Let’s do this again, shall we?

7 weeks and 4 days have passed since surgery and today was a post-op visit.
Last week Dr. B. had told me to start walking in the boot without crutches.
Man what a work-out that is!

I thought I would get only kudo’s from him and I was part right.
However on top of the praise he admonished me for not doing my range of motion exercises enough. I have to admit I’ve been a bit scared to do so, it brings on discomfort.
So today he told me I was showing signs of disuse and atrophy in the foot. And I was put on notice. Big time.
Whole new set of rules, do your exercises, alternating hot and cold baths and no more night splint as of Monday.
Physical Therapy starts Monday.
The progression as ordered will be no more boot in 2 weeks, shoes with heel lifts then.
See you in 4 weeks.

I’m counting down my final days as a lady of leisure, I go back to work on Monday for 3 hours.
Driving won’t happen just yet, I’m aiming for it by Christmas as I need to go back to my part-time job for real in January

I tripped over the dog, she’s a 100 pounds and somehow snuck up on behind me.
I caught myself.
I was in the boot but no crutches.
Today my calf has a dull ache and the bone in my heel hurts.
Seeing the Doc today for my 8 week check-up so I’ll ask him.

I’m walking with one crutch, two crutches and even without sometimes!
Question I have is that I have a dull ‘ache’ in my calf since a day or two.
If I was still training I’d think I’d need to stretch.

Any thoughts?

All of a sudden it seems my recovery is going with leaps and bounds.
Saturday was my first escape outing since going to Ikea with a friend a week before.
It was a 100% crutches experience and it at first was quite the chore. A newly renovated store had opened in town, just about the only proper retail store in our neighborhood.
The crowds were insane and the social graces matched that of the shoppers.
I don’t know what is invisible about a 5′6 person on crutches with a few pounds of black boot but there I was, un-seen.
Dude, that $3 towel trumps my foot?, get off it!

Sunday my cousin was in town again and we went shopping.
This is the day I felt such a great progression had happened. I walked (thunk thunk thunk, here comes Mari) a few steps without crutches holding my daughter’s hands, deemed the ‘exercise’ too laboring and used the crutches all day.
I was less tired that night as well.
Monday I had a massage and my friend took care of my poor lower back that has not been agreeing with the lopsided gimping.

Today is Tuesday, I’ had given up the ‘bed-rest’ last week and today took care of myself and was mobile before 8:15am.
I baked a cake, am pondering my 3rd cup of coffee and…..I got word I can ditch one crutch
( if it is comfortable and to go back to two crutches if needed) and start working to walking in the boot this week!
It is a bit awkward to walk around like this (more thunk thunk thunk) but I can wean myself off the scooter this way.
It has served it’s purpose and is going back Thursday.
Progress, I like it.

So I’m 6 weeks and a day from surgery.
I read around here and people have gone back to work after the 2nd week or cleaning house.
I’m not slated to go back to work until the 30th of November, almost 8 weeks from surgery and even then only for 2 days.
I’m not even driving yet.

Am I overdoing the rest?

All day Friday I lounged, there was no boot and I hardly moved.
My throat hurt and I was sure by 100% that I was the next case of Swine Flu and I’d make the news for sure.
Never mind that I didn’t leave the house and it was highly unlikely I caught anything beyond a cold.
I drank orange juice and my favorite tea, Gypsy Cold Remedy.
Saturday my cousin and her wife came from the Netherlands and we went shopping.
We brought the scooter as I wasn’t too sure about the crutches, I am getting better with them and the partial weight baring but for a long time it scares me. I really need to work on trusting my legs.
Resident Teen needed shoes as did cousin and we drove(well her wife drove) to the shoe store. I was wobbly and almost fell over.
Then we went to a posh mall, had our picture taken in front of a rather premature christmas tree set-up. Cousin insisted I lean on her and not have my scooter only to step away and leave me to almost topple over. Luckily Resident Teen was there to catch me on the left.
Then we hit one more store and at this one I managed to stand on two feet supported!
After this victory I had a few more where two feet were involved with getting up and standing up!

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around putting one foot in front of the other but this was one giant leap today so I’m hopeful by next week when I need to turn in the scooter I’ll be close to mastering walking on two feet.

Nothing, or close to nothing.

Despite having had the flu-shot I’ve had a sore throat for a day or two now.
My social contact is close to zero so it’s anyone’s guess where I got this bug.

I’ve noticed something this last week that is very unlike me. I don’t feel like being social or being around people much.
I’ll talk to people on the phone, I interact with my family and I do go see my friends at the store but most of the time I’d rather read my book or knit and be all by myself.
Everything I need is somewhat within my reach where I rest, my books, radio and knitting.
I’m totally content to do nothing that involves people.
Maybe this is part of the process?
I’m so used to my routine by now that new situations are not as welcome?

I did go out with my friend to the store yesterday and we did some groceries, also went and got a chair massage and chatted with my knitting friends.
It’s not that I’m a total hermit after all.

On the healing front things are looking up somewhat, I can flex the foot to almost 90 degrees, took a shower the other day without a cast, walked more with aid of the crutches and the scar looks good.
5 weeks have passed.

I woke up at 3 am with a throbbing foot, the ace wrap combined with the brick like texture of the splint were not agreeing with me.
I took an Aleve and went back to what passed for sleep.
By 6 am I was so happy the alarm went off.
This sense of ‘happiness’ was short lived however as the day progressed.
Without having asked for clear instructions as to what “putting some weight on” meant I was left to my own interpretation. I’m a very creative person but obviously that doesn’t mesh with healing an achilles.
I have used the orthopedic boot before for various injuries on the right foot and honestly do not remember it being this darn hard to walk.
I started out just by standing on two feet supported by my scooter.
That felt “okay” but not exactly as I remembered standing was like.
I wanted to put more weight on my left leg, this is my strongest side after all, and this left me wobbly when I transferred weight to the right side.
Mid day I needed to get lunch and I had decided I’d use the scooter until the kitchen, around 15 feet away from the bedroom.
Then I’d use the crutches around the kitchen.

4 steps into this exercise I was sweating, panting and in tears with frustration.
I also had pain, pain not felt before.
Right then and there the person formerly know as patient Mari turned into a blubbering mess as I had a pity party for one.
I got my lunch, scootered back to bed and walloped until family came home.
My mood did not improve at all until after dinner. Resident Teen made a lasagna and it was good.
With food in me, and a glass of wine, I went back to the bedroom with ice and no more boot.
I talked a little to my friend Gail and in searching for a picture of the torture apparatus aka Das Boot found a website dedicated to people just like me!
I joined the site Achilles Blog and after reading around felt boosted with a bit more confidence that it will get better.

Today is day 33 post-op and I did take it down a lot, I called the clinic to get SPECIFIC instructions as to what “some weight” means and also called my old Physical Therapist to see if I can come in for some Boot help.
I’m resting in the night splint, icing and doing my stretching exercises.

I had surgery on the 2nd of October. I had bone removed as well as my Achilles repaired. My injury was 2.5 years old so it was overdue.

Cast came off on Monday and I started with a boot yesterday as well.

It hurts!

I know it takes time but how did you do with the boot? And any ideas on walking on the darn thing?

I broke down today because I was in so much pain, I had none in the 4 weeks after surgery but now I’m eyeing the Vicodin again.