Finally Made it to 1Year!

Posted on April 14th, 2010 by terphead

Hello Everyone!
Well I finally made it through the first year. I know for all of you out there just getting started there seems no end in sight but it will get better. I thought at one point it could be the end of my carreer as a firefighter. I made it back to work at the six month point and have been getting better everyday. My foot is still a little stiff in the morning however once I’m up and moving that goes away. My boots do bother me sometimes but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I have given up most of my sports activities just because I can’t risk getting injured again with the profession I’m in ; however I do alot of walking and working out at the gym. I haven’t posted anything in a long time so I thought I would give everone a 1yr update because I know what a life saver this site can be for anyone going through this tough injury. The only thing I can recommend is for all of you to hang in there and work hard in PT, it does help if you have a good therapist. You will get better it just takes time and it can get you down. Good luck to all of you and keep visiting this site it helps!

Dave

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Finally Made It! 2 Shoes!

Posted on July 16th, 2009 by terphead

I saw my surgeon yesterday and was told to get rid of the boot!  I’m allowed to drive so I had my other shoe out in the truck ,when I took the boot off to drive home I finally laced the shoe for the first time.  I was a little nervous to get out when I got home but I did it!  I was surprised I could walk as good as I can, I have a slight limp but if I concentrate I can walk pretty good.  The leg is very week but I can tell the difference from yesterday to today.  My calf and my thigh have alot of atrophy and I have lots of work to do to get them back.  Has anyone else had the atrophy of the thigh also?  I return to the doctor on Sept. 9th and he said he might let me return to work as a firefighter at that time if I work hard and get the strength back into the leg.  I go to therapy 3 days a week and he just stepped up the intensity now that I’m out of the boot.  I’m also joining a gym to start working on getting my upper body back in shape to return to full duty.  I have been in a swimming pool one day a week in therapy and I really believe this is the reason I can walk this good from walking in the pool without the boot.  I recommend it if you physical therapy location has a pool this is a great resource for your rehab. To everyone out there be patient it does get better it just takes time!  I wish everyone the best of luck with their recovery,  this site really helps!  Take care !

Dave

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No More Crutches!

Posted on June 12th, 2009 by terphead

Well I finally got rid of the crutches yesterday! It feels good to have a little more freedom and be able to stand and use my hands. I can walk with the boot with very little pain. For those still on the crutches hang in there, because this is a great milestone for your confidence.  I think this is the first time I have felt like I’m starting to make some progress on getting my life back. I think the first full week of therapy helped  get enough strength in the foot for me to have the courage to take the first steps without the crutches.  I wish everyone well with their recovery and try to stay positive I think that is the key to getting through this terrable injury.     

Dave

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6 Weeks Post Op!

Posted on June 3rd, 2009 by terphead

Hello Everyone!

Well I had my 6 week exam today, and I was given the green light to start PWB today.  I was told I no longer have to have to wear the boot to sleep in!  Thank God!  I was told to start putting weight as much as I could tolerate and try to get rid of the crutches in a week or two.  He said I have to wear the boot  for everything except sleep, shower, and physical therapy for the next 6 weeks.  I have already removed all the wedges and my foot is flat on the boot.  I tried to put some weight on it with my crutches however; I felt very unstable when I put pressure on it.  I guess it is from the muscle loss in my leg, I feel like I forgot how to walk. Can anyone advise if this is normal.  I have read all these blogs of people walking very early and I feel it’s going to take some time before I want to put all my weight on it without the crutches.  My doctor said it will be a couple of weeks before I can drive however; Im supposed to wear the the boot at all times can anyone advise if they drove with the boot?  He said the physical therapist would advise when I had enough strength in the foot to drive. I will try to keep this post up to date on my progress.  I hope everyone is progressing well and good luck!

