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  • Smish on 10 Weeks post op - jogging
  • ganahlsearch on 10 Weeks post op - jogging

Saw my Dr. last week. Said I did not need to come in anymore unless there was something I was worried about or wanted him to look at something. Said around the 5-6 month mark before I could really get back to what I enjoy. I have been doing fine running about 1.5-2 miiles at a time. Achilles is still stiff in the morning or when I am static for moments at a time. It defiently is getting less and less bothersome for me but I still have a long way to go, can pretty much walk w/o a limp now. Looking forward to nice hike this weekend and playing some hoops here soon! Onward fellow ATR’s!!

Hello, Just had my 10 weeks post op visit on Wednesday of this week. Dr. Gave me the green light to start jogging. I am doing 30 minute stints where I will walk for 15 minutes jog 5 minutes then walk 10 minutes, gradullay increasing the jog time. Achilles is still stiff but I can jog no problem. Question for the group, Dr. made nomention of PT. Seems like most people get it. I meant to ask him about it but forgot. My next appt is in 4 weeks. PLease weigh in on thoughts about requesting PT. Dr. did comment I had a bunch of tissue while feeling my achilles, dont know what that mean. I should do a better job making him explain himself but I just kind of defer to him as I have been happy with the prgoress so far. Best of luck to all!!

Had my 7 week post op visit today Dr. gave me the green light for 2 shoes. Have another appt in three weeks where at that time he will want me to start running again. have not been on the board much as I have been getting back to my routines. Achilles is VERY stiff but I am getting around without that sexy boot. Best of luck to you you achilles rehabbers. No PT at this time

I had my 4 weeks post op visit yesterday. My last visit was two weeks ago. Since then I am pretty much FWB in my boot, I rarely use crutches anymore unless I know I am going be walking long distances like grocery shopping or going to CU b-ball games etc. I keep forgetting to ask for my disabled parking permit, dangit! Leading up to yesterdays visit I have been fortunate enought to have no problems at all as it realtes to the wound or pain Of course I share the same inconveinces you all do that wear the boot or have the cast, I have adapted to it and accepted that it will be a part of me for the month or so.

During my visit yesterday I met with the PA for 5 minutes then the jedi surgeon came in and met with me for 5 mintues also. PA said soemthing that caught my attention He said my achilles will never be the same, I have read many of your posts and have probably falsely set my expectations that the achilles can be as good if not better than before since it was surgically repaired. My question to the privilged society of ATR’s - Can ATR repair allow you do do all of your favorite activities for long durations pain free even as you get old. I was under the impression the answer was yes. It did not occur to me to ask my Dr. as my mind is moving a mile a minute when I am in there. I had heard him tell me before full recovery in one year so I assume that means yes but I will seek a more specific answer next time I  am in there as a result of the conflicting stories by the PA and the DR.

Overall dr comments was to continue the toe raises daily, he said I can take the boot of at night to sleep but other than that to wear it all the time, He said I could start riding a stationary bike for 10-15 mintues at a time.  I have another appt with him in 3 weeks. He did say I was two shoes bound in that next appt. Until then - Onward my fellow ATR’s!!!!

Saw my Dr today for the 2 week post op follow up. Really only talked with him for about 4-5 mintues. Stiches and or staples to the wound do not need to be removed as he used sutures designed to be absorbed by my body on the inside of my skin. Crazy, huh? Which was a relief as I have read some painful/bad experiences as people have had those remmoved. Also got to ask him about my procedure and he said it went fine. He did say about a year till full recovery. He is keeping me in my boot he did chang the foot position to neutral 90 degrees gave me an insert which is about a quarter of an inch if that to wear on the inside of the boot. Told me that he wants me to start putting weight on the foot but only when it is the boot, He said I risk rerupture if I do it when I am not in the boot. He also gave me a thera-band to do 5 foot flexor excercises twice a day. He also said that 10 days from now he wants me to do calf raises. I have my next appt with him in 2 weeks. This protocol seems very aggressive as I read others have written on here, I am very happy with the progress and his aggressive approach. After all as another posted potined out to me that is famaliar with Denver based orthopedics is that he is what he calls a jedi surgeon. How can I not trust a jedi surgeons approach? I am getting out and about more now and is refreshing as cabin fever was really setting in. I must admit I am anxious to put weight on it even though he said to as I fear the dreaded re-rupture. At any rate heres to a speedy recovery. Onward!

Got news I was not expecting today when I had my first follow-up visit with the surgeon. Surgeon was not present I only met with the PA. PA sawed my cast off - zero pain. Prior to cutting off cast she said she was going to look at the site to see how it looked if it looked good I would get a boot if it did not look good I would get a the cast put back on. To my pleasure there was minimal bleeding and swelling she said it looked good enough for the boot. Yeah! no heavy cast to lug around anymore. It seemed quick for me as I have not heard of anyone else really only wearing the hard cast for one week, she even said I could start with some range of motion excercises, after one week???? Is that normal? I trust the Dr’s office as they have a great reputation in Denver, I am more confident of their aggresive approach that it will hopefully speed along the recovery process. She said to stay of the foot as much as possible and that I can take off the boot for a shower. Needless to say I was both relieved and excited when I saw what the wound looked like. Forgot to take a picture although I never really got to see exactly what it looks like as their is tape over the wound and she said not to remove the tape however their was minimal blood coming through and that was a great sign in addition to minimal swelling. Whew!!! Spirts are high while my butt is firmly planted on the couch. Onward!

