5 days after 2 shoes

Posted on May 8th, 2013 by micah1

Thanks for all the congratulations, I was expecting flowers but I am delighted with all the good wishes thanks. ;-) 5 days since 2 shoes I find my walk is stiff first thing in the morning until I have done a few stretches. I have been told to sit and bring my leg in under the knee and let the heel down to the floor at a point where I can feel the stretch but it is not painful, count for 10, repeat 3 times. i have to do this often throughout the day. Also a use a towel and pull beneath the ball of my foot with my leg out straight. Hold for 10 x 3, little and often.

The final exercise is to build up collagen, I sit leaning my upper body over my knees, then push my heel up on my good leg whilst leaning my body over that way, and as I lift the heel on my bad leg I move my upper body over and across towards that leg, then drop bad leg heel to the floor and move back across to be lifting my good heel again. x8 movements, rest then x8 x8. Repeat 3-4 times a day. Eventually I will be able to do that standing apparently!!

I can now potter about the house with 1 or no crutch, but use 2 outside for stability.

I’m not great in bare feet, but the support of my Nike trainers makes all the difference.

Fingers are still crossed. A physio neighbour told me that the dept I attend is “dynamic and getting very good results” so lets hope I fit into their plan.

Good luck everyone, Can anyone tell me what to do with the hard leathery skin on the ball of my foot, if I just keep moisturising it will it vanish as I’m hoping??

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Week 5 - This boot was made for walking

Posted on April 26th, 2013 by micah1

This boot was made for walking…. 20/04/2013

Two plus weeks into wearing the boot. What a relief to be able to put my foot to the floor and not have all my weight on those crutches.  Initially on putting my foot down there was strange firework type pains which lasted a few minutes every time I walked, but this only lasted for the first week.  Also some achilles pain for which I carried on taking the paracetamol and ibruprofen, this improved over the first week and after about 5 days I became pain free, able to get about indoors with  just  one crutch for stability but still hampered by the boot. Then at the end of the week I had to remover a wedge from the heel to stretch out the tendon. Ouch. As you might imagine the pain was back for a couple of days, but its a means to an end!

Sleeping in the boot is a minor inconvenience, yes, I have to physically plan turning over and it feels so heavy especially when trapped by the weight of the duvet, but its only for 4 weeks hopefully.

I’m not allowed to take if off to bathe andI’m going to be totally obedient…..if I’m told to drink dirty vase water to aid healing then I will do so!!

The problem I’ve found is that I’ve needed more information than the minimal amount that I’ve been given. An info leaflet would be a godsend please Northern General Hospital, just something that outlines the current plan, what it will feel like, reassurance of what pain is normal etc. Perhaps I’ll produce one but by the time it gets passed by the multiple committees they’ll be into the next millenium no doubt.

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Day 20 - Cast off weird leg

Posted on April 26th, 2013 by micah1

Day 20 Cast off weird leg 05/05/2013

Returned to fracture clinic for the first time since the equinous plaster had been on. Had to admit I was both anxious and excited. It was standing room only, seemingly full of people who had slipped on the ice or fallen over in the heaviest snow we had had for decades.

The cast was removed to reveal a slightly weird scraggy looking leg with a bit of bruising around the ankle. It felt very fragile. The doctor shook my hand, glanced at the weird leg, said I’d have a boot on for 4 weeks, was to weight bear  and then physio and shoes, shook my hand again and disappeared. I think I could have done with a 5 minute physio session to set me straight on how to walk and how much to walk, but I suppose thats the NHS for you, at least Sheffield seems up to date on the current aggressive management, ie early mobilization.

I have to say it was very very sore and I was a bit down in the dumps for an hour or so, but it improved and I got the hang of weight bearing with the crutches and more confident at putting my foot to the floor.

After a surprisingly good nights sleep I’ve had a better day, mastering walking in a dodgy lopsided way in my stormtrooper boot. (At least it hides the weirdy leg).

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Day 7 Olympic Bathing

Posted on April 26th, 2013 by micah1

Day 7 Olympic Bathing 23/03/13

Several cards and vases of flowers adorn my mantle piece, I also get visitors and phone calls. I vow in future to keep in touch with poorly friends and work colleagues  much more than before because it makes you feel special.

I have perfected getting in and out of the bath. I clearly can’t shower due to the purple pot on my leg, and a girl can only take so many tramp baths (baby wipes very handy for between the toes). Its a complicated affair involving appropriately placed bathroom stools, and requiring  the upper body strength of a Russian weight lifter. It’ll never make Olympic sport status.

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Day 5 - I am a fraud

Posted on April 26th, 2013 by micah1

21/03/2013

Having studied the internet for the accounts of other ruptured achilles sufferers, it appears that I am a fraud. Everyone else ruptured theirs whilst playing sport, predominantly basketball and football, one or two dancers and netballers. Mine went whilst walking up the stairs. Now anyone that knows me is aware that I am partial to watching basketball, and I’m moderately content to watch Match of the Day on a Saturday night (with a glass of wine on board), so if my left tendon can snap whilst walking up the stairs, how long is it before the other one copies? Especially as its now got twice the strain! Just another thing to worry over.

We take a trip to Tesco with the Red Cross wheelchair. The extended leg support makes for one very dangerous machine. Just add a few blades around the wheels and I could be Boadicea in her chariot.

