God’s plan

GOD IS GOOD !
Two weeks ago I was able to go to two shoes ! Yea !
I can wear cowboy boots or wear my other shoes with inserts.
I went to the doctor yesterday and he cut the apron springs. He released me to resume normal activites minus a couple things. The number one deal for me at this time is that he released me to go back to riding my horse ! That is a biggie for me. That’s my outlet for stress relief and time with my two youngest girls. I thank God for the recovery, my family for their love, help and support, and my doctor for his advice, care, and helping hand.

Well, I’ve been walking in my boot for a couple weeks now. I am a teacher. The day before I went back to school I was okayed to walk. YEA ! These last 2 weeks have been a challenge. Not in the way that the ankle is hurting or anything…the ankle is super ! ! ! Does not hurt a bit ! I started with 2 inserts and after a week went to 1 insert…now I am at no inserts in the boot. THANKS TO GOD FOR GUIDING MY SURGEON’S HANDS ! ! ! The deal is that I am just tired. Real tired. I guess I should expect it since I basically went from NWB to working full time. In the days prior to the ATR I was busy and working…and I guess the 2 months off NWB took its tole on me…more than I realized for sure. I know that each day I will gain more stamina… Praise God for my family, my friends, and my doctor. I go back to the dr in a couple weeks for the next chapter in the saga of Michelle’s ATR !

2 month picture

GOD IS GOOD !  The same God who created the heavens and the earth loves me and takes care of me.  I’d like to preface this post with the fact that whether one wants to admit it or not, God is in control.  There are times in our lives we don’t realize that and times that we may not WANT to admit it or accept it, but God loves and cares for His people.  The fact that I had an ATR did not fit into my plans.  I am an active person and being NWB for two months was overwhelming.  It pretty much kicked me in the gut.   When I found out to what extent I was injured and the recovery time, I even snapped at my doctor who has been God-sent to me and my family.   Why would I do that ????  Why couldn’t this have happened to someone who WANTS to sit on their rear for 2 months???  I had plans… things to do this summer…I’d just lost 90 pounds and was primed for a great summer of fun and riding horses…since I’m a teacher I had the whole summer before me !  BUT what I seemed to forget is that in Hebrews God tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us…..the first 3 weeks were tough…this really messes with your mind.  What I had to realize is that He had greater plans than mine.  It wasn’t a happenstance that I had the ATR.

The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.  Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

The last two months has been a growing time for me and my family.  I have learned that I can stop and rest…I’ve learned that all of my girls, my friends, and my husband are gracious helpers…I’ve learned so much and I thank God for this opportunity.  I guess the greatest lesson I’ve learned so far is to allow others to help me…I am always the one to want to help.  It was hard for me to ask for help when I needed it.   When you look at the big picture, an ATR is a temporary setback.  I have friends who are not as blessed as I am.  I have friends who will die from their illness.

Well, now for today….2 months after my surgery…I can finally put some weight on my leg…  Praise God !  It seems like it’s been a life time, but it hasn’t been.  My doctor blessed me today…in more than one way.  Not only is he just a “top shelf” individual, he’s a great doc.  He proclaimed my AT doing excellent, and he said I could put weight on my leg.  I am with 2 inserts now and walking with the aid of crutches…I’ll take out 1 in a week and then the 2nd one the next week.  Then I go back to the dr in 4 weeks.  WOW….I have to admit…it felt WEIRD.   I was like a baby walking !  I went into the hardware store in town and the cashiers asked if the dr had said something to me because I had slowed way down !  LOL  One thing I noticed is that my ankle was sore  in the front….I guess it’s used to not having to bear weight, or maybe it’s the angle due to the inserts.

Thanks for taking time to read my blog and listen to my experiences.  I hope that this blog will be an encouragement to others who are blessed with an ATR.