 

It has been 4 four days since my suregery and I have to say all is well from a physical standpoint. I had trouble with vomitting from the first night, not sure if it was from the GA or the percocet as I am no longer taking the pain pills b/c what little pain I have is tolerable. Took a bath last night - simple pleasures.  I am curious to talk with my surgeon as I have had very little dialogue with him. Other than thanking him after the procedure I have not really talked to him at all.  I think my apt with  him is on thursday and I am curious to hear first how the procedure went in his opinion and second want my rehab protocol will look like. He did come out and tell my wife after the procedure that there were no surprises, whatever that means. A neurotical hypochondriac like myslef would rather hear, sugery went PERFECT, I even put in a bionic chip which will all him to jump higher and run faster it will aslo increase his life by 10 years.

Mentally it has been tough-hard to believe it has been only four days. I have really enjoyed reading others posts and comments, I am also trying a rosetta stone spanish speaking lesson that I will begin today. Fortuntalty there has been good basketball on TV and good food coming from the kitchen, I have a on-call 24 hours aday support staff in my wife and mom so it could not be any better from a support standpoint. Just plugging and chugging untill I can get up and start moving around. Onward!

Man I can not tell you how happy I am to get this done and get on the loooooong road to recovery. It has been 2.5 weeks since my rupture. I have had a wedding and a honeymoon sandwiched between my rupture and the surgery. I see that most people have had their suregery within a week. Anyone that has gone up to 3 weeks or beyond, is there anything I should concern myself with?

For someone who likes to sweat daily I have had plenty of time to feel sorry for myself these last two weeks, knowing that the road to recovery was going to be a while before I could do all the things I enjoyed prior to ATR.  A friend of mine said it best when he said, look on the bright side if you were a horse you would have been shot already. Yep, that pretty much puts things into perspective. Looking forward to getting the surgery tomorrow and pushing onward!

Let me first build some context as I have never blogged before. Mainly because I have ADD and I type 11 words per minute.  So dont expect much in terms of content, I am looking to share my story with others going thorugh the same procedure and looking forward to reading others experience as I will have plenty of time.

Well where do I start? I am a very active 32 year old male. I sweat daily. Does not matter what the activity is as long as it gets my heartrate up. I was playing basketball when this guy who was guarding me kicked me blantantly in the back of my heel and POP! Probably because I was was putting him on the bus and taking him to school all afternoon at least that is what I thought he did, I collapsed to the ground and actually could not hear anything for 10 seconds. After laying their for 15 seconds I got up, walked off the court and sat down on the ground, I asked the guy what happend and he said I just tripped. I did not believe him at the time but later found out that I did indeed just collapse and the POP was my achilles tendon splitting in half. I did not know it at the time, I did touch about 2 inches above my left heel and all I felt was mushy skin it is was mushy all around that area, I then touched my right leg 2 inches above my heel and I felt the fiborous muscle tissue I had wanted to feel on my left leg. I knew at that moment something was not right. I told the guy I was done for the day and went home hoping I would discover my injury was not as bad as what I am thinking at this point.

I get home and fire up the computer and diagnose myself.  I unpleasntly diagnose my self with an achilles tendon rupture. Not being that familar with the injury I look for reasons that it could not be that as what little I know about it it is an injury that is the last thing an active person wants. Having chalked up many injuries over time I knew that this was something that I have never felt before and was just looking for some reason or symptom that would give me hope that it was not the ATR. After about 15 minutes I could not find anything. I call my Fiancee Heidi and she says go to Urgent Care.

Again still clingling to a chance I could have done something else (think Jim Carrey dumb and dumber-so your saying theres a chance) was quikly squashed when the nurse said yeah that is not good. They give me a boot and told me to make an appt with a orthopedic.

I go in the following day and he says you need surgery. One problem. I am getting married in Las Vegas on Saturday and then taking a week to honeymoon in Cabo. Not anymore. The ATR is interrupting the 2 week extravaganza my fiancee has put a lot of effort into planning and was really looking forward to. She refuses to allow us to cancel the honeymoon so creatively she calls the resort and the airlines tells them the story and to my surprise they accomodated her requests and we are now flying stright from Vegas to Cabo for a couple of days instead of a week. Then when I get back the fun begins as my surgery date is scheduled for Feburary 4th. 2 and a half weeks from the injury date.

I am already a mediocre dancer when I have a few drinks in me and an awful dancer when sober, It will be intersting to see what kind of moves I can pull off with only one leg. Most likely people will say I am a better dancer. I am also looking for some sweet rims to put on the wheelchair while in Vegas. Looking forward to the wedding and spending some time in Vegas.

2009 is going to be great! 

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