Reflection - The past 5 weeks

Well, a few of you have found my blog and I am appreciative of your posts.  It is nice to talk to folks that have or are going thru the same journey as me.  Keep up the comments!  Reflecting on the past 5 weeks.  It has not been easy - but it is what you try to make of it.  Today my reflection is on how much family and friends are affected by this.  All the "heavy lifting"  that I used to do now has to be performed by my family.  I am appreciative of their help and support - and its sometimes hard to remember how much they are affected.  Whether its taking the garbage up Monday nights, fixing things around the home or even cooking (I am the real cook in our house ;-)  ) they are pitching in doing things while I sit back on the couch.  I owe them!    So I thought I would re-post my initial questions from the first week sitting at home  - and sort of my answers to my own questions.  In another month - I will re-visit.

How do I get myself out and about more?   - This is a time thing  - I learned that this is all dependent on the nature of one's injury.  Take it slow - but don't be afraid to get out.  I even went to see the new Harry Potter film!  Kept my leg propped up on the seat in front of me - worked out just fine - and the movie was the best of the series in my opinion!
2. When can I start to drive? - In my case - since it was my left foot - I got out about 2 weeks post surgery - but I am limited on my time behind the wheel as my foot starts to swell
3. How long before I don't have to keep my leg elevated constantly? - Plenty of posts from my friends here - but it seems this will be at least 3 months
4. Doing some weight training (I was in the gym previous to this 4 times a week for weights and cardio) - Trying to keep doing this as much as possible
5. My diet - for healing, and keeping weight off - Ahhh - I fear this is my big unknown.  I love to eat and the only way I kept weight off was exercise - So will continue to keep an eye on my diet and my weight.  If I gain a few I am not going to stress over it - just get back to the Gym as soon as I am able.
6. Becoming more independent - I am not one that likes my kids and wife always having to do everything for me
7 No more boat trips - BUT - At least using her as a floating condo for the rest of the summer - This is working out for me - I go down Friday night and I don't get back off the boat till Sunday.  The view is great and my friends have all been coming to my boat to hang out.  We even had a great dance party last Saturday night.  I sat on the couch and watched everybody else dance and chose the music off of my IPOD.  Pretty much what I would do anyway since I am not a dancer :-)
8. When can I go to a restaurant and sit at the bar again? - ASAP!   Just do it!  As Foredeckwannabie says - Bring a good book and a pillow to prop your leg up on.
9. When can I shower?  I HATE SPONGE BATHS!! - Id say as soon as you are able - get a bag to cover your cast.  You may need a shower seat.
10 6 more self inflicted needles with the blood clot medicine - Can't wait for THAT to be over - Yea - those su*ked


I am sure I will think of more of these as time goes on.    2 weeks till cast comes off!!

Use for Orphan Socks

It just dawned on me - All those orphan black socks in my sock drawer are now coming in handy when I go to work!   LOL!

Post Suture Pain

5 days after the sutures came out and I am feeling some pain that I did not have while the sutures were in.  Sort of a burning sensation on each of the wounds.  Since I am still in a cast, I cannot see what is going on.  But I assume that the wounds are still raw, and with the stretching of the skin due to swelling, this is normal.  Hopefully this will die down after another couple of days.  Not bothersome enough to take any pain medication for, but none the less bothersome.  I'd also say that when I was re-casted, they put the cast on tighter this time. Time will tell...

Sutures Out!

Finally, my stitches came out.  Went to the outpatient facility at Yale Hospital yesterday to have the stitches taken out.  Once the cast was off, I was able to get a good look at my foot.  Not too bad really.  My surgeon personally removed my stitches.  I thought it was going to be painful but really only felt an occasional pinch - sort of like somebody snapping a small rubber band on my foot.  Surgeon said my foot was healing very well and he was pleased with my progress.   Back into a cast I went - for three more weeks.  So I will have spent 7 weeks in the hard cast once it comes off.  At that time, he said he would remove my three K-wires and do an X-ray to check healing progress.   It looks like I would be non-weight bearing in a orthotic boot for another 6 weeks after that.  So, no weight bearing until at least October 1st is my guess.  That would be a full 3 months.  No mention of PT just yet so I will just hang in there.    Good news is I am getting out more.  Actually in the office twice this week.  I'll continue to increase my activity as the foot permits and try to live life vs put life on hold.

