Jun 23 2009
1yr, 2 mths since rupture-Back to Tennis and current record 3W-0L; OK to be in pool now too. :) Pics attached, but not pretty.
Well hello there! I ruptured my achilles tendon April 6 of 2008 so it’s been about 1 yr and almost 3 mths. After rupture staples didn’t hold incision, so huge hole of a wound about 1.5 inches in diameter. Because of huge open wound I had MRSA also, but we licked that within a few weeks. Multiple grafts and wound vac, and after 6 mths of open wound it apparently closed in October. Since then it’s been a scabby road I’ve been on. GOOD NEWS NOW: I began playing tennis again and have won all of my matches. I hope to be able to play singles again…but for now, it double’s. Also, just this June I’ve been comfortable enough with my scabby wound, or whatever you call it now, to get into a swimming pool. It been great! We vacation in Florida, and not getting in the water has been tough. So, I’m going about my daily life and am more active now, doing bootcamp classes and running a little. I still am not sure how much damn longer my scar/wound will look like it does…it looks really bad, but so, so much better than it did before. I have SO much scar tissue built up. I try and massage it daily, but am not very consistent. I do pay and have a massage just on my scar pretty frequently…so much for the relaxing massages! 
I’m putting all kinds of things on the scabby wound to keep it moist, like Vitamin E oil, various lotions, etc. I’ve attached pics…I’ve been meaning to put them up for a while…I took them myself from my iPhone, so not Portrait Quality…so, if you’d like a framed picture pls email me and I’ll autograph one for you. You think these pics looks bad? Take a look at my earlier posts to see how far I’ve come…but viewer discretion advised. :) Good luck to you all on this patient journey…we’ll all be back to normal one day…one day. Oh, I forgot…Question for you all…do any of you wear an ankle brace when you play sports now? Not sure if I should wear one for extra support or not. Pls advise Fellow ATR Dr’s. You guys are the best resource…so much better than our physicians! Nighty Night! - Kristin
Great News! How do the calves look?
Jim
Hey - so good to hear your update! You are still my hero, after all you went through. Yup, it is kind of an ugly scar, but most people will never notice it.
It is a badge of honor - you beat the ATR and the complications that came with it.
I have been playing tennis — I started sporadically in March/April, and have been trying to get out twice a week for the rest of the summer. I do not use any kind of brace — just bought some new shoes, make sure to have my orthotics, and I stretch the calves alot prior to playing.
Congrats - life is sounding normal for you again!!
Jim-Hey! Calf’s are looking and doing well. I can do a calf raise on the bad leg ok…can’t get up very high.
Tennis Junkie-Maybe we should play tennis together. I’m so with you on the stretches…I try and stretch a lot before, and during the match I’m always stretching and rolling back and up on balls of feet. And, ice and stretch after too.
Happy Friday All!
Holy cow…look at that…after all you went through I think it looks, well, beautiful (and closed)!
I just had my ONE YEAR anniversary! Since we’ve been through so much together, I thought I’d post this milestone on your blog. I just got back from a visit back home and, to celebrate, went to a game at Fenway Park where I STOOD on the Green Monster for all nine wonderful innings. It was a perfect way to celebrate getting back to normal.
I still have a slight scab about the size of the fingernail on my pinkie. I stopped using lotions since they just seemed to cause it flake off and a new one would appear. It gets smaller and thinner but it’s still there. But I can live with that.
But congratulations on getting back to normal yourself! But I had a question: why are you paying for massages? Aren’t your kids out for summer vacation?
Good to hear from you and hope it just keeps gettin’ better.
Great job girl!!! Hope to see you on the courts one day soon, maybe we should play T-2 - lol…….Sandyinga