Smoke’s AchillesBlog

I have been wearing the VACO for 2 weeks now PWB, I bought the Even-up and the CoolPass Liner - totally worth it, has been 90-100 degrees in MI.  I started at 30 degrees locked, move to 15 degrees locked and now am at 15 degrees with flexion.  I am able to move around the house slowly with no crutches and no pain, and I can move outside slowly with one crutch, and fairly quickly with 2 crutches.  It ‘s nice to be able to use my hands again…somewhat.

At 24 days post-op I took the first extended trip outside of my house, for 3 days in Cincinnati. I was nervous about leaving a controlled environment, that I was finally getting along in fairly well. We traveled for my girlfriends family reunion and I was able to do more than I thought.  Even though I was pushed around in a wheelchair through the Freedom Museum and the Coney Island Amusement Park. I was able to ride the carousel seated of course…and tried the Pirate boat which was fun and some kind of go fast in a circle ride which I should not have done, I also made it through 9 holes of putt putt before having to call it quits.

When we returned there was a near catastrophe at my girlfriends house. I wanted to take a shower but she did not have shower stool or any type of plastic chair so I made due with an upside down IKEA garbage can.  The pictures shows what 200 pounds will do to it , landed on my butt and luckily no harm to the Achilles.

Some good things, a neighbor mowed the lawn while I was gone which was very nice to come home to and I got my first post-op haircut today.

I am able to do more in the gym and feel comfortable on the stationary bike with the boot and and seated step machine for about 15 min. so I can get some cardio in, however slowly, along with Pilates it is at least some physical exercise.

@normofthenorth I read your post about skiing at 17 weeks, I have trip planned to Telluride, CO at 6 months.  The lift tickets were half off if I bought them early so I did…the goal is ski in December.

I read this blog along with the newspaper every day thanks for everyone’s posts they are very informative.

I visited the doctor this morning he said everything is healing well and looks good. The nurse sawed off the cast, took out the stitches and cleaned up the wound. This office had never used the Vaco before, I knew it going in so I educated myself on how to use it before my visit and practiced on my good leg. The Doctor remarked it was better than the Bledsoe brace and the nurse said they should begin prescribing them.

The doctor said I could use about 10% of my weight on the injured Achilles and walk just on the toe, moving as if the crutches are tied to the boot. He said I could begin some PT on my own and showed my an exercise to do. Finally, he said to adjust boot degree as I feel comfortable and add weight as I feel comfortable.

It is so much better to be able to put some weight on the injured side I can actually stand up! I was getting so sick of the cast I almost went to urgent care to have it cut off, the nurse said even if you asked they wouldn’t do it, she also said it’s a common reaction and if it happens take a Benadryl and go to sleep.

Third appointment is in 2.5 weeks (week 4.5) I would begin PT then and be off crutches and only in the boot by week 6.

Last night was the first since surgery I felt I really slept well, no pain pills and not getting up in the middle of the night with some sort of pain. It’s also not swelling up as much when my leg is not elevated, so I feel like I can do more and not be so dependent on other people.

I have been doing some upper body workouts with weights, some core work and stretching everyday and helps to get the blood flowing, they are not hard workouts but something is betting than nothing. Furthermore, I am taking one trip a day from the house just to get out, Independence day was fireworks, yesterday out to lunch today the grocery store. Finally, I am able to take a shower everyday now using the cast cover and shower stool.

I can’t wait to be able to get out of a chair and step with my left leg. The one bad thing is I was injured at the beginning of summer it seems like I am counting down to the end of summer…when I’ll be able to walk again…and since I am teacher when I go to work again the first day of school is 10 weeks from surgery probably FWB by then!

The Vaco arrived yesterday looks really cool, I get the cast off Wednesday so I am looking forward to the sweet looking boot! Going to buy an extra liner and even up shoe as well. Thanks to everyone on this site and their posts they are great to read.

This morning after 6 days I got the splint off and the cast put on, I went to bed without a pain pill which may have been a mistake I didn’t sleep too well but the Percoset messes with my mind.

The doctor said everything looked good and put on a hard cast for 9 days with no weight bearing.  I asked about the Vaco boot, he said he never heard of it but would write a Rx for it, if I wanted to order it.  Vaco said the office needs to make an account to order and the doctor’s office said they just fax Rx’s and do not make accounts.  Insurance said they would pay with a letter of explanation since I got a boot from the ER last week.

If the insurance co, doctor office and Vaco can’t communicate I may buy the Vaco boot on my own because swimming would be one thing to look forward to this summer is it worth it?

The day after surgery I continued taking pain pills, kept the leg elevated and slept quite a bit.  My mind was still in a haze from the anesthesia for about 48 hours.

My girlfriend visited every evening after work and it was nice to hear about the real world outside of the den and the bathroom.  I have been able to ween off of the Percoset though it still helps me sleep and I am down to a pill or two a day.  I do have to say that the pain is nothing like my  ACL  was, I was expecting much worse and it hasn’t been terrible.,

I was able to take a shower 3 days after surgery using the the cast cover and shower stool advertised on this site.  The cast cover kept everything dry.  And the shower made me feel much better.

Yesterday I took my second shower…it’s a big project and somewhat tiring, and was able to focus enough to play scrabble with Erica.

I can’t imagine how difficult the few days would be without help because every movement is a project.  Like this blog mentions one positive of surgery is how thankful you are to those close to you.

I have had a knee reconstruction and and knee scope so I knew what to expect from surgery and was not looking forward to it.  Especially the anesthesia and first few day afterward.  They gave me General and the last thing I remember was lying in room.  I woke up with a splint on and the leg bandaged.  It didn’t hurt too much they gave me a Percoset in the office and we left the hospital by 3pm.

My mom had  the den set up as convalescing room because it is on the first floor and close to the bathroom.  I took a Percoset about every 2-3 hours and slept decently with very weird dreams I did get up around 4am to go the bathroom on crutches which I managed on my own.

I went to the Dr. with my mom and dad who were very supportive, up until this point I was still planning to go a on trip to Europe from July 2 to July 26.

The doctor was very good and said I probably would not be traveling in July.  He wrote a Rx  and I was able to get a refund on most things.  Airbnb gave me a full refund on 3 different places, Amsterdamn, Bruge and Paris.  We received a 70% refund on the overnight train from Paris to Florence.  United charged $150 each way to redeposit miles but I will hopefully receive $200 back because of the doctors note.  The only thing not refunded at a all is a train ride from Bruge to Paris on July 6.

The doctor tried to schedule me for surgery that same day, but it ended up being scheduled for 10:45am the next day.