It’s Me Jim

Last Wednesday I shed my boot for last time…
Although when I work out with weights I put it on. Just until I gain more strength in my injured leg.

I have been to PT 3 times so far. I have made some significant progress in short time. My biggest issue is the limp that you all talk about. I try to consentrate on walking correctly. But its not quite there yet.

Also I am having a hard time walking down stairs correctly. I have to do the one foot at a time method. During PT we noticed how bad that was. So that is where we are going to focus.

I still also get swelling toward the end of the day as expected. But I notice I can stand a lot longer period of time. I even worked in the yard last weekend and was up on my feet for a couple hours.

I did notice my heal feels the pain after all that.

I am wearing only sneakers (Nike cross trainers) at this time. Shoes do not fit with swelling. Also still using the wedges in both sneakers.

So that is where I am at. My goal is to get out golfing within next couple weeks. And maybe take the bike out for a long ride…..

One step at a time….

Week 11 and I had my doctors appointment on Wednesday of this week.
I was so expecting that the doc was going to release me from this boot that I brought my sneaker with me.

Doc looked me over and said every thing looks great!
Soooooo am I done with the boot I asked.

His response was not what I wanted to hear but we negotiated a plan for the next week.
As mentioned in prior posts this doc is very conservative and follows a 12 week program.

So the plan is over the next week I am to use the boot only when I am out and about.
I can use the shoes at home and in the office at work.
Also I dont have to sleep with the darn thing anymore. YAY YAY YAY

Let me tell you folks that 1st night sleep was awesome. I felt so free…

OK so to be honest since Wednesday doc appt I have worn boot only a few times.
The first day I put my cross trainer sneaker on was the most strange feeling.
It felt so wierd. It was very tight in the sneaker and I walked with a major limp.

But I will tell you within 2 days I was walking pretty well. Still with a limp but a lot better.
Even my co-workers were commenting.

I start PT on Tuesday with a personal friend of ours. I am looking forward to the pain
And getting my leg/foot back into shape.

Free at last..Free at last…. Well Almost…

Maybe I am getting a head of myself.

I still have less than a week before I get the boot off.

Last night I took my 1st few steps without the boot. I will be honest, I was scared shit..

I was so apprehensive and walked so slow. There was no pain but it was stiff as heck.

With the boot on I am flying around. I actually mowed my front lawn with the boot on.

So tell me friends what can I expect those 1st few day when I start to walk with two shoes?

Is it painful?
Do I need to be careful or just try to walk as normal as possible?

Hey Gang- In less than 2 weeks I have appoitment with my doctor.
At that time I beleive the boot may be coming off and he will send me to PT.

My question to all of you is- What should I expect from PT and is it worth it?

I have heard pro/cons.

At this point I am walking FWB with boot. And religiously every day I do the exercises with the Theraband.
I am also back to working out with weights and riding stationary bike. Again all with boot on right now.

I went for my doctor’s appointment yesterday. A couple days prior I moved from 2 crutches to one. Just having the one hand free was awesome. I also was very please how good my bad leg felt. So I continued to use the one crutch until I went to my doctors appointment.

He saw me walking in and said I was looking really good and progressing well. He checked things out and moved my foot around and other tightness all looked good. There were a few butterfly strips that he removed. Other than a little crusting in on area the scar look real really good. Almost unnoticeable!. I have seen some pics on scars on here and I have to say mine looks very good.

So I left appointment on the one crutch and due back in 3 weeks. He added a heel lift to my boot and changed the angle to 0deg.
When asked about walking without the one crutch he said to do that at home for a while first. As mentioned in earlier post, this doctor is very conservative. Also said I have to keep boot on when I sleep until next visit.

So on way home I had to stop at drug store. While there I spotted a cool looking black cane. I figured that would be easier to deal with that the crutch. And make it easier to transition to walking unassisted.

So now no more crutches and I feel great. By end of day foot is sore as expected from not having had any weight on for so long.

I will start the exercises with theraband that doctor instructed me on. By the way he doest want me to go to PT until after I see him in 3 weeks. So that will be week 11 before PT. He believes that PT too early is not as beneficial and could potential hurt me.
Again very conservative!

I can actually see the light at end of the tunnel…. One step at a time….

