A Journey of Patience
June 26, 2012 by pghsue
Unlike many others who post to AchillesBlog.com, my journey through achilles injury, surgery, and recovery was not accidental. My achilles tendons in both feet have always been tight and painful. The Haglund’s Deformity I have (now had) caused the achilles to rub painfully against the bony calcaneus in the back of my left foot. In other words, it hurt to do almost anything, except swimming.
In some ways, I’m luckier than people who suffer a catastrophic injury. I’m a high school teacher and I was able to time my surgery with the end of the school year. I’ll have lots of time to work on my recovery without the pressure of using up limited sick leave. I am now 14 days post op. The surgerey itself wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected and, so far, my recovery hasn’t been painful. The worst part has been the difficulty in getting around. I have really been doing my best to keep my foot elevated. When I do get up, my sense of balance is shaky at best. Needless to say, I’ve fallen a couple of times, but I decided I’d rather fall on my butt than come down hard on my left foot. Choices can be painful 
I don’t know if there are others reading this who are making a decision to have voluntary achilles surgery. My decision wasn’t a quick process. I took anti-inflammatory medications for a long time, wore a boot for months (to immobilize the tendon), slept with a night boot, and did a five month stint in physical therapy. If you have to make this decision, take the time and try things- I hope you have better luck than I did!
Pg I debated surgery a long while myself but after 9 months of pt nearly 20 sessions ultrasound eceentric 3 month protocol electro stem stretching and countless other things I yielded to have my paratenon excised and possible tendon Debridement for tendonosis alto both dr opinions saw no actual tendon damage on MRI. R u in a cast now with sutures out I take it or cast? Best to you.
Hi,I haven’t had my post-op visit yet, so right now I am in a splint with an ace bandage wrapped around it. My post-op is tomorrow, so we’ll see what happens then. I don’t know if I will end up in a cast or a boot or what!
It sounds as if you have gone through the whole range of pre-surgery treatments, too. I hope you are doing well and feeling better.
Well surgery tomorrow morning 730 am pg so soon I will be in a splint also! Only the best to you tomorrow on first post op you will be fine. How is your swelling if I may ask and your pain post op? I have learned from this site it can be difficult pain wise first few days but eases as time gos on. Lots of reading and tv in my future no doubt!
Good luck dude, I have surgery on my Achilles on the 28th.
xpf,
The surgery, surprisingly, was not especially painful. I did have a knee block- an IV drip that kept me numb from my knee down for almost 48 hours. They sent me home with a “ball”; you carry the IV in a bag around your neck and the ball of medicine slowly empties while you are home. I also got a prescription for percoset, which I really didn’t need after the first week. Both of my children were born by c-section and that was much more painful!
You need to keep your foot elevated and iced or you’ll swell (and that hurtsl). I went to my daughters HS graduation four days after my surgery. My leg was elevated in a wheelchair. That wasn’t enough elevation, though, and my leg was throbbing. I wasn’t going to miss the ceremony, though!
The boredom is the worst part so far- I won’t lie! Daytime TV sucks. So, yes, get books and line up friends to come visit. If they don’t mind your post-surgery lack of hygiene, it helps the time go faster.
One more thing, I don’t know if you’ve ever had surgery before. I am one of those people who gets sick to my stomach after anesthesia. You don’t know, I guess, until it happens. My anesthetist gave me an anti nausea patch following the surgery, and I was a happy camper. Just something to think about.
Sorry for the length of this reply. Good luck to you (and to you, Eric!). You should be fine!
(Im not sure how to start a thread. Sorry for high-jacking yours)
I had ATR surgery on May 4, spent six weeks in casts, and got a DonJoy CAM walker on June 18. I took my first steps without crutches on the 22nd, and can get around pretty good now. My surgeon told me to stretch my achilles, flex my calf by extending my toes against a towel, and to trace the alphabet 4 times a day. Ive also started swimming which is great. I go back to my surgeon on July 16, and he says Ill start “formal PT” then.
I have two questions. Is this a typical rehab progression? It seems slow / super conservative to me.
Also, I have a bruise on each hip. One on the upper part of my “good” hip and another on the lower part of the hip of the leg where i had surgery. Neither are painful, but they are UGLY. Any ideas what these are from? Could it be from my hips being so “un-aligned” when i walk in the boot? Any help would be great! Thanks!
Larry
Never had surgery before pg! So thanks for the tips particularly on nausea. Made me look for and pull out some anti nausea pill from a kidney stone attack few years ago which worked wonders. My foot ortho said he would use a local and conscious sedation not general and no femoral nerve block so steady as she goes. I am ready for boredom as best I can be with books a new hd tv a pleasant room and my parents whose home I will recover so kindly wanting to help. My surgery order is “paratenon excision paratenonitis” although he said if he sees damaged tendon itself he will debride as well but said he sees no tendon damage on MRI. The theory there is repair any damage so as to not have to go back in down the road. Many thanks for your kind reply lets all stay in touch having a lite dinner tonight and my last water about 11 pm at hospital 6 am surgery 730 with some luck home and elevated in splint by noon..
Larry congrats on your progress my surgery is in the morning! But having been in and out of a boot I suspect your hip bruises are indeed from your gait being out of wack I have experienced the same mine goes away after a few days of no boot but then my tendon hurts miserably so back I go. Also for me at least the boot and crutches stress my so called good Achilles which acts up but resolves after few days rest. What a malady!
Leljr, it’s risky to walk with your alignment out of whack. Do SOMETHING to build up your uninjured foot & leg to the same height as your booted one, or you may give yourself a problem that will persist long after your AT is 100%. Techniques vary, and many are discussed around this blog, but anything that gets your hips straight is much better than nothing.