jackinva’s AchillesBlog

…and just under two more left to go  in the cast. I’ve found that when I’m standing I can practically balance my weight evenly on both feet with absolutely no pain or pressure or discomfort on the left ankle area at all.  Well, as evenly balanced as possible, cause when my left foot is flat on the floor, the heel’s about 15" in front of my right foot because of the flexion angle of the cast. Still, that seems like a very good indicator that the healing process is invisibly and  miraculously taking place inside of the fiberglass contraption surrounding my calf and foot.

I still have hopes of returning to work in two weeks - after the cast comes off and the boot goes back on. I’m really trying NOT to project too far into the future about this stuff (those are the things that bounce around inside my head when I’m trying to fall asleep).  I wish I could figure out how to post images because I found the perfect one to describe my mental state - "Three out of Four voices inside my head want to fall asleep - and the Fourth KEEPS ME awake wondering if PENGUINS HAVE KNEES!" I headed over to the local grocery store last evening and bought a bottle of Advil PM and took a couple before heading upstairs last night. I fell asleep much quicker, but still woke back up a few hours later. It took awhile to fall back asleep, but I think I did get a better rest than I have in the past few weeks.

Exercise seems to help too. I’m hitting the YMCA a few times a week now to work on core and upper body, and my muscles are getting past the initial soreness and I’m feeling a renewed strength. I’m also noticing that my "winter coat" (the extra pounds that show up around the waist during the cold months) is starting to slowly get smaller.  On the off days, I’ll lay on the floor in the living room and do sit-up’s, crunches, push-ups (girl - style on my knees OR with the casted foot resting on top of my right ankle), obliques, and leg lifts.  It’s difficult to get the heart rate up into the aerobic zone, but to me it’s better than laying in the recliner or on the sofa all day long!

The days are still chilly but spring is beginning to show its’ colors.   I am really looking forward to getting onto an indoor cycling trainer and get the legs moving SLOWLY again. Of course - with my Dr.’s permission first. Then back on a real bicycle - OUTSIDE!

Y’all have a wonderful weekend. I’m headed to the "Y" .

I’m going a little stir crazy.  This past week has found me being the most active I’ve been since the 1st week of February - the injury.  I’m not going back to work until I’m out of this cast and into the boot -the  last thing I need to do is be in a train shop with my toes sticking out on my left foot. I’m still non weight bearing, so using crutches and knee walker at work are out of the question.  Three more weeks of trying to stay occupied SAFELY while not going totally freaking insane.

I’m ALMOST doing quite well with most of the household items; dishwasher, some cooking (even managed to hobble thru the supermarket yesterday to get some of the items needed for dinner last night), and changing the bird cage papers.  The reason I say ALMOST - I mis-judged when kneeling onto the scooter yesterday. Went straight down onto my butt and bruised it pretty well.  It’s doing well today - but another reminder to think, move slower, and move deliberately with the scooter and when on crutches.

Is anyone else having trouble sleeping during these first few weeks of greatly reduced activity? Hoping that some exercise would help tire me out enough to drop into a coma at night.   I’m heading over to the YMCA shortly to start back into an upper body exercise routine. Will be the first time exercising since February also. I can feel the weight growing on me.  How many calories would walking on  crutches burn up?

HAPPY SPRING TO EVERYONE!

(Is this FALL in the southern hemisphere?)

I don’t seem to be able to post actual images on the blog page, but have figured out HOW the can be viewed using a LINK!

The photo opens up in the Photobucket page - use the BACK arrow to return to Achillesblog page.

This is what I get to look at for the next month.


First: the next day after the injury on 2-7-13.

Second - Day after 1st surgery - at home.

Third - The Money Shot. Wide open, with the graft wrapped around the tendon. This was the 2nd surgery on 3-7-13.

Fourth - Closed up and ready to heal (heel).

I’ve got pictures - honestly. One’s kinda squeamish; a  graft - wrapped tendon ready for shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and a little salsa.  I mean does that not look like a pita pocket or what!  Wide open view. Guess that’s why I’ll be NWB for another 4 weeks. I LOVE MY SCOOTER!!!!!