Dave

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1ST Post OP Appt. Today

Posted on April 29th, 2009 by terphead

Well, I saw my surgeon for the first time today since the surgery, and everything went well.  The assistant removed the temporary cast and the stitches.  It felt good to be able to see the wound and get that cast off.  My doctor said if I kept it elevated and the swelling down, on the day of the surgery that he would decide today if I got a cast for 6 weeks or I could go back into the boot if it looked good. Well I spent the last 9 days elevating my foot all day and night trying to avoid the cast and it payed off.  Today he put me back in the boot and said to remove 1 wedge in 2 weeks and the 2nd wedge 2 weeks after that.  I have a follow-up in 5 weeks and he said we will start some weight bearing at that time.  I felt real good about the way the incision looked.  I have had little pain in the last few days and now out of the cast I don’t feel that blood rush to my foot when you put your foot down like I was feeling before.  I feel that the elevation and the fact that I had no swelling when the cast came off is the reason he let me go back into the boot.

Dave

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Firefighter Ruptured Achillies

Posted on April 27th, 2009 by terphead

Hi everyone!  I ruptured my achillies playing softball on 4/10/08. I was pitching in a slow pitch coed league on friday nights with my wife for a little exercise. I pitched a ball and it was hit away from me so when I took a step to watch the ball being fielded I felt and heard the famous pop eveyone talkes about. I thought I had been hit in the back of the ankle by a softball thrown by someone else. I stumbled and when I figured out what happened I immediatley layed on the ground and asked for help from teammates.  The next thing I know were headed to the ER, 3 hours later the ER doctor say you damaged your achillies you need to see ortho doc. on Monday.  This was a great way to spend Easter weekend. When I saw My Orthopedic doctor on that Monday he confirmed Full rupture. Surgery scheduled for the following Monday.(1 week later). Had surgery on 4/20/09.  He said he was very pleased with how it went and he hopes if it looks good at follow-up I can go back in the boot instead of cast for 6 weeks.  I’m a firefighter and I think he wants to give me some minor stretching  exercises to help speed things up a little. If there are any firefighters out there who have had this situation I would love to here how long it took you to get back to full duty.  He has told me 4-6 months. I go on 4/29/09 for staple removal and hopefully some good news on the boot I really don’t want a cast for 6 weeks. I will give update after follow up and good luck to all those sitting around trying to get through this.

6 Comments »

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  • Recent Comments

  • terphead | August 17th, 2009 | 11:37 am

    bbyjane,
    Hang in there, It will get better. I’m getting around pretty good now. It just takes a lot of time for this thing to heal. I’m hoping to go back to work next month and I was wondering if that day was ever going to get here. I think I’m going to stick to being our teams 3rd base coach now. Good luck with your recovery and thanks for the response!

    Dave

  • bbyjane | August 14th, 2009 | 7:55 pm

    I also ruptured my achilles playing softball. I was pitching and had just thrown a pitch and felt like I got hit in the back of the leg with a line drive. I thought the kids on the sidelines were screwing around and threw a ball that hit me but when I glanced back, there was nothing there. I also heard, and felt the pop. You’re braver than I, hobbling off the field—I went right down. I knew exactly what it was.

    I am 3 and a half weeks post op and have a lot of swelling around foot and ankle, as well as numbness and pinprick sensations in the side of my foot. Other than that, no pain. Good luck with your recovery.

  • tommo21 | July 16th, 2009 | 9:50 am

    Good on you Dave, top effort mate. I am a couple of weeks behind you but also have noticeable atrophy of the calf (noticeable) and quad (not so noticeable). My physio encouraged me to do quad-raises as soon as I was FWB in the boot which helped me keep my thigh in shape, can highly recommend this for you. My calf looks like a noodle, however, which sux. Apparently it comes back a lot more quickly once you start really bearing weight. Good luck champ.

  • Ferhan | July 16th, 2009 | 8:12 am

    Congratulations! You made it.

    And, thanks for the tips. I’ll definitely start using the pool as soon as I am out of my cast (7 days to go) and the doc says it is ok to do so.

  • terphead | June 7th, 2009 | 7:18 am

    Hi Everone!
    Thanks for the replies. I went to my first physical therapy session on Thur. night and she said it would be a couple of weeks before I would have enough strength in the foot to press gas pedal. I’m trying to get off the crutches however it’s harder then I expected. I can put half my weight with no pain at all then I hit a point where I feel pain and I don’t want to push it.I can stand in one spot with equal weight on both feet and have no pain at all. Rudedog did you have this problem when you were starting to put weightn on the foot? Celeste the swelling your getting at 3 weeks is normal I think eveyone seems to have swelling for quite a while.Good luck to everyone in your recovery!

