Today, I took my first shower since the February 11, 2016 surgery! No more sponge baths for me!! The tools that helped with this great milestone are a wonderful plastic cast cover that I picked up at a medical supply store and which works like a charm, in addition to a shower chair. I feel nearly human again.
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I have a bone spur (I would call it a bone LUMP) on both heels as well (well I had one on the right - it’s gone now!). The right was MUCH bigger than the left and was definitely impacting my ability to do a lot of things and giving me pains regularly so I had surgery to remove it. I can still wear closed heel shoes on my left foot and asked my surgeon when I should get the left bone spur removed. He said do it when I can’t stand it anymore. No guarantees that the surgery will turn out great. So far it has on my right. But there is risk so if my left heel bone spur ever gets as large as my right was then I’ll get it fixed. Until then I’ll just get my right foot/leg back to normal. But bumps on the heel can be things other than bone spurs so let the doc figure out what it is.
I LOVE my knee scooter!! SO much better than crutches! It makes life so much easier. I ordered mine from Amazon.com and wasn’t too expensive. I HIGHLY recommend it to ANYONE having foot surgery or issues. Hope you don’t have any more problems or falls! I know how easy it is to get off balance. I have almost fallen several times when I’m on the crutches especially. Just keep telling yourself S L O W DOWN!!! Hang in there!
Hello, everyone. Thank you all for your concern. I talked to the surgeon’s nurse yesterday. She said that because my cast is intact, I’m probably fine. She said that my black and blue toes are to be expected and that I should consider using one of those knee scooter things. The trouble is that I’d probably fall off that, too!
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I’m sorry that you fell….so scary. Have you heard from your doctor yet?
Please let us know. Positive thoughts coming your way!
Karren
Hope you’ve heard from the doc by now. Stoved would be the best answer but I’m worried like the rest. Let us know. Hope you iced right away.
OUCH!!!! That sounds terrible! I haven’t fallen all the way down. I’ve stumbled and put my surgery foot down with the boot on but haven’t gone all the way down. As my doctor said, “If you are going to smack your head and knock yourself silly then put your foot down! That’s why we have you in the boot(cast). It’s better than having a concussion to go with the foot issue.” His words not mine!
Praying that you are just bruised but not “broken”. Hang in there!
GrannyKat, this is a bummer. During the recovery process we have to undo years of mobility habits that don’t work with the cast or the boot, which I think is why many Drs insist on a cast the first couple of weeks…
I agree with beanie as to possible damage, and hope that by when you read this your Dr. has given you better info.
Take care, and of course, the most useless yet popular phrase of caregivers: “be careful”. Which is followed in popularity by “Do not fall”.. 
Manny
Arg grannykat, so sorry about the fall! You are in a cast which should have protected your achilles and wound. I’m not sure about the FHL tendon transfer and what possible damage you could have in your big toe, but I really hope it’s just bruised from the hard landing! Let us know what the doc says. My thoughts are with you!
I think that’s a good idea, bryanb! Not silly at all.
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Great to hear, grannykat…!!
There will be many more accomplishments. Make sure to celebrate each of them. Seems silly to those who are not part of this clan, but i remember being so thrilled to take a shower without the stool.
Keep up the great work.
Heal strong.
Hand held shower thingies are awesome! I think shower number 2 is tomorrow for me. I can’t believe I’m as thrilled about that as I would be to have a spa vacation!
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That sounds like a true success, Metonia. My daughter just turned 29, and she has 2 kids, ages 1 and 2, with a third on the way in August! We haven’t had alone time in years. At this point, lotion is a luxury for me!! Have a beautiful week.
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Good for you Grannykat! I just had my 2nd shower tonight. Felt great! I used the boot cover and a plastic step stool with a hand held shower. It works great. It’s the little things in life!
Congrats grannykat. glad you were able to get on and off the chair without problems. My first shower worked ok, it was the after I got out that reacted all my issues then. That was over a week and a half ago. I was afraid to try it again.
Luckily I too had a shower yesterday. My second since Feb 3rd. My wonderful daughter (30 with 2 kids age 2 &3) got off work early due to spring break (she works at a college). She stopped on her way home and helped me. We haven’t had mother/daughter time alone in over 3 years. Since I was allowed to get my ankle wet, I chose not to were my brace. She washed my back while I was in the chair and stayed close as I stood to rinse off. I’ve a suction cup brace on the side of the wall which helped me balance. Then she lotioned up my feet and legs really well once I was back in bed.
No falls, no slips, dog gate down and back up without missing that wheelchair lol.
Hi, Metonia. I don’t think I mentioned the previous surgery in my history, as I’d like to forget it ever happened. It was a real nightmare and a waste of time that set me back nearly a year. Live and learn.
I’m a bit more than a month shy of 55. I have a 29-year-old daughter who is married with 2 young children (ages 1 and 2), with a 3d on the way in late August! Hence, the “granny” in “grannykat.”