Questions- What socks do you where with the Bledsoe boot????
My foot feels like it on fire from being so hot. I have socks that I got when they gave me the aircast to wear prior to surgery. But they are really thick. And I do have one of the anti-embolism socks. But that is way too tight.

Thoughts on Socks???

On Thursday I am to day I had the final cast removed. I was so looking forward to getting that darn thing removed.
While waiting for the doc to arrive I spoke with one of the guys who took the cast off (not sure what their title is?).
I read on here about two manufacturers of the walking boots. That being the Air Cast and Bledsoe boot.

The gentleman told me that the AirCast was garbage and the Bledsoe was the way to go. Based on what I read on here I had to agree. So he fitted my size 10 foot with the large model. I was to be honest surprised at how bulky the damn thing is. And it how high it goes up the leg. It reminded me of a long snow boarder boot

Well the doc arrived and checked everything out and said I was looking great. I wasn’t sure what the plan would be from here. So I was somewhat saddened that he said this would be another 6 week process. As sated in earlier post this doc is very conservative.
The plan is for the next 2 weeks to put PWB on the heal only. And use both crutches. He basically said to walk almost stiff legged on the heal. And next visit would be in the office. No more cast rooms…WHoo Hooo…

I had a number of questions ready to fire at him.
1. What about showering? - No problem just use the shower chair and do not pull of the butterfly strips still attached. Also just pat dry the incision area.
Let me tell you folks the amount of skin I am washing away. And after 3 days I still have more to clean off.
2. What about sleeping. Can I take this boot off? – No! (uggg) I have to sleep with it.
So let me tell you sleeping with the boot it more a pain in ass than the cast. Again it’s more bulky than the cast. Also my leg and foot feel like they are on fire. I’ll get to that later.
3. Can I take the boot off while I am relaxing on chair or in bed? Yes and use that time to do some light stretching.
The light stretching involves pulling toes back until feeling tightness and then let foot fall forward naturally. Do force foot forward or downward. Also do some circular motion. Leg lifts and hip flexor with boot on.

I am pleasantly surprised at how far I can bring my toes back already. Although a little apprehensive at first I am able to get past 90 deg with no pain, just tightness.

Immediately the blue toes I spoke about in earlier post went away. I now can keep my foot on the floor for longer period of time without any issue.

Questions- What socks do you where with this boot????
My foot feels like it on fire from being so hot. I have socks that I got when they gave me the aircast to wear prior to surgery. But they are really thick. And I do have one of the anti-embolism socks. But that is way too tight.

Thoughts on Socks???

Today was first day in the office with the boot. I tried to elevate as much as possible on a chair. I guess not enough because when I got home and took boot off my foot was really swollen. Uggggg

I am on my 6th week wearing a cast. This Thursday it come off and I move to a boot.
I would have expected once my foot was brought back to 90deg (normal state) in cast my circulation would have gotten better.
I still get blue toes after standing or putting my leg down while sitting, after a short period of time.

Will this go away after I move to the boot?
Or is this something that will progressively get better as I start weight bearing and exercising (PT)?

I had doctors appointment today to get my final cast. Next week will be 6 weeks post surgery. I am so excited about moving to the next phase. I had to wait 2 hours in casting room for the doctor to arrive. He had 3 emergencies. The nice thing about the wait is I got to sit on the bed without the cast on. Boy did that feel nice. Scary looking at how thin my leg got. Its like the size of my arm. Good news is the incision looks great. My skin looks good as well. So all is healing very well. The doctor was very happy. He poked around before he left and I had no pain. Only pain is when they forced my foot back to 90 deg. and put the cast on. After a few minutes the pain settled out. So next Thursday I get the boot :). I was told I will have wedges in the there for a few weeks. Also will need to use crutches at first so I dont fall over. God I am so looking forward to just walking again. Amazing how just putting your foot on the ground is such a big event. Be well and heal well everyone….

Ok so I am on y 4th cast and just got my stickes out on Monday. Next cast is due on Thursday.
I think I have two more casts to go before I get the boot (sound funny).
Quiet frankly I dont know what to expect next. Wondering what you folks have gone through once you got to the boto stage. I am wondeirng how soon beofre I will be able to walk at least. As you can tell I am getting really anxious.