I Missed Out on Fall Golf, Will I Ski This Winter?

Day 2 and Day 3 were spent pretty much sitting in chairs and lying on couches.  I was definitely up on the Olympics coverage.  We had a planned family vacation the week of Aug 11-15, to head up to the lake house in Michigan.  The kids were scheduled for summer camp all week, and we were to enjoy a week of swimming, golf, water skiing, drinking sans kids.  We had friends coming up to stay with us for part of the week and we were looking forward to it.

So on Sunday, 8/10, Day 3, we (Patty) packed up the vehicle and headed to Michigan.  I was actually pretty active that week.  Our house has about 35 steps down to the lake level, and I went up and down those stairs 2 or 3 times per day.  I rode along in the golf cart with one of my friend for 9 holes.  I drove the ski boat and took people skiing / tubing….one day for about 2 hours straight without properly elevating my leg…which was not a good idea.  Lots of swelling.  Went out to dinner, etc.  Overall I spent a lot of the week sitting down with beverage in hand, but I was still pretty active and mobile.  I stopped taking pain medication around day 6.   On day 10 we headed back home to Chicago.  On day 12, I had my first follow up appointment with Dr. C……..

I am age 39 male who lives in the Chicago area.  On August 5th, 2008, I had plans to go out with my wife.  Her ideas was to go out for a drink and dinner.  My idea was to play tennis.  You should always listen to your wife, and never turn down an opportunity to go out for cocktails.

About 30 minutes into our match, I went down with a ruptured Right Achilles.  It felt like someone hit me in the back of the leg with a softball-size rock.  I knew instantly what had happened.  We went to the ER that night, the diagnosis was quick (no need for Xray or MRI), sent home in a splint w/ pain killers.

I went into work the next day, as I had a full schedule of meetings.  On Thursday, August 7th I met with the Orthopedic specialist, Dr. C, who is a friend of a friend.  I was scheduled for surgery the next day, Friday, August 8th!

Surgery went well on the 8th,  performed under general anesthesia.  I did not want to be intubated, and the Anesthesiologist instead used a laryngeal mask airway.  No sore throat, chipped teeth or having a plastic tube airway stuffed down my throat.  The surgery took approx 1 hr, large 6 in incision, 7 sutures.  I went home 2 hrs after the surgery started….I was a bit groggy and grumpy from the anesthesia, but otherwise felt ok.

That night, 8/8/08, was the opening ceremony of the Beijing olympics , so good timing if I was to be  laid up for a while.  This was also the 20 year anniversary of the first Cubs night game at Wrigley Field, for those keeping score (rain out and the game was completed on 8/9/88).  Now onto the road to recovery.