That may be why I’m feeling a real slight stinging - tingling sensation in about that spot. A slight sharp pain along the outer bottom of the left ankle. Both  Dr’s McFarland and Padgett checked me out, and after a short discussion amongst them, my partner, and myself - WE all decided that the cast was going to provide the utmost in protection that I’m going to need to help ensure the best recovery. I think they did a great job (TWICE ) (Within 3 weeks) (They’re well experienced!)  There’s another picture showing the other side of their expertise.

I’ve been in a cast for about 6 hours, (and yet another picture)   and my foot feels the utmost in comfort than it has in the past month. Only 26 days till it comes off - I sure hope all the "stinging - tingling - healing" stuff is pretty well on its way out of the cast by then.

I spent about an hour in the kitchen this afternoon and…..I might have found something to do during the day. (I LOVE MY SCOOTER!) I can easily unload and load the dishwasher. We’ve got a smallish "U" shaped kitchen and I was easily able to maneuver with ease. There’s one thing I can handle.  Now there’s something else that happens in the kitchen, but I ..have a vague memory of .. is that "COOKING"?

If I can move dishes around the kitchen, I can probably handle taking care of a meal once in a while too.  (I LOVE MY SCOOTER!!)

As soon as I can get the pictures up…..

Co-worker suggested my cast should say "YOU SUCK AT FALLING   DOWN".

I find that during the day when I don’t have a lot of activity, my brain decides to take over the thought process about the future. Usually those thoughts concern themselves around (1) getting this thing fixed (2) making sure it doesn’t happen again (3) what happens if it does happen again (4) work (5) what things  I can and can’t do when I go back to work (6) WHEN will I be able to do those things (7)i gotta pee!  Do I get up and use the knee scooter to roll to the bathroom (about 15 ft away) or just sit here and use the portable urinal?

In my case, all of these thoughts are running at the same time - at the same volume. IN MY HEAD! Usually while I’m trying to fall asleep.
I’m coming to the realization that we are all on a journey - some of us are wise and well traveled, some can look back and no longer see the START sign, and some are very close to that START sign. This injury is going to (HAS)  introduce(d)  a large degree of CHANGE in our lives - and for a considerable amount of time.

So I’ve been working on trying to relax and to shut those mind invaders off - and trying to just focus and live at that exact moment. It probably employs concepts of meditation, yoga, stretching, and just telling my brain to "shut the fuck up".

By the way, I’ve also spent the past 2 days without turning the TV on (until the early re-run of "The Daily Show" later in the evening )  and listening to music.  Not just being on and in the background, or with earbuds in -and doing all sorts of things at the same time.  I mean parking my ass right in the middle of the sofa, centered between the speakers, and listening to and hearing almost every single note from start to finish. Yesterday I had satellite radio on, and whenever a "GOOD" song came on, I’d bump up the sound a touch louder and hit the groove! Today it was "Dark Side of the Moon".  I’ve got the time to relax and kick back and thoroughly enjoy a song while doing absolutely nothing. Didn’t even turn my laptop on all day yesterday. Now you gotta deal with me today to make up for it.

Oh, I get to see my foot tomorrow morning.

My job (for now) consists of getting downstairs in the morning and parking my butt on the recliner. Occasionally I have an additional task of moving over to the sofa. I’m getting pretty good at this job! At the end of the day I make my way to bed upstairs and then repeat the next day.

Things are getting better. I have just a touch of pain in the incision area. Yesterday I gave up the heavy pain med.  Earlier this week I felt so uncomfortable all day and night - like I was trying to slowly crawl out of my skin. I couldn’t fall asleep, and once I did it was very restless. Last night I slept so much better - and longer (I fell asleep around midnight and woke up after 7 AM).

I do have an indoor cycling class to teach tomorrow morning at the YMCA. I did it last week for the first time in a month. I get my music set up, and then talk the class through the next hour (stretches, warm-up, ride, cool down, and stretch) while either moving around the room on crutches or seated. The members told me they liked it when I led the classes ON the bike instead of OFF the bike. They felt like they were getting a harder workout when I taught from the floor instead of riding with them on the bike.  I’m looking forward to getting back on and joining them soon.