    Dave

  • celeste | June 7th, 2009 | 5:53 am

    im at my 3 week mark and wearing the boot my dr still has me on crutches and wont allow me to put any weight down yet. I have to keep elevated almost all the time or I swell and in a lot of pain and I hate painkillers.Is ths normal

  • Glen | June 6th, 2009 | 2:27 pm

    I ruptured my left Achilles Tendon. Drving wasn’t a problem at all. Drove with cast, walking cast and boot. None Weight bearing cast for 4 weeks. Full weight bearing cast for 2 weeks. Walking boot fot 2 then back in two shoes. Today I’m 9 months and a week Post OP.

    Good luck

    Glen
    San Diego

  • pietrzak | June 4th, 2009 | 5:35 pm

    I got my cast off after 32 days and was told I could drive, use my right hurt foot without the boot on the gas pedal, break with the left. After I arrive at my destination, put the boot on.

  • Patrick | June 4th, 2009 | 7:47 am

    Wow. I ruptured my Achilles tendon pretty much the same way on 05/03/09. A friendly game of soft ball among employees, and a ball hit deep to the outfield. I was playing second base and was watching the ball get tossed back in. I thought the runner had kicked me in the back of the heel as he rounded second base. Only problem — he was already past third. And I heard the infamous “pop.” I didn’t feel much pain, but I could barely hobble off the field. I’m now 3 weeks post op.

  • Rudedog | June 4th, 2009 | 4:02 am

    Hi Terphead,

    What you describe is normal. In general, you will need to teach your foot to walk again. In my case, when I was given the go ahead to place FWB - I had to use both my crutches (with boot) for a few days. I gradually went from 2 crutches to 1. After about a week I was walking without crutches (albeit with some pain/swelling). I found that elevation/icing helped with the pain/swelling. I also started physio at around 6 weeks post-op (i.e. the point at which I was able to place any weight on foot). Physio is great - you will notice huge improvements during the first 3/4 weeks of phsyio/hydrotherapy. With regards to driving - it depends on whether you ruptured right or left AT and whether you have an automatic or manual. In my case, I did my right AT and my physio seems to think that I will not be able to drive until I can do 5x one foot calf raise on bad leg (which I think is a bit conservative). As things stand, I feel that I am fairly comfortable with driving.

  • Robby | April 28th, 2009 | 7:31 am

    Hi Dave

    The best bit of advice I can give you is just accept what has happened and enjoy your time recovering. This site is awesome for support and advice and it really helped me to take on my doctor as he wanted me in a cast for 8 weeks. I have had a good incentive for a quick recovery and I was determined to be walking by 12 weeks. (I have just got in from a 3 mile walk and feel great)

    I can’t run, jog, hop, skip etc but the leg is getting stronger and stronger each day and and rehab centre has done wonders for my confidence. http://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/text.asp?PageId=27

    Drop me an email if you like and maybe we can catch up on facebook. (I think I am 5 hrs in front of you)

    Robby - robpuzo@gmail.com

  • terphead | April 28th, 2009 | 5:25 am

    Robby, Thanks for your reply! I was wondering how you were making out climbing ladders and steps during your rehab to get back to full duty. I go to doctor tomorrow to have staples removed then have that long rehab to get back to full duty. If you have any suggestions to assist in the rehab I’m listening. Good luck with your recovery.

    Dave

  • Robby | April 28th, 2009 | 1:55 am

    Hi

    I am a firefighter in the UK and am 11 wks post op. I was in a cast for 3 weeks, then boot. Started pwb at 5.5 wks and fwb and walking in boot at 6wk. I was walking with a limp in 2 shoes at 8wk. I will be going back on light duties in June and hopefully operational in July. That will be six months.
    Robby

    check out this site
    http://achillesrupturererecovery.blogspot.com/