3 Weeks - The Good, Bad, and Ugly

I just hit the 3 week mark since surgery.  Some things going well, some things not so well.  As far as my injury, it seems stable, and I am in no pain.  I do still need to elevate whenever possible.  Otherwise, I can feel the swelling come on.  I do feel pinches and pins and needles from time to time - but nothing serious.  I have been getting around pretty well.  I've been to work, my boat, outside, even cooked a little while on my knee rider.  Even went to the movies.  What is not going so well is the fact that it is such a chore to do anything - get upstairs, in the car, dressed, showered, the bathroom.  Everything takes twice as long.  I need to rely on people for anything major.  My gardens are filling with weeds - (not that I enjoy pulling weeds or spending anytime in the garden, its a necessary evil).  My pool has a minor leak I need to attend to.  My car battery is dead, and my home office chair needs an adjustment.  All these things require a trip into the basement for proper tools and require 2 feet to really fix. These things add to the fact that I am facing at least 3 more weeks in the cast - and then the boot.  So the shear duration of the healing process for this injury REALLY can get you down.  My best advice and the advice of others - keep busy, try not to feel sorry for yourself - and make the best of each day knowing that SOME day in the future, you will be walking again without crutches, knee-walker, boot, cain, walker, etc.

Getting into the office

Well yesterday was my first trip into the office.  I had a scheduled meeting that I had arranged awhile ago with all of our regional staff so I had to be there.  My wife drove me, and the trip took about 40 minutes.  Once I arrived I used the knee-walker to get into the elevator and up to the 3rd floor.  No problems.  I did get a few curious looks though.  One guy even asked me what happened.  Which became a story I had to repeat over and over and over.  The meeting went well, I even stayed around for a small cocktail reception that I hosted - and the conversations slowly turned back to work vs what happened to my foot.  I kept my foot propped the entire meeting and thru dinner.  For 19 days post surgery I was prepared for some swelling which did not happen.  Back into my home office today and then I will attempt to get back into the office next week for meetings - by myself, and possibly into NYC by train for a client meeting.  I am encouraged that staying off of my feet and propping my feet up *most* of the time, will allow for some jaunts out to get business done.  Taking it slow and adhering to all the advice from my fellow Lisfranc friends and of course the Doc.

Last Needle

Finally, today is the last time I have to self administer a blood clot shot.  After today, doc says I should use one full strength aspirin a day till further notice.  I have hated giving myself these shots.  First off, I hate needles, and to have to do yourself - into the stomach or leg has been way over the top!  I really feel for diabetics for have to do this on a daily basis for life.   Hopefully I will not have to repeat this when the 2 screws come out.  Yesterday was an interesting day for me.  A little over 2 weeks from surgery and I could feel my foot swelling come way down, and my discomfort level dropped significantly.  I am still 1 week out from having stitches removed and fear my cast may become a bit loose.  Also worried he left the stitches in a week too long.

Over Doing It

Today is 2 weeks since my injury and surgery - since they both happened at the same time.   The med students, interns, residents, and surgeons of Yale must have done something right.  For 2 weeks in, I came off of the prescrips after 1 week, and I have minimal pain.  While I have spend most of my time on the couch with my feet up, I have managed now to get out of the house twice this weekend for lunch.  I even made it down to my boat and managed to climb aboard and spend the afternoon on it with friends and family (just at dock - with me on couch, inside, AC on,  with foot up).  However, I know know the feeling of overdoing it...  It's been hot here in Connecticut, and I find that the injury does not like the heat - I can feel my foot swell from the heat.  Also, crutching around or just getting up and about adds irritation.  Once others find my blog - my BIGGEST question is - How long before you can sit without your leg elevated?   I can deal with the cast, crutches, walker, but I would at least like to rest my foot on the floor vs its own chair all the time!    Last night, my family wanted to go to dinner out - and I really had no energy, plus a throbbing foot to even move off of the couch.  After a nights rest, I am feeling good again - but now know there are some very strict limits...

