Keep On Truckin'

Howdy Friends!!! Good News!!! I went to see Doc Fugle today and he says I am right on track and I should come back to see him in a month...A MONTH!?!?! UGH! How about three days? Maybe a week? TWO WEEKS TOPS!!! Nope, it's a month, but here's the thing, over the next month my orders are to start walking at home without the boot! WITHOUT THE BOOT!!!


(Psst, don't tell, but I started doing that last week...hey, sometimes a girl has to pee and doesn't want to take the time to pull on a compression sock and then lace and velcro a boot...I'm just sayin').


The next step for me is in two weeks when I have the green light to walk OUTSIDE without the boot!!! I am giddy with excitement! Here's the deal, I have permission (nagging monotonous internal voice: two-weeks-from-now-as-long-as-I-practice-at-home-on-flat-even-surfaces) to go OUTSIDE of the home to MORE FLAT and EVEN surfaces and ........

W - A - L - K!!!!

I do realize that I am over using the punctuation that represents excitement, but I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW EXCITED I AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and somewhat NERVOUS :-/

At the doc's office I felt like I have been ordered to walk a FINE line. On one hand they keep telling me to "BE CAREFUL! We don't want you to re-rupture" which is quickly followed by "Why are you limping? You need to push through." I am continually looking for the middle ground between being too aggressive and too tentative... So far so good 'cuz every time I go visit Doc seems pleased with my progress.

Since I was such a model patient I decided to push the envelope and ask (O.K., beg) for rehab...Doc Fugle says, "you may not need rehab." The other doctor said, "We'll get you into therapy, don't worry." ;) So, I decide this is a good time to mention my plans to run a 5K on the 6 month anniversary of my ATR (achilles tendon rupture)... and he stops... he looks at the ground, so I repeat my request for permission only louder, thinking he didn't hear me and he says, "GIMME A MINUTE, I'M THINKING!" Ooops, I hope I didn't make him mad... Then he says, "We'll talk about it in a month..." A MONTH! Again with the MONTH?!?! (Maybe I did make him mad)? No talking about Physical Therapy or running for one more month.



In the meantime I will be enjoying a little getaway with the girls. I'll be doing some swimming which I have not only been given permission but have been encouraged to do! I will also be shopping and karaoke-ing which I have been discouraged to do, but eh, it's vacation!!! :)

In case you are following the boot here she was today:The boot at Piano lessons

Thanks for reading...pass it on!

I'm a WEANer!!!

That's right!!! You heard it hear first!!! I am off the crutches :)

Last Wednesday I went to see Dr. Fugle and he and his peeps adjusted the boot to just five degrees short of whatever normal is. AND he said I can start walking without crutches, to which I replied "WHAT? YOU CRAZY" and I gave him three snaps in a Z formation!!! Not really, but when I tried to walk in the office it was a MASSIVE FAIL!!! Oh Lord, it HURT!!! I really did THINK he was crazy and he thought it was funny, but he told me I could wean myself off the crutches over the next week by spending a couple of days on two crutches and then a few days on one crutch and finally none!!! Just the boot!

Day 1 Wednesday (after appointment)-Two Crutches - Add Weight:
YEEOOUCH!!! The new angle SUCKS!!! It hurts like H-E-double hockey sticks, PLUS, the boot MOVES now!!! That's right, instead of just being in the stretched position it flexes and when it reaches it's maximum (new) angle I see stars and I break out in a sweat and sometimes get a little light headed...mother of pearl it hurts!

Day 2 - Two Crutches/Lets Try One? - Oooh I feel so free, well not really, although, now I can carry stuff in one hand! But, I am so SLOW.

Day 3 - One Crutch - Aw Screw It: I started the day with one crutch, but at some point it was just in the way...So, I hobbled around still VERY SLOWLY and not at all smooth, but with both hands free and life was GOOD...UNTIL I sat down and then tried to get back up and then I needed one crutch again, cuz maybe when the Doc said to spend a couple of days on one crutch he knew what he was talking about :-/
This evening I used the crutches at Eddie's high school reunion. It's kinda weird going back to the crutches after knowing I can walk without, I felt a little like a fraud, but mostly I knew that after a loonng first day of walking I could not count on being fully able-bodied...

Days 4,5 and today: There is some soreness in the back of my knee on the ATR (achilles tendon rupture) leg. I know this feeling, it's sort of a feeling of hyper extension mixed with weakness. I tend to baby the tendon by walking somewhat straight legged and due to my bow legs it can result in a minor hyper extension in the knee all to avoid the "full" range of motion that the boot allows (that I should be striving for...please don't tell)! Every first step is filled with pins and needles and after a period of time I begin to feel pain and fatigue. I try to concentrate on keeping my toes forward and walking properly, but I know that I get lazy and do what is less painful on my achilles when I want to keep going and it starts its nagging. The result is... now I need a chiropractor! I can feel soreness in my opposite hip and up and down my back, but all in the name of PROGRESS!!! It's a good theme, I think I'll stick with it :)

My next appointment is next week and we shall see what we shall see!!! I am anxious and nervous to start physical therapy but mostly anxious!!!






The Boot and the Blog and the Dog


The Boot on the way to the Monroe Jefferson Class of 1990 High School Reunion

Day two the process continues

So, bright and early Saturday morning Ed shuffled me in to the POH emergency room, just because that is considered the main entrance on a Saturday morning for a scheduled surgery... Dr. Fugle agreed the night before (while we were still at Crittenton to fix me up the very next day - he had an 8 am at POH or a 1pm at Crittenton - the sooner the better I say)!!!
WHAT A GREAT GROUP OF PEEPS!!!! I don't remember everyone's names, but they were genuine, considerate, informative, comforting and they even laughed at my jokes and considering the pain and the meds, I'm not sure the jokes were even funny! The Surgery was just shy of an hour and a half and I believe Ed was told they had to do a little extra pulling/stretching because my gastrocnemius was rolled up my leg like an old roller shade, not to mention there was quite a bit of fraying...kind of a mess!
When I woke my my wonderful nurse was also my wonderful neighbor Lucy and she took extra special care of me and made sure I had everything I needed :) If you're going to rip apart your achilles, I hope you have as much good luck as I did with doctors, nurses, and all of the other little "angles" along the way.
I was home in time for lunch although I don't remember much of anything so if there is anything to report on this day we will have to turn all questions to my hubby and my children!
I know I missed my sweet friend LaTonia's baby shower and I also know my other sweet friends had my back and even stopped in to visit me after the party. Plus, Auntie Leigh put the kids on immediate and rigorous laundry duty, it was so beautiful :)