Next update: Chapter 8 and beyond.
Chapter 7 – Time to Move – Sunday, January 3rd, 2016
I guess my body got fed up with me just sitting around before my mind. Yesterday I woke up and wanted to start getting some type of daily regiment going rather than just going from the bed to the couch.
Today, my body was pushing again for order and activity. Funny how your body can sometimes know what you want, before your mind does.
This journey truly is a rollercoaster of emotions due to its lengthy recovery time.
But today, I started to get back to the normal chores of cleaning, wash, and getting ready for the workweek.
Most importantly, I also took a walk before dinner, even if it was just around the block.
I really think my body was telling me to focus on things like work and being active rather than just sitting around feeling sorry for myself.
Like everyone else, it’s so easy to be focused on the next milestone, which is usually a lengthy time gap in between. I still have 11 more days until my next Post Op doctor visit. At that visit, the cast gets removed and I get to start PWB. It’s so exciting because you finally get to see some type of improvement and healing. But the slippery slope is that it becomes the only thing you can focus on, thus time moves extremely slow when that’s all you can concentrate on.
Chapter 6 – Getting Depressed – Friday, January 1st , 2016
Being alone over the holidays is bad enough, but being alone and immobile, that’s really not fun. It’s been a long couple of weeks. What was once a feeling to conquer a challenge to get to the next milestone has become a long, arduous, depressing endeavor. I’m still able to be somewhat mobile, but there is only so much time one can lay on the couch and being locked up in an apartment. It’s almost prison like.
And to exasperate my pain, the main reason I moved to this new city was to be more active and play outside. I keep thinking, all of that has been taken away.
Chapter 5 – One Week Post Op – Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015
Went to see the doctor for my one week post op appointment. They took the splint and bandages off. It was the first glimpse of my mauled, bruised, swollen, fat ankle/foot. Wow… it looked a mess.
The doctor came in and said he was happy with the surgery and the way it was healing. I was then put in a hard cast and was told to see him in three weeks, while still NWB. Hmmm.. Three weeks doesn’t seem too bad, is what I told myself. If I only knew then, what I know now………
Chapter 4 – Surgery Day – Tuesday, December 15th, 2015
Luckily a friend of mine was able to make it to town for my surgery for a couple days to help me get around and it was great to have some company. It’s quite easy to get down because sometimes we focus on the things we can’t do anymore, then the things we can do.
Having never had surgery before, I was a little nervous, but more anxious to get this thing fixed so I could start to focus on recovering.
The nurses and hospital staff were all so great. They all laughed at my lame jokes, which I knew weren’t very funny. The nerves kicked in when I was wheeled into the operating room. I’ve only seen them on tv and now I’m in one. It was full of nurses and staff, which was really surprising to me. I was told to take a few deep breaths once the mask was placed over my mouth. Stupid me. I thought they were giving me oxygen, so I took some giant deep breaths. Then….. bam.. lights out.
Next thing I woke up in the recovery room and had no idea where I was or what I was there for. It was so confusing, I started to cry.
I’m sure the recovery nurse was rolling her eyes with the other nurses, saying, ‘why did I get stuck with the crazy one.’ She turned out to be super nice and actually went to get my friend to bring them back while I shook off the anesthesia. (and tears…!!)
Chapter 3 – Mobility – Friday, December 11th, 2015:
First good day since this all started. I found the iWalk online, ordered it for overnight deliver, and it arrived today. Luckily I took to it with ease. As everyone knows, getting around on crutches it terrible, especially for me, since I’m flying solo on this adventure and have no one to assist me in any of my daily needs.
The iWalk gives you the freedom of your hands that crutches don’t allow. It’s amazing how simple things, like getting up to get coffee or carry food to the table, we all take for granted until you can’t do them.
Chapter 2 – Confirmation - Thursday, December 10th, 2015:
The doctor I saw on Monday, told me I needed to see the specialist on Thursday, the 10th. So, I came back with my MRI, boot, and crutches and was hoping he would tell me the other doctor was wrong and it’s just a pulled muscle. I was still in denial, especially since there were so many thoughts going through my head. I travel for work - how will this effect my job. Recovery – I just moved to a new city four weeks ago. I know absolutely no one in the town to ask for help or support. Furthermore, since I travel so much for work, I have very few friends, period. This isn’t going to fun.
So, the doctor finally came in and confirmed it was a full Rupture. Ughhhhhhh….
He was consoling and let me know that I could get back to a level of activity where I was before. I’m holding him to it.
We scheduled the surgery for Tuesday of the next week.
I went home and was devastated. Then I had to collect myself to inform my Manager of my situation and dilemma. I had to cancel my business trips for the rest of the year and develop a plan of how to complete the work from home. Luckily it’s a slow time of the year, so it all worked out. Not sure how 2016 will work out, but one thing at a time.
Chapter 1 – Day of Apocalypse - Sunday, December 6th, 2015:
It happened. I was finishing up hitting tennis with a friend. We only had a few more minutes to hit and I sprinted for a short ball and that’s when it happened. I lunged forward, well, my body continued forward, but my right foot was stuck to the ground. I felt this humongous pain in my right calf. My first thought was: Why did the tennis fence just fall on my leg. The pain was centered in my right calf. I turned around and no one was there and the fence was still standing. It’s amazing how many thoughts go through your head during a crisis in a matter of 1 or 2 seconds.
I went to walk to the bench and that’s when I realized I hurt myself. I was still able to walk and I didn’t’ hear a Pop, so I thought I just pulled a muscle.
I ended up walking from the courts to my truck. I was in great denial and just thought I pulled my calf muscle, so I hopped in the truck and had to drive to the store about a half an hour away. I walked through the store, shuffling my dead foot along with me, still in denial.
After I got home, I raised my foot and iced it for the rest of the night. As the night progressed, I knew something was wrong and it just wasn’t a pulled muscle. I haven’t known anyone who tore their Achilles, so I wasn’t familiar with its signs.
The next morning, I woke up and knew I had to see a doctor. For someone who doesn’t use the health care system very often (I saw a doctor 7 years ago for my 40th bday checkup, and couldn’t tell you how long it was before that when I was in a doctor’s office).
Frustrated that the first doctor I called wouldn’t see me for three weeks, I called my company’s Health Care concierge. She was able to get me in to see a doctor that day.
Not knowing what to expect, I was pretty scared to be thrown into the world of our health care system. Luckily the doctors and staff I ended up were great. I was taken to an office, of course, in one of the rooms the farthest away from the waiting room.
The doctor finally came in, asked me what happened, and just looked at my foot. He didn’t’ even touch me and said, ‘Yup.. you’ve ruptured your Achilles.’
My life, as I know it, has now taken a turn. I have no idea what I’m in store for.
