24
April
2012
Beyond thrilled! I have been given the OK to start walking and physical therapy!! I thought for sure he was gonna have me do PWB for a couple weeks and then move into FWB(given my docs usual leisurely pace) but he told me to ditch the crutches whenever I was ready!
I thought for sure I’d start walking no problem, but there’s this mental block I’ve created, and my nerves are getting the best of me! Its frightening to just start walking again after being off my ankle for so long, needless to say I’m going slow. It feels so weird! I’m a little off balance too…I feel like Bambi with my shaky leg. I’m so excited to start PT though, just another step closer to wearing two shoes. 
the incision is healing nicely too, it’s crazy how quickly the scabs smoothed out. Overall, today was a good day, thanks for all the constant support everyone!!!
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13
April
2012
I CAN SHOWER WITH TWO LEGS!!! I CAN SHOWER WITH TWO LEGS!! I CAN SHOWER WITH TWO LEGS!!!!
These past 2 days have been like Christmas, New Years Eve, and my birthday all wrapped into one. My doctors appointment went wonderfully this morning…the drainage has stopped, and I’ve been doing my ROM’s with NO pain at all which he was happy about. The big news however, JUST incase you missed it is….I CAN SHOWER WITH TWO LEGS NOW!!!! Yes yes, I have been given the green light and I am BEYOND thrilled. To add to this good news, he wants me to give it one more week, and then I can ditch sleeping with the boot and finally get a good night’s sleep!! My excitement got to an all time high when he told me I could begin starting to walk on my next appointment, on the 24th. I’m SOOO happy, this is a complete change from Tuesday when I was ready to cut my leg off altogether.
To make this weekend completely wonderful, I’ve just been offered a new job and I start April 30th, so I’m hoping by the time I start I’ll at least be able to walk with a limp and ditch the crutches ASAP!!
Thank you everyone for your constant support, especially in my miserable sad last post. I’m so glad to be moving forward in this journey!! Have a great weekend and Happy Friday the 13th!!! 
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10
April
2012
I’m writing this post with tears in my eyes; I’m so unbelievably frustrated, I could scream. Today has been the countdown date for me since my surgery…the day when I would be able to move from a cast to a walking boot, shower normally without a chair and be able to actually get my leg wet, start putting partial weight on my foot, finally be able to ditch the crutches for good, etc, etc.
I went into the doctor’s today SO hopeful, but found out one my my incisions had some leakage, and though it wasn’t serious, he wanted to keep an eye on it before adding any weight. So though I have the boot and have ditched the cast, It still is just as immobilizing and claustrophobic as my cast because I’ve been given strict instructions to never take it off. I have to meet with him again on Friday, which will determine whether or not I can start showering normally and stuff, but I’m assuming I’m going to be sleeping with it and still using the crutches for a while.
I cried the entire way home and I still am, I know Friday is right around the corner but it’s that weight of the unknown that’s making me really upset. Who knows if I’ll be ready by Friday…he may tell me I need another two weeks, which mentally I’m not sure I can do. This was supposed to be a new day, I was planning on coming right home and showering with two legs and planning on sleeping tonight without the uncomfortable restriction. Now who knows when I’ll be able to do that. I know it’s not a permanent thing and it’s just going to take time, but at 24 I’m looking forward to recovering so I can get back to being active, and it seems as though the light at the end of the tunnel is extremley far away at this point.
Also, can’t start PT for another 3 weeks, which I guess is normal but I thought for some reason it’d be sooner. Overall, today has sucked.
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2
April
2012
This weekend could not have come fast enough. It was the completion of my first full week back at work after my surgery, and the 2 flights of stairs I have to climb on a daily basis were taking a toll on me. The pain hasn’t been too bad…I still ice & elevate a lot so that helps. Also, I’m getting an arm workout from these crutches!
After a very frustrating conversation with my boyfriend of all the things we could do “with one leg”, we decided on going to the mall. Luckily the mall policeman let me use a motorized scooter, and that just made my afternoon very enjoyable. Although I wish they’d make the stores a little bigger…I was bumping into everything!
I think the biggest downfall was that night, when my boyfriend attended a birthday party at a dance club. I’m a very social person, and nights like these are very enjoyable for me…however on a cast and crutches it just seems impossible on a crowded dance floor with very limited seating. I figured I’d make the smart decision and watched chick flicks till he got home.
The most annoying part came from my mother, who kept saying “You could have gone you know…you could have made it work.” I don’t think she realizes the stress and pain that comes with simply standing up right with crutches. Does anyone else have people around them who aren’t injured that seem to think using crutches and having a cast is easy? I get so irritated when they tell me “Oh, if that were me I’d still do (fill in the blank).” Of course I’d love to go out and party with all my friends, but it’s dark, crowded, and slippery. One fall, or one kick or push accidentally from the crowd and I could have had a much bigger problem on my hands.
I’m starting to feel cast claustrophobia, but I just need to remember it’s only 8 more days until it comes off. 8 more days, 8 more days, 8 more days! Did any of you feel so comfortable that a couple days after the walking boot you were able to walk slowly without needing the crutches at all?
Happy Healing
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29
March
2012
The feeling of frustration has started to set in…I’m not really sure where it came from but it happened very suddenly last night. I’ve had a constant tingling, pins&needles feeling in my ankle that is just so uncomfortable, and last night my skin under my cast started itching like crazy. I looked up remedies online and found the one that seemed the safest and wouldn’t cause any potential damage to my skin under the cast or the injury - using a blow dryer on cool and pointing it down your cast. Mine is too tight at this point and it was difficult pulling at it to get the cool air down there, which frustrated me more. Basically, it didn’t help.
Also, I began icing under my knee to help with the swelling but I think due to me being so stressed out, it didn’t feel like it was really working. I know I’m in the home stretch…exactly (I hope) 12 days until I get the cast off and get put into a walking boot..but I think it’s going to be a hard 12 days..it just feels so itchy and so annoying and so painful. Sleeping is a nightmare, and I just want to shower normally. I HATE the crutches, simply because I have 2 flights of stairs I have to conquer at work every day, and the bathroom of course is on the bottom floor. I think when you have an injury like this it takes an emotional toll, because a couple days ago I felt happy and positive, and today I just feel miserable. I just want to get back to my normal routines, be able to walk freely, be able to really stretch my leg and scratch it if I need to..I’m just SO frustrated! Any support would be great…I’m 24 years old so I think that’s also playing a role in this…I’ve never had an injury of this type and it’s difficult to overcome at times. I guess the dreary weather here doesn’t help. :-p
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