennsylvania - your post actually made me smile - I thought I was having it tough with one, but bilarteral!! Keep smiling and keep posting for us!

  • paigefifi1 | July 10th, 2008 | 3:58 pm

    oh gosh. bilateral ruptures?!?! I have LOTS of respect for you as you seem to be in good spirits!!!!!! Good for you-having a positive attitude is the most important thing for recovery.

  • damacar | July 10th, 2008 | 3:38 pm

    WOW. Well, if you’re gonna do both, you might as well do them at the same time!
    Take care, hang in there!
    damacar

  • Craig | July 10th, 2008 | 2:02 pm

    Wow, been wondering if/when we would see a bilateral. Seems like you’ve got a good attitude which is 90% of the battle in recovery. Best of luck!

  • annieh | July 10th, 2008 | 1:21 pm

    Hi from Manchester, England,

    About 15 years ago myself and some friends went to have tennis lessons, …. most of us in our late …eh…. no quite…… lets just say over 30!!! Anyway during the warm up we noticed Margaret had fallen down, we just laughed and carried on in our group, next thing the Ambulance crew arrived and carted poor Margaret off to Hospital, didn’t know until the next day she had ruptured both Achilles…. The good news is, she like me is now in her 50’s and she doesn’t play tennis any more but walkes miles every day playing golf.

    So, it will take a while but you will get there, this site is a godsend, check it out daily for advice and you will be amazed at the responses you get.

    Good luck
    Annie