Back Under the Knife

Posted on June 22nd, 2015 by supajakes

Well today at the doctor my concerns were confirmed with my MRI. I have re-ruptured my Achilles at the surgery site. The surgeon who did my first surgery told me that in 13 years I was his first person to re-rupture. Great. After consulting with other surgeons and doctors, my doctor changed his opinion and recommended a second surgery as opposed to just physical therapy which he originally ordered. He said that because of my age (30) and how fast I was recovering from my prior surgery, he thought I would be a good candidate for a second surgery (also the other doctors he consulted recommended it in my case). They tell me the surgery is a bit more complicated because it is in the same area and that it will take longer. He also said that during surgery if he has any question of the strength of the repaired Achilles site, he will reinforce it with part of a tendon from my foot. Either way I go in for surgery tomorrow morning. Oh yeah, right now I have about a 6 in scar on the back of my leg. After this surgery I will have a scar from the bottom of foot up to mid calf. Chicks dig scars right?

My doctor says that the recovery time will be longer than the first time but I don’t have a specific timeline as it will depend on how I progress through physical therapy. I am hopeful that since it was going well the first time before the re-rupture, it will continue to do so. I will likely have a soft cast on my leg post surgery for two weeks. They will then check to make sure the incision is healing and will go into a hard cast for a month instead of a walking boot. I’ll try to post updates when I can but I suspect the next few days I will be in an oxy induced daze.

Until then….

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4 Responses to “Back Under the Knife”

  1. kiwibug, on June 22nd, 2015 at 8:13 pm Said:

    Sorry to hear about your re-rupture. I hope the second surgery goes well.

  2. lindaf, on June 22nd, 2015 at 11:06 pm Said:

    Hope everything goes ok with your surgery tomorrow. We will be thinking of you !

  3. clementsblock, on June 22nd, 2015 at 11:39 pm Said:

    All the best! You can do it!

  4. missterik, on June 23rd, 2015 at 1:30 am Said:

    Sending well wishes and prayers your way. Please keep us posted.

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  • missterik | June 23rd, 2015 | 1:30 am

    Sending well wishes and prayers your way. Please keep us posted.

  • clementsblock | June 22nd, 2015 | 11:39 pm

    All the best! You can do it!

  • lindaf | June 22nd, 2015 | 11:06 pm

    Hope everything goes ok with your surgery tomorrow. We will be thinking of you !

  • kiwibug | June 22nd, 2015 | 8:13 pm

    Sorry to hear about your re-rupture. I hope the second surgery goes well.

  • bobfv | June 20th, 2015 | 9:15 am

    Hey Jake - sorry about your situation and I hope the MRI brings you some better news. I am very curious about what you said about driving from Wisconsin to North Carolina and back with your left foot. Really? I can’t imagine driving a block with my left foot! Did someone suggest this to you or is it something you came up with on your own? My OS and PT both told me it was a bad idea to drive, from a safety perspective, for at least 8 weeks or until I am out of the boot, whichever comes later. Anyway - best of luck to you.

  • oscillot | June 18th, 2015 | 4:42 am

    Good luck, Jake. This, too, shall pass.

  • Stuart | June 17th, 2015 | 4:09 pm

    Supajake- this is quite significant. The doctor could have performed a basic test to see if the tendon was still connected but in any event the MRI should be more conclusive. It seems from what you have said that you do have some connection. A partial rupture would not set you back too far. Sometimes scar tissue breaks away and people feel a little pop which is associated with some pain and swelling. That is the best case scenario. I always say ‘hope for the best and prepare for the worst’. It freaks me out sometimes when the anti spam word is so applicable. This time it is optimism. It also helps to find something to distract your brain or keep it occupied particularly if you find yourself dwelling on the outcome of the MRI. Years ago, while recovering from a motorcycle bust up, I bought a complicated graphic art program for the computer and taught myself how to use it. Others here have gone back to old hobbies which do not require walking but require you to think a lot. A suggestion only if you need it. Watching TV doesn’t really cut it.

  • supajakes | June 16th, 2015 | 10:31 pm

    Thanks for the comments! Patiently waiting for the MRI and its results to see where we go from here. I also have contemplated getting a second opinion but I will wait and see the what the MRI and my doctor say first. And yes my boot is now locked with my toes pointed down. The good news (in my mind at least) is that after I re-injured it, I am still able to flex my calf muscle and bring my toes upward somewhat. I was not able to either of these at all when I originally ruptured it.

  • LindaF | June 16th, 2015 | 9:58 pm

    I have a friend that re-tore her achilles after 6 weeks post op. She was eating dinner without her boot on and her small son started choking. She jumped up to help him and re- tore it. The OS did go back in and operate. Of course recovery started all over again. However she is now a few years out from the injury and is doing fine and back to all her normal activities, including a recent ski trip. So stay positive and a good recovery is still definitely possible.

  • Stuart | June 16th, 2015 | 4:03 pm

    Reading through your story I kept thinking my response would be to get a second opinion. I was happy to read how you have pushed for something more conclusive. If the boot was set up correctly then your tendon should be protected but from your description it sounds like you have done some damage. I doubt you would have doubled your recovery time but it would be a set back if you had damaged the repair and most likely put you back to the start at worst. That does not constitute doubling. I also do not understand why your doctor believes that now you will not recover fully. Plenty of people have re-ruptured and recovered fully, Some with surgery and others without, unless he believes you will now heal long. Another surgical procedure is often the case but not always required. A patient wait for the results is going to be difficult (anti spam word was patience) but you seem to have regained your sense of purpose and that will help. I hope the boot has been reset to plantar flexion (toes down) in the interim.

  • eyceman | June 16th, 2015 | 1:29 pm

    good luck and prayers sent your way