Blessings,

Michelle

Today I went in to the doctor and they took my current cast off.  There is definite atrophy of the calf muscle.  The doctor gave me a boot and said that I was still NWB.  I am to return to the doctor in 3 weeks to be re-evaluated.  He told me to take the boot off 3 times a day and do the ABC’s with my toes on that leg.  My range of motion seems pretty good to me.  I can flex less than 90 degrees.  My foot was very sore…some massaging made it feel more human.  Swelling is minimal…mainly around the suture area where there is definite thickening.  When I asked about physical therapy, the doctor said that at the rate it is going he feels I’ll be able to rehab at home.  That would be a huge blessing !  The PT is about an hour drive from where I live.  The doctor did warn me of the fact that 6 weeks PO is a very vulnerable time in the healing process of the Achilles tendon.  I am taking NO chances.  I do want to share that for a lady, the amount of hair that can grow under casts in 6 weeks time is amazing, LOL !  Also, never, I say NEVER underestimate how blessed you are to be able to take regular baths and showers.  Just being able to sit on the shower chair with BOTH legs in the shower was WONDERFUL ! ! ! !   At this point it’s just the little things.  LOL. 

Looking back at this point I’d say that the first 3 weeks was the hardest for me.  It was very hard for an independent person to ask or accept  help.  I couldn’t have done it without a supportive household.  My husband and kids were and are wonderful !  My husband’s work has been gracious to allow him to be off as needed to help me at the house and take me back and forth to doctor’s appointments, etc. 

NECESSITY: 
1.  Buy or rent a shower chair.  It makes a world of difference as you do not have to get down into the bath…you can stay upright and it’s so much easier on your leg.  I never had a cast cover, although I have heard good reports of these….I just left my casted leg out of the shower and wrapped a towel around the top of the cast.
2.  If the doctor says that you will have a cast for 4-6 weeks, ask him if you can change it out at about 2 week intervals…for one thing, the atrophy makes the cast loose, and secondly, it’s a mental relief to be able to SEE the incision and that all is okay. 
I hope that my experience can be of some assistance to others.  I do know that this injury is all a part of the plan for my life and my families.  God is GOOD and has kept me through this entire time…thank God I have Him to walk through life with me !

Well, I have been concerned about the aspect of not being active…..granted, walking on crutches while being NWB is somewhat of a workout, LOL. I asked my dr if I could ride my stationary recumbent bike with one leg and just let the casted leg hang off. He said sure… I asked if I could ride my horse and just let the casted leg hang off….he DIDN’T say sure….LOL. For some reason he sees a difference????? LOL. So, since the kids and I ride on our road bikes 20-30 miles on a whim I figured that I could ride the stationary bike in the house about 10 miles. WRONG ! I managed to eek out 2 miles. I didn’t know how much it takes to ride one one legged ! So, it’s 3 days now that I’ve managed my bike riding…up to 2.25 miles now ! WHOOP ! God is GOOD ! All the time !

Well, it’s been 1 month … I have to say, it seems a lot longer !  2 days ago I called the dr about my cast…it was really really  loose…the nurse said to go ahead and come in and get it changed….the dr took a look at my leg while the cast was off and said it looked excellent.  I was able to flex my ankle and get it to a true 90 degree set with no difficulties.   Which is a BIG change from the last visit !  I feel encouraged for one of the first times since my ATR…I know it’s a long road before me, but there is no infection, my leg is not hurting and there is just minimal swelling at the back of the ankle, so I know I am blessed.  GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME !

Well, my cast from 5 days ago was EATING into my shin…OUCH ! The nurse said to come in today and they’d fix it. She also informed the dr who took this opportunity to bring it as close to 90 degrees as they could…I was a little uptight…LOL…so as we were manipulating it I had sweat pouring off me…it was almost funny…stress I guess. It feels fine now. The going 90 deg. made my calf pull a bunch…it hurt there, not in the surgery area. I feel like I’m on my way now ! I go back in 3 weeks on the 20th for the next step ! God is good !

Well, went to the dr today and they took the splint off… He said it was torn about 1 inch above the attachment point so it had been  tricky to re-attach…also something about the tendon that runs next to the achilles was not normal….hmmm.  LOL.  No infection, healed good, stitches out and re-casted !  I have to go back in 4 weeks.  God is GOOD ~

Well, two weeks is almost done…I’m kinda nervous about the unveiling of my surgical site on Wednesday. Is the next step a NWB cast for 4 weeks?

I’ m new to this… just had an ATR June 07th and surgery June 11th