The Knee Rider

After a number of phone calls to find a dealer in my state that is covered by my insurance plan, I finally received my Knee Walker.  This little buggy takes the place of crutches, allows me to be more mobile in and out of the house.  After a bit of practice, I find it to be a whole lot better than crutches.  Even got out of the house for the first time in two weeks for a late lunch / early dinner.  Worst part was propping my leg up on hard wooden bar-stool.   If your insurance pays for one of these, or you can find one used I highly recommend.  They are pricey new though.

Took a Shower!

Ahhhh - After almost 2 weeks of sponge baths I convinced my wife to help me take a shower.  Not easy to slide in over the lip with crutches, and you do need to cover the cast with the plastic wrap.  But once in and sitting in the shower seat (mine molded in thank God), felt great.   Next goal - getting to the point where I can do this on my own.

The Boat

Me in better times

My Story

Hello all -- This is my story  - On June 24th my family and I started to head up the coast of Connecticut on Just Chillin - our Meridian 368 MY to watch fireworks for the weekend in Branford CT.  Our homeport is Stratford. CT.  We were followed up with approx 7 - 8 other friend's boats for a weekend of BBQ, Wine, beer and fun.  After the fireworks Sat night I was closing up the back of the boat for the nigh around 10:30pm when I stepped off my swim platform onto the dock and tripped. (I now know I tripped on the dock cleat).  At first I felt some terrible pain, then none.  My wife asks me if I am OK and I said - don't think so.  Some friends ran over and told me not to get up - bone was poking thru my foot.  From there on, it was like a horrible nightmare.  I heard another friend calling for an ambulance, and the next thing I know I am being wheeled down the dock towards the ambulance.  I am asking who will get my boat back to Stratford?  Who will watch my kids? (My 10 year old son, 16 year old daughter, her boyfriend and our Shit Sizu  were still on-board).  I get to Yale New Haven Hospital and had immediate x-rays (nothing broken) but my entire lower foot bones all shifted to the right and broke the skin.  After wound clean - a fun exercise in extreme pain, I was prepped for surgery.  Has surgery around 6am Sunday.  Left with 2 pins and 3 wires.   Spent two days in the hospital. They actually wanted me to discharge Monday and I told them that I did not have the pain management down so they let me stay another day.  First week was a lot of sleeping, keeping my leg elevated, dealing with the pain, dealing with crutches, dealing with all the WTF? moments - why me? When can I get out of the cast?  when can I walk? When can I drive? when can I shower? etc. etc. etc.   Lucky for me - I had planned vacation the following week - had to cancel my boat trip to The North Fork of Long Island (Greenport).  Instead, I spent the weekend on the couch.  

Week 2 - I came off the narcotic pain meds Sunday and have been on Advils twice a day now.  Throbbing has stopped, and last night - 12 days in I did not get the stabbing pains in the middle of the night.  Went to the outpatient part of the hospital Tue for wound check.  Stitches look good - no infection and my swelling was down enough for them to put me in a hard-cast instead of the soft cast.  This will have to be removed the week after next so that they can take the stitches out though.  They would have come out next week but my surgeon was taking holiday to the Outer Banks - lucky stiff!

Oh well - so here I am - trying to telecommute as much as possible.  I am a partner in a large international consulting firm - so I can do a lot by phone and email.  Going to try to get to my office next week.  Yesterday, after reading some very dreary web postings I became pretty down.  I found a couple of blogs that inspired me to chronicle  my journey in hopes of helping me and others stay sane!

Today trying to track down something called a roll-about.  You rest your bad leg on this thing and propel yourself around like a scooter.  Seems like it will be better than crutches.    Coming to grips with the following this week:

1. How do I get myself out and about more?
2. When can I start to drive?
3. How long before I don't have to keep my leg elevated constantly?
4. Doing some weight training (I was in the gym previous to this 4 times a week for weights and cardio)
5. My diet - for healing, and keeping weight off
6. Becoming more independent - I am not one that likes my kids and wife always having to do everything for me
7 No more boat trips - BUT - At least using her as a floating condo for the rest of the summer
8. When can I go to a restaurant and sit at the bar again?
9. When can I shower?  I HATE SPONGE BATHS!!
10 6 more self inflicted needles with the blood clot medicine - Can't wait for THAT to be over

All for now!