My Achilles Story

Yes, I know it has been a long time since I last updated, and trust me I have lots to update you on. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures, but I will work on getting some of those for my next post.

Well since I last posted, I was in the boot. After about a couple of weeks of being in the boot, I decided to try and put on two shoes. As crazy as that sounded, I was successful with this. I was so successful that when I went back to the doctors on July 25, he told me, I could remain in both shoes but I would have to wear a heel lift! That kind of sucked, but hey I was happy to be in two shoes once again.  At this point, I thought I was going to be able to start Physical Therapy, however the doctor wanted me to take a little more time before I started, so he postponed my therapy for another six weeks! Once again another bummer, but oh well, I was in two shoes, did I mention that already?

Now that I am in two shoes, I am getting the itch to return to work, and for those who don’t know, I work two jobs. I am a Juvenile Probation officer full time and I work as a bartender part time. Everyone can already imagine which job I went back to first! Yes the bar tending job. The first day back (July 27), was very exciting for me. Yes, I still had a limp and moved a little slow, but once I got back in the groove it was like I had never left. After that first shift, my feet were a little sore, and the next morning my involved foot was very sore. So I iced and iced and iced. After that, I felt I was almost all the way back.

By the next week, I was working several days at the bartending job, each shift, my foot felt better and better, and I was gaining more and more confidence, then it came time for me to go back to work for real. My first day back was August 7.  I wasn’t very nervous, seeing how my job doesn’t require any physical activity, but I was just nervous about returning back to my co-workers and all of the craziness that goes along with my job. I have now been back to both jobs for over a month, and I feel like I have never left. The foot is getting better and better each week. My scar still looks funny! 

On August 18, I finally began PT. My therapist only has me coming two days a week, and each time I am only there for about an half an hour, so it makes getting to work very manageable. Therapy has been going well. My therapist has found out that, I am not a normal person and she has to keep her eye on my at all times. I tend to try and do other things, that I shouldn’t be doing at that point, so now she has to watch me to keep me from getting in trouble. Last week she gave me a goal of walking without a limp. At sometimes it is difficult, but I just have to focus and walk slowly. Once I start walking fast, I automatically go into a limp. I will stop that limp, within a couple of weeks!

Well that is all for now, I promise I will take pictures, but my therapist may try and work me too hard, so I won’t be able to focus on taking pictures. 

Hell all!!! Yes I am in my walking boot and I am loving it. I loved the opportunity to be able to take the boot off, and just relax my foot. I have noticed that I can put pressure on my foot with no pain. I can also, and this is a secret so don’t tell anyone! I can walk without the boot on, I can even put on a flip flop and walk with that. Now of course, I can’t bend my foot, and I have to kind of drag it or step with my good foot and then pick my involved foot up to move. Now before anyone says anything, yes, I know I am not suppose to be doing this, but you all know, I don’t always do what I am suppose to do. I do still do my stretching exercises that the doctor said I should do, sitting with my foot up flexing and getting that tendon loosened up and ready to get back to usage.

Yes, I know everyone is wondering have I taken anymore pictures, and if you weren’t wondering that, then you should have. The answer is yes, I took a couple of pictures, two are kind of action pictures of me walking, without the boot!

This is the most recent picture of my wound. I am going to have to get some scar begone, because I can’t run around with a scar, and especially one that is that long and big.

Feet planted on the groud. This has been one of the best experiences for me. Being able to have both feet on the ground and being able to stand on both of them is just great. I am able to get into the shower and wash and feel comfortable and not worry about slipping. Well, worry a little less than back when I was in the cast.

I am walking, just kind of wanted to show you how I have to walk around. Yes, yes, I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but anyone can tell you this. I know my body, and I know what my limitations will allow me to do or not to do. I will admit, after walking around for a while I am a little sore, but each day I do it, I am less and less sore.

The final picture of me walking. Once again, I don’t want anyone to think that this is normal, because as you all know, nothing has been normal with me or this whole process.

In conclusion of this post. I don’t want people to think that I am bragging or trying to rub my somewhat success in anybodies face, I just want to share my accomplishments. I am not going to lie, during this whole process, I feel I have been very lucky and hope that my string of luck continues. This injury has been a process and a process that I am going to continue to fight and struggle through. If there is anyone who just tore there tendon, or just had surgery remember this. In time, you will get through it, in the beginning, you will feel like you will never get back to walking or will never be the person you were, but don’t except that, because in time you will. Plus if you have a blog and you start thinking like that, I will jump on your case, because there is only room for one person to be depressed :-p

Yes, by the title you can tell that today I officially had my cast removed. I am however in a walking boot, but at least I am able to walk and don’t need the assistance of those crutches any further. Yes, today is a GREAT day!!

Now as you have seen in the past, you know I had to take pictures of my process. While taking the pictures, my cast removal specialist was joking with me, because she didn’t want her boobs, photographed and put on the internet. It was kind of entertaining! So please enjoy the picutres and the wonderful captions that follow them.

