Second 1st post-op appt.
Saw Dr. H today (just fyi I don’t use his name because he has not chosen to be part of my on-line story, I guess. I would be happy to refer people to him off-line if you are looking for an excellent sport ortho in the N. Cal. Kaiser system.)
So…my new wound is very much more gnarly than the last one (before it got all funky). Much longer, further down my heel, lots of stitches. I now have a funny looking bump just where tendon meets the heel, which I didn’t have before. Dr. H said this is because after he cut away and dug out all the dead tissue, he had to pull and stretch skin from new areas so that healthy skin with a clean cut would meet together at the incision. While he was in there, he checked the tendon, it looked good, but he removed one of the metal loops that was possibly too close to the surface and a potential irritant.
I am in a half cast (splint) for the next week and a half, and I am not supposed to open it or change dressings at all. I am still supposed to elevate, ice behind knee, take aspirin and anti-inflamms (because no one told me to stop?). NO weight bearing at all. 4 doses of keflex per day, and may extend for another week. Might be allowed to begin PT on September 5, if no infection at next wound check. Might be allowed to weight bear after September 8 if healing is on track.
I try so hard every day to maintain a positive outlook, remember the good things. Appreciate my family, my beautiful children. Take care of myself, do everything I am supposed to do for optimal healing. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit that today my morale is very low. Leg feels terrible, and I am afraid of more wound issues…I know, wait and see. But my eyes and my body are telling me something different. Next week is my birthday, but to be honest, I want to wait and celebrate the day when this wound closes up and I can move forward with the rest of my recovery. Yay for THAT day!
I was at about the same point in my healing process (except no infection) when my 50th birthday rolled around, and believe you me, I was in no mood to celebrate. Had painkiller withdrawl problems that week and was feeling my very worst. Wound up in the hopital for 3 days. I love your idea about celebrating the wound closing up– , but try to enjoy your birthday, even if it won’t be the same way you would if this injury hadn’t happened. Life goes on and this too shall pass. Chin up !!!!! Good luck with a much better recovery this time around.
Marianne
Comment by marianne — August 28, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
It is such a difficult injury, and your wound complication must be so frustrating. I hope the next week goes quickly for you and that the wound will start to close up nicely so you can progress with PT and PWB.
We have all spent some time in the abyss. I think it is impossible not to! Here is hoping that you are able to recover and climb back out soon. We are all pulling for you.
Comment by tennisjunkie — August 28, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
You just hang in there. It WILL get better and this will make you a stronger person. Just a bump in the road to recovery.
Think about the rest of us driving on that road right next to you.
Comment by stevew — August 28, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
I think we’ve all had bad days when we think this is never ending and you are robbed of a lot of your independence, but hopefully this glitch in healing will just be a great conversation piece in the future.
Comment by jonathan9 — August 29, 2008 @ 12:18 am
I feel your pain…literally. Staying positive is tough. Hell, how can you not get bitter..
Try not to let it creep into family/work.
I’m just over 5 weeks post op. No more mobile but feeling better. At least until PT this morning. They noticed redness/oozing and sent me to ortho. A “stitch absess”. Now on antibiotics. The road goes on…
Comment by robert — August 29, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Hey there! The woung-thing sucks. In the beginning I was so worried because..because of wound not holding staples it opened, and bec of that I got MRSA…which isn’t good. For a good week I kept worrying and saying, “I canNOT lose my foot.” So, we need to do everything possible. Anyway, for sure for sure 100% your wound will heal nicely. It really will. You may be a fast healer in this case. Time will tell. My Ortho would tell me..well, you’ve got a great attitude. Well, there’s no choice. I can’t do anything to make it go faster. Even after all my fellow bloggers sacrificed chickens, did a oiji board ceremony and got out their magic 8 ball. So, there are some things beyond our control. You are doing everything you can…with the anti-inflammatory meds and icing and elevating. Hang in there! Hole be gone!
Comment by kristinatl — August 29, 2008 @ 9:37 pm