Rejection of fiber wire from tendon

It’s been 2 years since the accident that severed my achilles. I had a lump on the ankle and assumed it was scar tissue from the stiches I was spitting. 3rd weekend in August 2010 I did a 50 mile bike race and the lump began to drain by the next weekend. This was 15 months after the repair!!! I went to my GP and hes dug around, saying there was something in there, but if it didn’t hurt I could do the 10k trail run the following Sunday. So I did and placed well. Monday my husband talked me into calling the orthopedic clinic. They wanted to see me Tues. morning and was in surgery Wed morning! They fiberwire sutures had never dissolved and my body was trying to reject them. The scar was revised and I walked out of the hospital. No damamge to the tendon. Within 3 weeks I was given the ok to start running again. The only problem I have had it that becasue there is no curve in my lower ankle the heel cup in my sneakers rubs a blister. Does anyone else have this and if so, what did you do to relieve it. I have found that athletic tape seems to work and is the only bandage that will stay put. I may have to get the back cut down on my running shoes.

I’m 4 months out! The good part is I am swimming 1 laps 4 days aweek and cycling an hour 5 to 6 days a week, on top of working 8 hours 6 days a week. Healing well and strong. My ankle tells me to stop when I get home. The downer is my body was rejecting the dissolvable stitches. The incision finally stopped ouzing last week. I have pulled several out that pushed through the skin. Dr. did a culture and there is no infection. I apparently have an awesome immune system. (At least it’s not a pacemaker!)I’m still using the cast cover to keep the ankle dry while swimming.
Here is the best part!!!! I can rise on my toes on the bad leg 3 inches!!! This is supporting all my body weight on the bad ankle!
I have had no PT as my Doc tells me I’m doing more than enough to rehab myself.

5-29-09 Friday night I had a little freak accident. I knocked a pottery bowl off the counter while cooking. A piece somehow shot out and gashed my inner right ankle. I tied a dish towel around it for a tourniquet,and told Big C I needed help and before passing out. He carried me to the car and drove me to the clinic. I lost a lot of blood and my BP was 57/30, so they got me stabilized and put me in a ambulance to Wichita Falls. I’m really fine, it just seemed bad. The worst part is I cut into my achilles tendon and have to make an appointment Monday with an orthopedic surgeon. I’m hoping for the best, but realisticly my recovery will take more than a few months. I keep reminding myself that things could be worse, but I am dissapointed. I’ve been training for a 10K and everything is on hold now.
I’m a person that doesn’t know how to sit and relax, so this elevating my foot for the next 2 weeks is going to be a challenge. lol

6-1-09 I called the Surgeon at 8 am and had an appointment for 10! WOW! He looked at my ankle and told me he had to open it up to see the damage, but could feel it. I was scheduled for surgery at 7:30 in the morning!

Chris and I stayed at the Hospitality House across the street for the hospital, since I had to be at the hospital at 5:30am!!!! Lauren brought the kids over to see me. Josh thinks my crutches are cool and Gracie is convinced I cut my leg off! She’s 3 and goodness knows what she’s thinking.

6-2-09 I was preped with several tests like an EKG and……my pregnancy test was negitive! LOL I was told it is necessary before surgery. My Mom and Sister came and relieved Chris, since he had to over see a big landscape job at the new bank. All went well. I did have my worst fears realized. I cut 95% of the tendon, not good. I comfort myself with the fact thatif it had been completely severed things would be worse. My freind Jenni drove me home and stayed till Chris got there.

6-3-09 I took the Hydrocodone before bed and one this morning. I slept most of the day. This evening I decided I don’t need it. Ibeprofin will do. I need to stay clear headed, if I’m going to be home alone. I’m not really in any pain.
I’m doing well so far. Have been reading the FC alot, but too drugged to post smile.gif Didn’t take the pill last night and slept like a baby. Chris ia awesome, he is doing all the housework, laundry, cooking……and he gives GREAT bathes. Hehehe
I have never been layed up like this before and already going buggy!
Yesterday I tried to go outside just for a sec and our blind cat wandered out. I tried to shoo him in with my crutch. Being under the influence I lost my balance fell into the side of the pool, knocked a hose off the pump, but didn’t fall to the ground. Then I got my foot wet and had to turn the pump off and shut down the inlets. GEEZ! It was like an episod of I Love Lucy. All I could think was, “Chris is gonna be so upset with me!” I did get ithe bandage dried out with a fan and confessed when Big C got home.
6-11-09 I went to the Dr to get my stiches removed and first hard cast. My ankle and foot didn’t look as bad as I had imagined. Some swelling and bruising and the incision is only about 4 inches or so. It’s hard tp tell since my foot is in a toes pointed down postion to lessen the tension on the tendon. This was position was raised slightly . I go back for a new cast and have my foot put in a normal walking position on July 2nd.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f259/jms78/My%20Accident%202009/008-1.jpg

9days post surgery. Not too bad.
6-20-09 I have had minimal swelling and not any pain from the surgery. Some mornings my calf would cramp, when I got out of bed, but this was only for a few minutes. This has now subsided. I have no need for that nasty Hyrocodone and have only taken tylenol a couple of times. Dr said Ibefrofin slows healing.
I think the worst part is tryng to manage on crutches. I did get a knee walker which has allowed me to go back to work. It’s a neat scooter which you kneel on with the bad leg and push off with the other. Alot like a kids toy, has handle bars and brakes too! lol
I also got a cast cover I can bathe and even swim with! Now I just wait and to heal.
7-2-09 I got my foot reposition all the way to nuetral! My surgeon is a cold hearted…….He kept telling me to push. Guess he had faith in his work. Then they casted it and told me to walk on it! I couldn’t put any wait on it that day. My calf was cramping like when I cut the tendon! Two days later I was walking, so to speak. Kind of like an ape.
The surgeon told me that I would be running 6 months after the injury and I am holding him to it. I’ve been getting in the pool daily and kicking for 30 minutes.

7-6-09 I’ve had some swelling today and my tendon is aching.
7-16-09 I cracked up the bottom of the cast walking on it. Had to go and get it FIXED. They just put another 2 layers of fiberglass over it. Well, it’s 104 and my leg is hotter than before! I think it’s Claustrophobic. I can almost hear it screaming! My mood is pissy!
7-18-09 I walked with no crutches all day at work yesterday. Had to put a plastic bag over my foot to water in the greenhouses. Hope I’m not overdoing it, but I feel little discomfort other than the heat.
I’ve been trying to flex my ankle up and down in the cast as hard as I can. It feels good and I hope this will give me some kind of resistance exercise. I’m still kicking like mad in the pool daily and working on the Total Gym for upper body. I can’t wait to start working on getting my calf back in shape. I miss running soooo much!
7-20-09 Well the cracked cast that was repaired was rubbing on my ankle and incision. I had walked on the cast with no crutches all day at work on last friday and half of Saturday. I know this didn’t help the matter.
I went and had it looked at. The tech knew he hadn’t put this cast on and decided to take it off and recast, again.I had a little irritation at 2 spots on the tendon and had rubbed the outside ankle bone a little raw and is stinging.  He pulled my foot up a bit more than neutral. I got a bit of a cramp and it took a minute to settle down. The new cast is much better, my leg rocks better in taking a step forward, so the cast doesn’t dig into the shin and this isn’t as tight as the last one. I’m so glad my husband talked me into not just toughing it out for the remaining week and 2 days. 

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