May 31 2012
In the Club ~ Not by Choice
Hi everyone ~ my first post on AchillesBlog.com, so please be gentle . I’m new to the ATR club, but I’m very glad I found this website and am looking forward to sharing my experiences on it as my recovery from ATR hopefully goes quickly. A good friend of mine sent me the link & the posts and experiences I’ve read so far have already helped me realize that the recovery will happen and reading the many stories on here over the past few days has definitely helped my sagging spirits .. Here’s my story ~
I ruptured my right achilles tendon two Saturday’s ago on 5/19 while I was playing lacrosse . I have 2 sons (Ages 7 & 5) and I was coaching their lacrosse teams in our town league. I am 41 yrs old, and usually switch btw my 7yr old’s 2nd grade team & my 5yr old’s kindegarten team .. as they both share the same field ~ it’s easy to go back & forth btw the two groups. When the injury occurred, myself & 2 other coaches were doing a keep away drill from a group of second graders. I came around the net, took a pass from one of the coaches, & planted my right foot and pushed off to change direction to avoid a rapidly approaching 2nd grader … then ~ I heard a loud pop, and thought someone had hit my right ankle from behind w/ a large rock. I literally stopped & turned around to see who hit me .. there was no one there & right about then the burning sensation started. I couldnt walk on it & immediately knew something bad happened … I was right.
Saturday afternoon/evening was spent in the emergency room where I received two diffferent diagnoses .. But, the bottom line was ~ you need to get an MRI & see an orthopaedist .. I left w some crutches that were too big, a soft cast & a scrip for vicodin & an MRI .. the following Mon I made the appt to see my orthopaedic surgeon and had the MRI done .. A week ago today, Wed 5/23 ~ I went to the Dr. where my MRI results awaited .. turns out, he didnt even need them .. after a cursory exam on the table .. my Dr. informed me I had a full rupture of my achilles tendon. After a few non-surical options were presented .. we got down to brass tacks & I accepted the fact that I needed surgery .. I asked the Dr. when it was needed .. “Next week?” I inquired? ..His reply ? ”No, tomorrow” .. Umm … OK … in my mind I surrendered the idea that I was going to make it to the Mem Day party Fri night that I was hoping to save w. my suggestion of surgery the following week .. But, once I knew I needed the surgery ~ I just wanted to get it over with asap .. so, I had the surgery 2 days later on Fri, May 25 of Mem Day Wkd ..
The day of the surgery, I def woke up nervous b/c I knew my life ~ at least in the near term~ was about to change significantly … the admission procedure to the hospital & the pre-op all went smoothly .. met w the anesthesiologist and she let me know I was going to have a peripheral nerve block injected behind my knee to numb my whole leg & general anesthesia as well ,so I’d be asleep during the operation .. Got wheeled into the OR .. tried to crack a few jokes to calm my nerves & gladly accepted the knock out punch that was introduced through my IV ..
After the surgery ~ I woke up .. noticed the large white cast on my right leg and just tried to get my wits together in the post-op area .. my leg was numb from the nerve blocker, so the only real pain I had was in my throat from the traecheal tube that was inserted during the operation . After some time in post-op ~ I was wheeled to my room where I spent 24 hrs that can be described as going from moderate discomfort, to major pain ..
The staff in the hospital was great and made the experience a lot better than I thought it would be .. the following morning, I had a few visitors .. one being a physical therapist who checked me out on my crutches (Crunches as my 5yr old calls them) .. and my Dr. who told me that my achilles tendon was totally “Blown Up” and it was one of the most challenging repairs he’s done .. my nerve blocker had worn off in the middle of the night and I was doing 3 hr doses of morphine at this point, so when he told me the cast needed to be on for 3 weeks instead of the 2 he originally told me in his office on Wed, I dont think it registered .. but, it did after I got home .. when I realized my house was a lot different place to live in with a cast on & crutches to get around .
So, Ive been home since Saturday .. my wife set me up on my 3rd floor where I have my Man Cave & a guest room to sleep in .. it was easier to deal up here, with a bathroom, large screen TV, lap top, etc etc .. I didnt want to deal w stairs .. so, I literally stayed on the 3rd floor from Sat to Memoral Day (Mon.)….either in bed or in my easy chair w my leg elevated .. On Monday I took my first shower and made my first trip downstairs … Since Mon, I have spent some time in my office on the second floor, and have also set up another invalid outpost in the 1st fl TV Room .. I’m slowly working my way back into society. My days have been spent with leg elevation, eating, reading newspapers/magazines/ my kindle, listening to NYC Sports radio & watching TV .. my doctor wanted me to spend the first week resting w my leg elevated & I am doing my best to accomodate him … as I take a percoset every 4 hrs ..
Bottom line is, that it hasn’t even been 2 weeks since I injured myself & so much has happened & my life has changed a lot .. I still can’t believe it happened, and some days I wake up and forget it’s real .. until I feel the cumbersome cast on my right leg .. but, it’s real & it’s not worth my time or energy to cry about it .. at this point, I just want to get better & get back to my normal life .. It def has been mentally challenging this week .. Esp starting yest when the holiday wkd ended and everyone went back to work / school, etc … Been going stir crazy at home & I never thought I’d miss being @ work .. But, the support both before & after surgery from family & friends has been amazing and so helpful .. I realize that everyone moves on w their lives & the calls/texts/visits have def slowed down … that’s alright though .. I’m prepared to do this regardless .. I def miss my mobility & I def miss playing golf & just being active w my kids, etc .. but, this is temporary & I know it will change eventually …
Sorry for the long & wordy post, but I figured for the first one ~ I’d just start writing & see what comes out … I know I skipped over a lot of details, etc .. but, I think whoever reads this can get the general idea … And, for those of you that read this and have already been through it, or are weeks & weeks ahead of me in recovery ~ I hope some of what I wrote brought back memories & rang true, etc … But, I’m glad I started my post & it feels very cathartic to write it .. I will continue posting to my blog (shorter entries I promise!) and I hope you guys have the time to check them out .. I will def continue to read yours. 12:15am Thurs a.m. now (5/31) .. think it’s time to go to bed 
.. thanks for your time ~ I will be back soon I hope .. Take Care ..
Best
Mark