My next appointment with the Dr. is on Friday, so until then I just have to keep doing what I’m doing: NOTHING! Well, almost nothing except relax and  heal!

When I try to fall asleep at night, my mind starts to wander, and the most prevalent thought revolves around my recovery and future. It is so easy to get caught up in the "WHAT - IF " thought process, and it starts to snowball into this huge unmanageable mess inside my head that keep me laying there wide awake with the brain having its’ own stupid little party - to which I’m a captive  but non-willing participant! . Sometimes I just have to shout (inside my head, of course) "STOP!" I’ve found that deep breathing exercises along with targeted stretching helps me relax. It’s like a horizontal Yoga process; slowly take a deep breath in, focus on clearing my mind, gently flex the legs and hold for 5 - 10 seconds, and then slowly exhale and release the muscles. Repeat with the abdominal muscles, then the shoulders, then the arms, and then the neck. The whole time trying to be aware of what’s going on inside the head; when the thoughts start straying back into the active mode, I have to say "STOP" again and try again. Just practicing the deep breathing helps tremendously - when exhaling I can almost feel some of the stress and tension falling away.

I’ve noticed several more new members to the Achillesblog site who’ve had surgeries within the past week, and want to wish each of them the best in their recuperation and recovery. I get a great sense of support through this site - especially by reading the stories of so many others who have been through this journey. Just focus on TODAY and THIS MOMENT!  Don’t waste time and energy worrying about tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or whenever! Just focus on RIGHT NOW!

Take a deep breath - relax - exhale - repeat!

I was determined to get up the stairs and sleep in my bed last night instead of laying on the sofa for a 3rd night. My back was starting to ache - a sofa just is not as comfortable as a bed is. I’m getting around fairly confidently on crutches, but I don’t want to chance using them on the stairs this time, so I sit on the stairs and scoot up sitting backwards using my butt, hands, and good leg while pulling the crutches with one hand. At the top of the stairs I can either crawl about 20 ft. to the bed OR get back up on my foot and crutch myself to bed. I still didn’t get a solid night of sleep. but instead of waking up every 2 hours or so, I did manage to get about 3 or 4 hours at one stretch.

It also felt so good to shave, sponge off a bit, and get some clean clothes on before scooting back downstairs this morning.

Overall pain is really diminished and I’m sitting in the recliner with my foot down this morning, reading the Sunday paper and drinking my coffee. Hardly any throbbing / discomfort in the foot today.

I think I got a different antibiotic Rx this time though - shortly after taking one (every 6 hours) I feel a bit of intestinal discomfort and very slight cramping. This is quickly followed by a trip to the bathroom. This makes me wonder if the medicine is actually being absorbed into my body or if I’m just passing it straight through my digestive system. I may give the pharmacy a call later today to ask about it.

I also received my approved FMLA paperwork from work yesterday. Unfortunately, it was for the first surgery, so I will need to resubmit for the 2nd one which will push my “return to work” date back another few weeks.

I’m hoping that my new friends who had their procedures on the same day are also doing well in their recovery.

I had my 2nd surgery yesterday afternoon to repair the damage I’d done 10 days after the 1st. My Dr. had to use a graft and set the foot angle a little steeper than the original one. The nerve block wore off while I was asleep and other than a little stinging sensation, I’m feeling really good. However, I have not moved from the sofa yet - I’ve been keeping it iced and elevated, and have almost everything I need within reach (for now).
The “wake-up” call for me was when my surgeon commented that “IF” I were to reinjure it again, I would be looking at going to Duke or Cleveland Clinic for a cadaver transplant. With that in mind, I am really seriously considering going into a plaster cast next week when the splint comes off. I’m not a big fan of plastered appendages, but I’m really afraid of damaging this thing again.

It’s just too convenient to undo the velcro on the aircast and to forget to put the boot back on (although after having gone through this twice I’m sure my memory will not let me forget!)