Day 365: status

So it's been a full year. What a year! Here's where I am with my Achilles rupture....

In some ways I'm better than before. Because my rupture was preceded by almost three decades of tendonitis, this Achilles repair has left me with a REMARKABLE improvement to my pain level. I can do A LOT more than I formerly could before the pain and ache sets in.

However, it ain't pretty. Most of the time (especially at night) my foot looks deformed with a large lump on the back of my ankle and still there is a decent amount of localized swelling.

But since my dreams of being a Rockette died a long time ago, appearance isn't important. Appearance is GREATLY trumped by the improved functionality.

Day 128: Back on two feet

Three days in the boot did my Achilles well! I went back to a shoe this morning, and it hardly hurt at all!  The swelling is much better too.

So I saw the amazing Dr. Brian Fischer this afternoon.  He took x-rays which looked great. He confirmed that I didn't re-injure anything I just overdid, and he agreed it is gonna be a bit of an ever-changing dance to find the right balance of doing enough but not too much. This time I don't have to go back for three months!

Day 126: Stepping in poo

Yesterday was trick-or-treat at the campground.  The VERY first thing that happened was I stepped in a pile of poo with my Bledsoe Achilles boot. It was such a perfect metaphor of my life.  Whenever possible, I seem to step in a huge pile of poo, both literally and figuratively.

Because I'm in the midst of this flare up/setback and because the campground bans golf carts at trick-or-treat due to irresponsible drinkers, I was sentenced to man the candy bowl at the campsite. Even that, sitting at the campsite handing out candy, was strenuous for this bum foot. I spent the drive home lying on the floor of the minivan with my feet up on the back seat in search of some relief.

Lying on the floor of the minivan

Elevation at its finest

At least the view was good

By the time I got home and unwrapped my foot I could tell the swelling was noticeably better.  The pain is a little better too, but I am remaining committed to my rest-this-Achilles-TOTALLY-until-my-doctor-appointment course of action.  So... the boot stays on today. Praying this does some more good...

Day 125: Hello darkness my old friend

The downward slide continues. Now in addition to awkward swelling, I've added some significant pain when walking.  I am SUPER discouraged.  The Jami mindset does not make allowances for backward steps 😢 I see the doctor on Tuesday for my next follow up appointment so I'll get his opinion then,  but for now I'm taking some HUGE steps backward to give my foot some rest. It's not an innovative concept,  but I'm praying it will help RICE.

1. Rest... Hello darkness my old friend.... I put the boot back on to give my Achilles a rest. Gosh, I did NOT miss this thing!

2. Ice... Continuing my ice obsession. Upped my game by buying 4 more packs of frozen peas. Ice is pretty much my best friend right now. 

3. Compression... at PT they advised I wrap it with an ace bandage to squeeze the inflammation out... I've got that going on inside my boot.

4. Elevation... as often as possible I've got this foot up.  But I do NOT like being back to doing nothing for myself.

Stay tuned.... I'll update after my doctor appointment Tuesday.

Day 123: Battery Pack Bandaid

It was Tuesday... I promise you,  I remembered the Walmart debacle. Before I left the house,  I said to John,  "A quick trip to Aldi won't overdo, will it?" It would.... ohhhhhh it would.

In the second-to-last aisle, I realized it. Before I got to the register,  I text John, "Foot not doing well." When I collapsed into the driver's seat, I nearly cried.... I overdid again.

This time, though, I got a nice little booby prize for overdoing.... by the next day,  a lump of localized swelling had developed right over my Achilles. It made my ankle look kind of deformed. It hurt... some, but not too bad. I was icing and elevating like a madman,  but by this morning it wasn't really changing.  I rescheduled my PT to get an opinion from the head therapist. 

Good news: he doesn't think I damaged it...  bad news: I seem to have a bit of tendinitis flaring up. We took it easy wth exercises (I didn't have much choice cuz I was in a bunch of pain) then they sent me home with this George Jetson like bandaid.... it has some kind of anti-inflammatory medicine in it and a battery too... for 14 hours it will be delivering medicine to my tendon in the hopes of reducing the inflammation.

Jami always has to have a lesson... a takeaway to make the pain worthwhile... but honestly I'm struggling to get my bearings here... I think for now my takeaway is: save my steps for the good stuff (going to church, parties,  the campground) and leave the mundane (Walmart, Aldi, Pick N Save) in the hands of my CAPABLE assistants.

Sigh... signing off for the night... praying this high tech bandaid does it's magic.