These Little Piggies….(5 weeks post op)
are SOOOO HAPPY to be free from the cast! Yesterday was my first whole day out of it and I pretty much did nothing but gentle ROM stretches and massaged my foot, tendon area, and calf muscles. Other than the inflammation, I’m not feeling any discomfort at all. Dr. McFarland used an adhesive - type glue to close my incision and it has all worn away, leaving a very clean incision site. There is a considerable amount of swelling / thickness surrounding the tendon and the bottom of my calf muscles and I gently massage these while sitting around with the boot off. ROM is very good - toes down is almost as far as the good foot, and I’m just stretching them up not quite to the point of resistance. While sitting in the rocker / recliner, I keep the heel on the floor and slowly rock back and forth while stretching the toes down and up. I can also stand on both feet and fairly evenly distribute weight on them. When walking with the boot on I’m starting to roll on the foot fairly smoothly. Sleeping in the boot is not the most comfortable situation, but it is what it is! Temporary inconvenience for a long term improvement.
It just feels so great to actually feel and see that the tendon is healing and I’m finally making noticeable improvement in my recovery. I still keep a warning light on in my brain to TAKE IT SLOW, STEADY, and EASY!
I go back to work Monday afternoon (2nd shift)! This will be a big change in the daily routine of staying at home for the past 10 weeks! Fortunately I’ll be able to sit and work at a desk for the majority of the shift, but will have plenty of opportunity to walk / crutch around the shop floor and grounds - but ONLY on smooth hard pavement.
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
Jack
At 5 wks post-op, you should be able to ditch the crutches very soon. Did Doc say different? Bit.ly/UWOProtocol starts FWB “as tolerated” at 4 weeks post-whatever, and got fine results.
Comment by normofthenorth — April 12, 2013 @ 10:37 am
Norm, I’m slowly working on adding a little more weight to the foot and letting up on the crutches as I walk. My partner was in the Dr’s office Wed. when the cast came off - Dr. wants me back in a month for follow-up. Said I will be FWB by then. Unfortunately for me, my partner heard that as NO WEIGHT on the foot till then and kind of jumps on my ass whenever he sees me doing something that he feels is NOT what the Dr. said. Of course, he’s also the person who took care of me for the past 2 and a half months - especially after I re-injured myself 10 days after the 1st surgery. So whenever I’m with him, I will be trying to avoid ANY type of confrontation and / or argument. However, whenever I have the opportunity (at home alone, at work, etc) I will be trying to SAFELY push myself towards bearing weight, letting up on the crutches, etc. I do feel that the crutches will be history within the next week or so - will probably keep them nearby as a security blanket.
Comment by Jackinva — April 12, 2013 @ 10:49 am
Jack, the period of PWB — gradually introducing more weight to the injured leg, on crutches — is probably important and beneficial. In UWO, it lasts 2+ weeks, from 2 wks in to 4, plus “as tolerated”. You could probably do it safely in less than 2 weeks, but not instantly to FWB from a NWB cast.
Sometimes it’s not just the Docs and PTs who need to see some evidence to counter the too-powerful and too-natural assumption that going slower is better and safer.
I’d print out the UWO Study full-text (Willets et al 2010, free on this very site) and their Protocol, and leave them lying around the house!
Comment by normofthenorth — April 12, 2013 @ 11:02 am
Jack,
I’ve been having a pretty “pity party” day and boy did your “Temporary inconvenience for a long term improvement” really help me out. I have to keep that in mind….I have to take this one day at a time, but the end result is what I’m striving for….to be back in the gym, back to my fitness classes, and back to training for my first 1/2 Marathon……..seems a long long way off, but I know someday I will look back on this and wonder why I was such a cry baby! Thanks for the inspiring words! Peg
Comment by torngoals — April 12, 2013 @ 8:42 pm
Hey Peg. There have been several “down” days during the past few weeks, and I certainly believe it’s normal - and expected. I’m the personality type that is normally “full speed ahead” and to suddenly have life come to a screeching halt is really hard to deal with. I am so thankful that this happened to me during some of the coldest and darkest days of winter, as I felt much more at ease just cocooning up in a blanket, relaxing, and letting myself heal. However, all of us in the ATR club have realized the positive changes we can re-discover because of this injury. I’ve read several books, reorganized music and photo files on my computer, backed those files up, working hard on upper body exercise and strengthening, and even managed to still teach my Indoor Cycling classes at the YMCA (while sitting on my butt on a chair in front of the class and barking out the riding profile to the members). I’ve also learned to ask for - and accept willingly - help from others. Yesterday I hobbled out to the mailbox and my neighbors (sailors off the USS Abraham Lincoln) were doing their lawn, and pretty much told me that they were going to take care of mine too! No amount of gratitude can express my thanks for that!
Hang tough my friend!
Comment by Jackinva — April 13, 2013 @ 8:32 am