post op day 63 - good ol' shoe

Energy level: good!
Pain level: 0-1
(occasional mild stabbing pain in the Achilles tendon area)

I got to put a shoe on my left foot today! Hooray!!!

Incidentally, it is the very same shoe last put on that foot on the morning of the injury, January 31st. Ironically, a Salomon Snow Clog is the ideal shoe to recover from my ski accident. The shoe is so ideal that I wish I had a second pair, but the original Snow Clog has been discontinued. (Perhaps because “clogs” is a misnomer? - The backs of the heels in these “clogs” are fully covered.)

Here’s what makes them especially well suited for the job:

_rounded heel and toe promotes heel to toe walking that I am practicing with the crutches
_amazing arch and heel support which distributes the pressure away from the heel – ahhh!
_pull tab on the back of the shoe helps with getting the shoe on my swollen heel
_no tongue or material to hinder forward flexing – forward flexing is extremely difficult for me right now and is one of the key points preventing me from walking.
_the best feature of all: wet suit material around the base of the ankle gives just the right amount of snugness to keep my ankle in place without grinding against my heel as most stiff backed shoes would.

The size difference in the two feet is immediately evident. The shoe just barely slides over the nylon knee high on my left foot while the right foot still has some wiggle room in a big bulky wool sock.

It feels like I am standing in heaven and I am ready to burn the boot! This is much better than bare feet -which puts too much pressure on the heel and side of the foot and immensely better than the evil boot that throws off the alignment of my entire body.

But then… the good doctor bursts my bubble… the shoe is only for home use. I have to use the boot anytime I go outside. In the event of a slip or fall, the iron guards that run up the length of the boot will prevent the ankle from twisting and further injury. An iron cage for my own good.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: This boot was NOT made for walking.

post op day 62 - wii challenge

Energy level: ok
Pain level: 1

Walking is a challenge – and that is with crutches! My goal is to walk with one crutch – how hard can that be?

This sparks the idea to try out the Wii Fit to really test my balance.

I quickly discover that the Wii Fit was not made for one legged folk. It takes many tries just to get the darn thing to register me. It accuses me of “fidgeting!” It also berates me for my hiatus. How’s that for a “welcome back”?

After a few tries I figure out the trick is to trick the board into thinking that I have equal weight on both legs. This means leaning heavily on my left crutch and trying to ensure that the board feels equal pounds of pressure from each foot. Once it recognizes that I’m on the board I try to put a little pressure on the crutches so that it can measure my “balance”.

The results are fascinating! Although I am standing on two feet, I’m only putting 25% of my weight on my left foot and my right foot is supporting a whopping 75% of my weight!

Wow!

It “feels” like I’m even 50/50 but the measuring device says otherwise. I speculate that the swelling of all the soft tissue makes 25% of my weight squeeze down on everything the same as 50% of my weight.

Wow!

Thank you Wii Fit! This information is most helpful!

I’ve come a long way baby, but I’ve got a lot more to go!


Wow!

Thank you Wii Fit! This information is most helpful!

I’ve come a long way baby, but I’ve got a lot more to go!

post op day 61 - plantar fascia

Energy level: good
Pain level: 1

Overall feeling pretty good -except one tiny spot on the bottom of the foot in the center of the heel which feels like I'm walking on a thumbtack.

 Physical therapy is coming along. I wake up with general aches, but the most unusual sensation is when I try to walk. I have a numb pain on the outer part of the sole of the foot. The physical therapist tells me that is might be "plantar fasciitis". He performed some ultrasound therapy on the bottom of the foot to get the cells stimulated.

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia which is a thick fibrous band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom surface of the calcaneus (heel bone) and extending along the sole of the foot towards the toes. I really need to work on that dorsiflexion! (flexing the toes toward the ankle)

Contrast baths may also help bring oxygen back into the foot and stimulate nerve growth. My left foot is still an unsightly shade of blue every morning.