That evening my leg aches like mad, my penance for only having it elevated and not above my heart (which just wouldn’t look right in Tesco), so its back to being flat on my back with my leg resting on the back of the settee, my new favourite spot.

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Day 3. Flask coffee and big pockets 18/03/13

Posted on April 26th, 2013 by micah1

Day 3. Flask coffee and big pockets 18/03/13

Well Monday arrives, husband and teenage son go off to work and school respectively. I settle down on the settee for the day. I realised yesterday that :-

1. I can not carry a cup of tea

2. We should have had a downstairs loo when we did the extension

3. I am at the mercy of my husband, better start being super nice.

4. Crutches are really bad for the hands. Owwwwch.

Helpful hubby sets me up for the day with a flask of coffee next to my place on the settee along with laptop, kindle, phones etc. He also puts a sandwich in the fridge.  I am alone until school ends.

I shuffle backwards upstairs to the loo. I wear a huge cardi with fabulously large pockets that hold my lunch/phone/banana etc, and I promptly sit on the pockets as I flop to the settee. Oh well, it all goes down the same way.

I trawl the internet and discover achilles recovery blogs. Many are supportive and uplifting, some make me question the decision I made in treatment type. My student daughter facebook chats me and tells me I should write a blog - thats a laugh I wouldn’t know where to start!!

I worry about:-

1. Going to New York in 10 weeks for our pre-silver wedding anniversary celebration.

2. Re-rupturing my achilles (as I have now read about it, thanks internet)

3. DVT’s

4. Work. I am fortunate to work for the NHS and get sick pay, I am never ever off sick normally, strong work ethic and all that, but I am very worried about returning to work and not being up to the demands of the job etc.

Helpful Hubby phones. All is well, he has hired a wheelchair from the British Red Cross. We can be like Darby and Joan or Andy and Lou……..I prefer Darby and Joan!

Helpful Hubby returns home with story of work colleague who ruptured her achilles when she was a single mum with a 6 month old baby.

I stop worrying for the time being.

http://weakattheachilles.wordpress.com/author/joyarmitage/page/3/

http://achillesblog.com/atrs-in-uk/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF3bCH_HPnU

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Day 2 - The choice

Posted on April 25th, 2013 by micah1

17/03/2014 day 2

I returned to the hospital Sunday morning expecting a long wait but was greeted by an empty fracture clinic, Hoorah. Swiftly saw the doctor who outlined the choices, I could either go for conservative management where I have my foot in plaster for a couple of weeks, then move on to a removable boot, gradually reducing the number of wedges in the heel until my mended achilles is in a neutral position and then  physio. OR surgery followed by plaster cast and boot.

Surgery apparently slightly less risk of re rupture but added risks of complications ie infection, conservative method having fewer  complications slightly increased risk of re rupture. No significant difference in outcome long term. I am unable to make a choice in a restaurant, how on earth can I make this decision?

I went for conservative, I hope its the right decision. Only time will tell. Totally non weight bearing means I can not put my bad foot to the floor for several weeks, any pressure on the achilles will prevent it from healing. This is very inconvenient and what’s more, very very difficult.

Home to search the internet. Everyone appears to have had surgery, it appears there’s no single line of thought. USA appears to be mainly surgery based. There seem to be no NICE guidelines on the subject.

Suddenly  I find that 2 friends have had a ruptured achilles in the past, both have had the same treatment that I have opted for and both are now running/climbing etc. I feel more relaxed instantly.

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Shot in the foot

Posted on April 25th, 2013 by micah1

Day One 16/03/2013

Like I say it was out of the blue. I was just walking up the stairs, cup of coffee in hand, with the intention of taking apart the U bend in the bathroom sink. Two steps from the top SNAP closely followed by AGONY and I fell forward spilling coffee up the wall and over the newish cream landing carpet.

I’d had achilles tendonitis for about 3 weeks prior to this, had done some exercises that I’d been given by the physio at a previous episode of this, then saw the GP who confirmed the exercises and said “Come back in 3 weeks if its no better” . Well its not better now.

Three hours later in A&E the Nurse Practitioner did the Thompson Test (squeezed my calf muscle, my foot did nothing) and confirmed my worse fears. Ruptured Achilles. At this point I put my head in my hands, she put my foot in a plaster cast.

So, toes pointing downwards in  equinous position, we headed home with an appt for Fracture Clinic the next morning. (yes its open on a Sunday!)

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Micah’s Ruptured Achilles Recovery

Posted on April 25th, 2013 by micah1

It was out of the blue. Walking up the stairs in a completely normal fashion, when suddenly I felt like I’d been shot in the foot. I found reading other peoples experiences varyingly helpful and although I have never blogged before I thought I would share my diary of my recovery.

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Hello world!

Posted on April 13th, 2013 by micah1

Welcome to AchillesBlog.com.

This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Following link will take you to your blog’s “command center” where you can write your posts:
http://AchillesBlog.com/micah1/wp-admin/

Be sure to fill out your city, Achilles rupture date, surgery date, etc.. (if you know it) here:
Fill out my Achilles Profile Here

When you do, you can keep track of your recovery progress and see your information on the Marathon Tracker.

Here’s more info: using Achilles Timeline Widget

Please change this post’s title to something more descriptive. Just leaving it as “Hello World” leads people to believe that you haven’t updated your first post!

If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask! :)

Dennis

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