The process is about to begin. I should have taken a picture of my face, because right now I have a big old kool aid grin on my face!

The process begins! I am so excited, but look at how little my leg and knee looks, you wanna talk about shrinkage. This thing really tickles, my only concern is, I can really feel her getting close to my leg. I wanna be nervous, but I can’t because I am about to get my caste off.

Cutting it off. I can start to feel the air hitting my foot. I am getting so excited, I am about to jump off the table. Plus this thing tickles, like no other.

Cast is now cut, and the happy dance is about to begin. During this picture she had to get another tool to try and seperate the cast.

Trying to get my cast off. This was a challenged. She had to go and get some extra strength tools to use to get this thing off. She was even sweating a little after the tugs and tugs that she had to do.

This was right after the cast was removed. Look at my foot! That is all dead skin on my heal. Melinda just handed me the towel and let me clean it myself. However on a good note, my foot did not stink! I gots skills! I did however get it all wet, from taking my showers and things. Oops my bad!

Pre Doctors visit. This is me with all my sutures. Just hanging out and getting camera happy. I know it was a little close, but had to make sure you get see everything.

Trying to show my bruises. The top of my foot is bruised pretty good, and there is another bruise on the side of the foot. I think that was from my cast! I told Melinda, I was going to have to drop kick her, once my foot got better. She just laughed at me! I guess, no one takes me serious.

The doctor just left, and took off a couple of my sutures. This is what the foot looks like so far. As you can see, there is still some healing needed to be done. The doctor actually thought there were still some stiches in there that needed to be moved. I of course, quickly informed him that, that wasn’t the case. All you know why I said that, if you remember my previous post, about the staples!

Getting the boot on. Melinda didn’t want to be in the picture, because as she was moving to adjust the straps, her boobs were shaking and she didn’t want them on the internet! Yes, my cast removal specialist feels that comfortable with me, that she says things like that. Kind of funny if you ask me.

The final product! Yes this is me, with by Walking boot on. I am so excited to be back in this thing, it gives me my freedom, and I no longer have to use those dumb crutches.

Enjoy until the next time. I get to start my physical therapy at the end of July. Those are going to be some funny pictures, that is if my PT let’s me take them. I am sure with my charm, she will be okay with it.

Well today  brings us one more day closer to having this cast removed. Trust me there will be more pictures once this thing is removed. Well the last few days have gone pretty good for me, I have been able to get out and go and and do a lot more things on my own. However, I have noticed, folks DO NOT move for those on crutches! Okay, I have a question to all of you! Will I be wrong if I smack the crap out of the next person whom just barges right past me as if I am not even standing there? Because trust me, I am at that point.

Okay, I will move on.

Today’s topic! 14 days until this cast is removed, I am so excited, I can not wait until I get back into my boot, it is going to be one of my greatest days. As I sit here and think about the cast removal, I can’t help but think about the day I injured myself. Tomorrow will be one month since the injury, and to this date, I still can not remember actually what happened during the injury. All I can remember is running the bases and rounding second, thinking I can score and the next thing I knew, I hit the ground, andwhen I hit the ground I did!! To all my ATS brethren, do any of you actually remember your injury? Not the immediate after or before it happened, but when it actually happened. Now I have heard many people say they heard a POP, but I don’t remember that, and really don’t think it happened. Am I alone in this, or has someone else experienced this also.

Okay, I got the kind of serious stuff out of the way, well at least as serious as I can be! Let me tell you about my experience a couple of days ago. While walking on my crutches, I won’t say anything negative about them right now, I felt like I was ready to try and take a step. I stood there looking at my foot, telling myself I CAN DO IT!! A little Water boy reference I continued standing there looking at the foot. At this point I felt like a parent watching their child prepare to take that first step, excited with much anticipation waiting for this monumental event to happen. At the same time, I felt like that 6-12 month old who was ready to take that step, but just wasn’t willing to do it, so I reached for those crutches and continued walking around like normal. DAMN!!!!! Now a few days ago, maybe even a week, this would have been a major set back, but I am determine to take that step. On July 27th cast removal, I will take that step at the doctors office no matter how big or small, I will take that step! And when I do, I will have picutres, that is if my feet aren’t looking at jacked up! I can’t post some jacked up looking feet on this site, I know too many folks who will talk about me. And yes, you know who you are NB II.

Well, I am at the doctors today. Today is hopefully going to be a good day, I will get this cast off, and my staples taken out. I will also asked the doctor, if he will let me just go into a walking boot, and not another cast. To be honest, I am a little nervous, about getting the cast off and the staples taken out. The doctors say the cast removal, will kind of tickle a little, and the staples will feel like someone pulling hairs off you arms or legs. After the removal, I will have to let you all know how it went! Cross your fingers.