Doing the dorsiflexion: point toes to the ceiling and flex foot towards shin.

post op day 60 - scar tissue

Energy level: Ok
Pain level: 0

A scar is born!

The contrast baths are keeping my feet smooth as a baby's bottom.

post op day 59 - fatigue

Energy level: ok in the am - fatigue by evening
Pain level: 0

No pain today! At all! Hooray!

I get so enthralled with work that I forget to take a lunch break. At home in the evening I lay down to sneak in a quick cat nap ... but then wake up the next morning feeling a bit of guilty for missing my evening physical therapy routine. Oops.

My left foot is still a ghastly shade of purple.

post op day 58 - hoppy easter!

Energy level: low - good
Pain level: 0 for physical pain - 1 for headaches

Just too tired to leave the house today.  I have to muster up all my energy just to do the basic physical therapy exercises even though I have a mild headache in the left temple all day.  Tylenol and long naps are the only Easter eggs for me today.

post op day 57 - pt abc's

Energy level:  low - tired after full week of work at the office

Pain level:  0 for physical pain
                 3 for headaches

Inversion, Eversion, Plantar Flexion, Dorsiflexion and Gastroc Stretches, oh my!

Thanks to the skilled hands of the physical therapist I feel free of the scar tissue that was sticking to the screws and I can really progress with my exercises.  The physical therapy prescribed to me really feels like my restorative yoga class so all the motions feel familiar and I'm looking forward to getting back into an exercise rhythm. However, the truth is, I have one of those minds that wanders. The reason I love going to a class is so that the instructor can lead the exercises which enables me to focus on meditation.

I find the most difficult task with physical therapy is keeping track of the reps and sets. JP comes up with an ingenious idea! For set one, I count 1 - 7, for set two, I count 21 - 27, set three 31- 37 and final set four is 41 - 47.  Works like a charm!

The ankle rotations and pretty standard, but the most surprising exercise is tracing the alphabet with my feet. At first I groan with boredom, but wait... what is that new release I feel after the letter "K" and "R"??? and "Q" ? That's a delight too! This alphabet exercise has the most immediate reward - totally unexpected.

Today was brought to you by the letter "O" and ankle rotations!

WEEK 9 | POST OPERATION

Energy level: Low
Pain level: 0        Woo hoo!
Epiphany: Spring is in the air!  But so is rain.  A hooded rain jacket is a good thing ~ don't leave home without it!
Milestone: Begin full regimented physical therapy. Current focus is stretching.

post op day 56 - racing stripes

Energy level: Good
Pain level: 1

The only pain for today is that “sand in my shoe” annoyance of the screw head rubbing against my Achilles tendon. 2 Tylenol in the late morning

Hooray! It’s my first day of real physical therapy! The therapist is impressed with my overall flexibility which I contribute to a regular yoga practice. He puts me though a variety of moves which determines that indeed the ankle and calf are stiff and weak. He also comments that the low swelling is evidence of a well done surgery.

He asks if I am in any pain and I explain the biggest issue I have is the sensation of the Achilles tendon rubbing against the screw head.He starts work on the scar tissue and like magic, his massaging fingers free the hardened tissue. Ahhhh relief! As a bonus, I get bring pink tape on the back of my leg. I don’t quite understand the benefit, but the relief lasts all day!

JP has been extremely patient watching the physical therapist manipulate my foot all morning. I am every so grateful for his support and tender care throughout this ordeal.  He is certainly deserving of sainthood and a gold medal for patience.  I ask if he found the session to be interesting and it turns out that his favorite part was watching the therapist manhandle the scar tissue to release the fibers. It seems like only yesterday that I was screaming out in pain as JP ever so gently dabbed my wound with a cotton ball. I may have even accused his gaze to have been too heavy upon my foot just a mere month ago. We are both glad to be beyond that phase.

post op day 55 - headaches

Energy level: low
Pain level: 1 - wake up achy and with a slight headache which lasts all day requiring 2 Tylenol in the morning + 2 more in the afternoon