My Achilles Tendon Rupture Adventure

Fellow ATR’s I know I just posted – but I didn’t think PT would be so mentally and physically rewarding.  Thanks for listening and may you all experience PT sooner than later.

Today’s session (at 7 weeks 4 days)

1. measured ROM of good foot and then bad foot.  While doc says I was in pretty good shape he was bummed that its in my 8^th week that I’ve come in.  Wished the Surgeon sent me in about 3 weeks ago to start to loosen up the tendon.(how are we suppose to know these things?)
2. 20 minutes in hot whirlpool (best ever!)
3. 15 minutes of massaging the tendon and the bones in foot.  Weird – but really good.
4. then “walk to the bike”  WHAT?  Yes, no boot, walked in a funny sorta cartoon way to the bike
5. Biked for 5 minutes, with bad foot mainly just pressing with heel.  Felt GREAT. Burned 8 calories – whoo hoo. I rule. 
6. band exercises
7. Ice for 15 (Ice is my friend)

Supposedly next week we’ll start leg press and toe raises but I can’t believe it.  He also took out the remaining wedges of my boot and was mad that my surgeon ordered the wedges.  Go Figure.

Very please.  Happy to ride bike, and start some sort of swimming and walking in two weeks.  OMG!  Also BIG lecture from PT about care of my other foot due to my excessive running.  Will post “healthy foot” protocol when we get there.

 “interesting” items at the PT center.  Back to PT on Friday and then three day

Thanks for the support.  I opened a bottle of wine at 3 in celebration.  That’s not too early for a couch sitter is it?  Ha!  Kkdub

Ps – I’ll post pics of the facility and other s a week.

I watched this today and it was painful. He got to the start of the race ok, but after a false start he just ripped up his number and hobbled off the field.  You could see the pain and frustration in his face.  He had to pull out of the hurdles and he’s a Chinese national hero.
http://airamerica.com/full_story/120287302.

Hi All! 

I’m 7 weeks 1 day or almost 2 months or 50 days!

Today I am taking it easy after a week or more of wedding festivities with my family last weekend.  My foot needs the break – plus its 106 and muggy out (HUGE heatwave in the NW right now).  I’m happy to be inside with ice packs and the Olympics.

Here are some of the things going on with me:

1. Last week I had my second post op at just over 6 weeks.  Like a lot of you , I saw the surgeon for all of 4 minutes and he said “looks good”.  Um….what does that MEAN?  He handed me a piece of paper that said “take one wedge out a week” I have three wedges in the boot. “Then walk 1 week in the boot no wedges and then throw the boot away.”  He said to ditch the crutches then too – oops – already ditched crutches last week – although if I go out for a while (which is rare) I do bring one crutch.  So in less than a month  - Sept 10  - I’ll be two shoes …I hope.  I do have to say that just this week I stopped sleeping with the boot on!  The doc didn’t give me the go ahead, but WOW, it feels great.
   1. Not having the crutches is really AMAZING.  I had hired help to come every day and this last week we decided she was bored b/c I can do almost everything except take my garbage up my steep driveway!    I do bring one crutch to bed b/c the tendon takes a couple minutes to warm up in the morning and it was too painful to hop to the bathroom.

2.  The other thing he said was “oh yeah”….start PT.  YES!  So PT starts for me on Tuesday.  I can’t stand (or am afraid to) on both feet without support (boot etc).  I’m thinking PT is going to help me with this – I want to take a picture that shows both feet on the ground!

3.  On the note of not going out too much (although a couple fun dates, and people stealing me out for lunch)…I’ve decided that I’m taking recovery seriously and don’t mind sitting on the couch a couple days a week even though I’m VERY bored.  I’m happy that I don’t have any swelling, pain, or issues (cross fingers).  I think my “chilling” out has helped.  I do have amazing friends that come over quite a bit and hang out in the sun on the deck so there are lots of people around. 

4.  My scar is very straight and looking better than in these pictures (it looks a little red in the pics).  There is a small spot at the very heel that still has scabs and some dead skin, but I think in another week it should be better.  I’m using Mederma and Viti E after I shower.  I did NOT get the OK to go swimming – the cardio exercise that I’m banking on using to get back into shape (since running is months out!).  I’ll still have to wait on that one.

5.  I feel healthy, have lost a few pounds and have had a trainer come most 5 days a week for ROM and upper body/back exercises.  Just next week we’ll start more core and some lower bod  now that I can put a lot of pressure on my ATR leg to keep me balanced.  The quad and the hammie are going to object, but I can’t wait for that soreness.  Feeling antsy but knowing that I have just another month of boot and that I’ll start SOME exercise at PT is REALLY cool.

I spend a lot of time thinking, on the web (shout out to Ed Forman for his support!), watching the Olympics and chatting with friends.  I’ve managed to continue to get pedicures and happy about that.  I’m headed to Vegas on Sept 4 and will take a few shots with the Achilles Tshirt for the gallery.  I’m happy for this time to heal and think about my plan for the coming months.  Thanks to everyone on the site – the fun – and education.

kkdub

OK.  I’ve been practicing walking with one crutch in my house, and yesterday I took about 10 steps with NO crutches.  My goal is to walk into post op appt a week from today with NO crutches.  So scarey but I did it.  I did it.  I walked.  ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

My incision changes colors regularly depending on what I did the day before.  I have to assume this is normal, but its doing ok.  I really hope in six months it will be skin color

Not much else, just so excited I could walk - CRAZY!

I did it.  I walked.