I started back at work today. Fortunately, my job is such that I am able to do it from home. Thank goodness.
Have a great day. No more falls!
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Hello grannykat, I hadn’t realized you had a failed surgery prior to this one. I suffered for around nine months before I finally decided to have the surgery. That was after almost 6 months of therapy first.
By the age of your children I’m guessing we may be close in age. Mine are 33, 32 and 31.
I’m glad you are more comfortable with your newest cast. The day of my surgery, my surgeon told my husband she was very pleased and figured I’d be 2 weeks ahead in my recovery, but i think with my fall the night before my 2 week check she decided to be cautious.
Your recovery time seems consistent with what you’ve had done. From what I’ve been reading, the more repaired the longer the recovery time
Good luck this time around and keep us posted
I hope you progress to a boot, too. I’m in a cast for another 4 weeks. Good luck with your appointment next week!
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Hi Kat, I’m also a Haglunds chronic Insertional AT, didn’t need the FHL though. Week one and two were the worst for me, week three’s been pretty boring. I’m still NWB with splint as needed. Hopefully will progress to boot with next Thursdays doctor appointment
Thanks, crzykdsmom. PWB so soon perhaps? How awesome that would be! I would love to have a goal like yours, but since having such a goal was what got me into this mess in the first place, I’ll just be happy if I can take a pain-free, limp-free walk around the lake with my husband! Thanks for sharing your experience.
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Kat,
I just had debridement and reattachement surgery on Friday, Feb. 19. I am not a runner - I was in high school- but hope to get back to it with my best friend who had heart surgery 2 years ago. Our goal is to run the Indy Little 500 together. If not this year, hopefully the next! I live in Indiana and the weather isn’t conducive to training right now anyway - expecting 7″ of snow tomorrow!
I’ve had issues with both feet for 7 years. Plantar facitis with up to 5 injections in each foot. Thought I was better but the bone spur on my right foot began aggrivating my foot about July of last year. Finally had to go to the doctor in late Dec. and schedule my surgery.
I am a mom of 4 older kids - 31, 28, 25,and 17 and a wedding and event planner. Hoping to get back up and running soon.
Since Friday it hasn’t been too bad. A couple of near falls and a few pinches of stinging pain. Doc has me on anti inflammation drugs and icing. Elevating and resting. Will go back on Friday for check up and will see if I can go PWB. So far I haven’t had much pain at all. I’ve found that reading, working on paper work and catchin
[...]Thank you for your warm welcome, Manny, and for the suggestions. I’m so glad I found this site.
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Welcome to our group, Kat. As you can imagine, we don’t congratulate people on becoming members… though we do try to keep smiling throughout our recovery and rehab.
Advice? Read lots of posts, specially of people who have had similar procedures to you. You should also stay in touch with our athletes of all ages, including a 65 year old who goes mountain climbing with a knee crutch! LOL
We have hard core enthusiasts who use heavy backpacks to help their calves regain strength, and people who go swimming to do all around body work… Me? I’m hoping to be dancing again soon… have only danced three times since my rupture in early December, and one time it was with a crutch! LOL.
Good luck with your recovery!………… Manny
Congrats grannykat. glad you were able to get on and off the chair without problems. My first shower worked ok, it was the after I got out that reacted all my issues then. That was over a week and a half ago. I was afraid to try it again.
Luckily I too had a shower yesterday. My second since Feb 3rd. My wonderful daughter (30 with 2 kids age 2 &3) got off work early due to spring break (she works at a college). She stopped on her way home and helped me. We haven’t had mother/daughter time alone in over 3 years. Since I was allowed to get my ankle wet, I chose not to were my brace. She washed my back while I was in the chair and stayed close as I stood to rinse off. I’ve a suction cup brace on the side of the wall which helped me balance. Then she lotioned up my feet and legs really well once I was back in bed.
No falls, no slips, dog gate down and back up without missing that wheelchair lol.
Good for you Grannykat! I just had my 2nd shower tonight. Felt great! I used the boot cover and a plastic step stool with a hand held shower. It works great. It’s the little things in life!
That sounds like a true success, Metonia. My daughter just turned 29, and she has 2 kids, ages 1 and 2, with a third on the way in August! We haven’t had alone time in years. At this point, lotion is a luxury for me!! Have a beautiful week.
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Hand held shower thingies are awesome! I think shower number 2 is tomorrow for me. I can’t believe I’m as thrilled about that as I would be to have a spa vacation!
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Great to hear, grannykat…!!
There will be many more accomplishments. Make sure to celebrate each of them. Seems silly to those who are not part of this clan, but i remember being so thrilled to take a shower without the stool.
Keep up the great work.
Heal strong.
I think that’s a good idea, bryanb! Not silly at all.
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