In the process of beginning to get my first cast taken off. Once Mary started cutting and the air was hitting my leg, I felt like a new man. I almost jumped off that table and went running down the hallway! But as we all know, that would not have been able to happen. That machine that she is using is kind of cool, it is a saw, but somehow, it won’t cut you! Once again, I am just amazed at the process of technology now a days.

Still getting my cast taken off. This tickles, and has your whole leg vibrating. One of the best parts of the day!

The first look at my wound. Yes, it is as painful as it looks. Actually to be honest, up to this point, notihing has been painful. Yeah, there was some minor pain here and there, but nothing serious. Post surgery didn’t hurt either, but looking at it, I am kind of amazed at the small amount of pain that was actually there. Oh and by the way, as you can see, the foot it still a little swollen, yeah I will work on that, I can’t go around having swollen feet, my shoes don’t stretch out like that, decent price shoes don’t stretch like the cheap ones.

Pre staple removal. Don’t those things look painful as hell? The doctor had to take this picture, because I wasn’t able to strecth the leg out and get a good picture of it. I have nice doctors, now don’t I

Mary taking my staples out. Okay, let me just say this, to all of those who have never had staples before. That $#!* HURTS!!!! I don’t care what anyone says, that was the most pain I have gone through during this whole experience. Especially the ones that was closer to the bottom of the foot! Plus, I thought the Doctor was going to be the one doing this, and when she got ready to start, I nearly jumped off the bed. I was like, hold on for a second, I need to get mentally ready for this. Then as you can see in the background, there was a guy sitting there waiting to get a brace on his knee, he was over there cracking up at me during this process. I didn’t find too much to be funny, I should have thrown something at him. Just kidding, I am not that violent.

The doctors checking my leg. My surgeon is the guy to the left. The other doctor, was the one who was squeezing my leg prior to surgery. He nearly got kicked in the head! They were doing the test to see if I had any movement in my foot. And the answer is….. YES! My foot was moving. They tested both legs, and the results were basically the same on both legs. How excited was I. But however, that mean Doctor, is still making me go back into a cast. I do go back in three weeks, to see if there is anymore improvement. I can also now put partial pressure on the foot as well. So I guess it was a good visit by the doctors.

Those are all my little staples in that container. Yes all 23 of those pain in the @$$ little things. And the vicious tool she used, to take them out.

Post staples. It looks like to put a zipper on the back of my leg! The sad part is, I am going to have a huge scar, luckily my shocks will cover it. Just looking at it, brings back some serious memories.

Now is all that bandage really needed? Look at all that, plus there is a shock and some other things under there as well. The cool part, is if you look to the right of the picture, there is two packages on the table. Believe it or not, that is my cast! Yes, my cast, they take it out of there like some kind of athletic tape, then it magically hardens and turns into a cast. Wow, what modern medicine can do now a days.

My new caste. Like the colors? Yeah I figured most would. My cast lady, Mary, likes getting creative. Who knows what she will do, the next time I have to get a cast on! That is if there is a next time.

My new cast and a walking shoe. I can now put partial pressure on this. This little shoe will help me from falling!! (Hopefully). The only bad thing is that little shoe, will cost me about $60, insurance won’t pay for it, what a rip off. Heck for $60, they could have at least given me two shoes so I could at least match, or at least put some kind of lable on it.

Well now I am in another cast, but I do have a little boot that I can walk on and put more pressure on it. Am I happy NO!, but I don’t want to be like one of the guys the doctor saw earlier in the day. He told me that when the guy came out of the cast, and went into the walking boot, he slipped and re-ruptured the tendon, and has to go right back to the OR! I do not want that to happen to me, so I will get over being in a cast.

I am now, nine days post surgery! All of the pain is gone, but this still SUCKS!!!! I hate not being able to do simple task without having to grab those dumb crutches and hobble around the house. On another note, I get to go back to the doctors and get my staples out on Monday, hopefully I will be able to have pictures of that

So I am out until after monday!!!

Hello all! I would like to tell all of you, who don’t know the story already, of my injury! I was playing softball, after getting on first base, I was joking that I actually hit the ball on the ground and got on base! The next hitter got a base hit, and me thinking about others, as usual, I was trying to score from first base! Big mistake!!!!! While rounding second and heading to third, my leg gave out and I hit the ground, and when I say I hit the ground, I HIT THE GROUND! At that point I knew something was wrong, but wasn’t really sure. After the next hitter got a base hit, I kind of hobbled home and scored.  This is know where the heroics take place! I thought I could continue playing, and I did, only hitting, because I knew I couldn’t go out in the field. Well I came up later that game, with two outs and two men on, and at this point we didn’t have the option to use a pinch runner, so I had to do what I had to do! And that was hit a home run! Yes I hit a home run, with a torn achilles. The next day when I went to the hospital and the Dr. confirmed that it was torn, I was just in shock, that I was able to do this. And this is a true story, not just something made up in my head. Trust me, I am not that creative to be able to make up a story like this.

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