5 weeks Post-Op
I’m coming up on my 5 week milestone and I’m happy to announce that I am really doing great. I am down to my last wedge in my boot and this Friday I will be wedge free and starting my last week in the boot full time. I am able to stand pain free with my full weight on my injured leg. In fact, this morning was the first shower I was able to take standing since July 6th! I still have not tried to walk, and though I really want too, I am taking everyone’s advice on here not to push myself to hard. I’m sure a lot of you feel I already am :0) My doctor feels I’m about 3 weeks ahead of his schedule and is very happy with my progress. Don’t get me wrong, I simply want to get back to wearing shoes. I don’t expect to start running again for many months. I am however, still experiencing numbness from my heel to my two little toes. My doctor thinks that go away with time, but he’s not sure. I am able to move all my toes, so he is not too concerned with this.
I know I have been pushing the boot, however, I have found one huge downfall, the PRICE my doctor charged me and my insurance company for it. You can buy it on-line for $350.00 from the link I posted before. My doctor charged me and my insurance company $700.00 for mine! I just about fell out of my chair when I read my bill!! So if you have not had your surgery, and you are considering the boot as a possible treatment path, discuss with your doctor the costs before hand and tell him to order it online!! Talk about a mark up!!!! OUCH!!! But I will say again, even with this new development I still am happy that I went with the boot over a cast!!
August 19th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I 2nd the boot, too! I had to fight my doctor for it, but it seemed to have been well worth it (see my post from yesterday on my 6 wk boot checkup). I think one reason doctors are so reluctant to use the boot is it may give people a false sense of security of how much they can do on the tendon. the re-rupture stories here helped me to take it slow, and use the boot for the advantages it gave me and not abuse it. And wow on the charge. I just checked and my insurance was billed $260 but the negotiated and paid price was $162.98 for an Aircast pneumatic boot.