3 Weeks WB

Today marks 3 weeks WB for me.  I feel like I have been making steady progress and I have been trying to find the balance of overdoing it vs not doing enough.  My PT scolded me the other day for walking too much with a cane instead of a crutch.  And although my swelling is much less, she told me persistent swelling was not good in the long-run and to slow down.  Hard for a guy like me!  I am down to 2 sessions of PT per week and have scheduled thru the end of October.  I'll see where I am from there.   I am completely in shoes now - my sneakers for the Gym, work dress shoes and my docksiders.  I have been walking around the house in "flip flops" and have been trying more and more to be barefoot.  I also walk more and more without the cane - kind of a waddle really, but less of a limp.  It's been raining the last few days - so my knees have been hurting.  Otherwise, I feel like I could walk at a pretty good clip without a limp.  Ankle pain gone, little bit of foot pain, some swelling, and increased ankle flexibility.  I actually tried the Elliptical in the Gym today and felt like I could do it.  Since I have PT Friday am I decided against it - I did not want to show up in PT and have her "yell" at me again.  She already thinks I am a handful.  Monday, she had me doing some balance exercises on the bad foot - whoa - that was tough!  She seems a bit amazed at my progress.  Goal was to be full WB in 4 weeks.  I am 2 weeks ahead of my surgeon's orders.

So my goals now - Continue to progress, Don't hurt myself because I did something stupid, attend the Sugarland concert in Mohegan Sun in 2 weeks with no cane and no pain!

G

X-Rays from the day of...

Finally got around to scanning my X-rays.  The first X-ray is pre-surgery.  As my surgeon said - this was not a subtle Lisfranc - they saw this coming a mile away!   The second pic is post surgery.

2 Weeks WB

I hit my first milestone today.  I was supposed to be "weened" off of the boot by today.  This is pretty much true.  I have not worn the boot since Saturday.  I don't have a desire to get back into it.  I continue my PT - pretty much same routine - warmup on bike, flexing exercises, foot massage and then icing and the electro therapy.  Swelling seems to be coming down.  I still get ankle pain if I walk too much full WB and revert to 2 crutches.  I manage more and more on single crutch and cane with an occasional short, very short, walk unaided.  According to my PT, in another 2 weeks, I should be on cane alone if I keep up the pace.  I am back in the gym 4 days a week.  I use the bike for 30mins and then do weights - starting to add some leg work to the routine.   I tried to get back onto the elliptical yesterday and found that my ankle still does not have the flexibility for the motion of the machine.  It was extremely painful and I got off after about three or four revolutions.  Argh!  I'll try it again next week.

Things that come in handy - 1. Advil, 2. elevate at least a couple of times per day, and 3. I discovered icing my foot at home with one of those plastic ice pads you throw in the freezer.  Not sure why I did not start using these sooner!

So somewhere I read somebody's post about telling the difference between 'good' pain - the pain that comes from exercise - sore muscles - that's a good pain.  It seems I mostly have this kind of pain.  I don't have much in the way of 'bad' pain - severe throbbing, jabs and stabs.  I still get the occasional pins and needles, and the ankle pain when WB.  All tend to go away at rest.

I'll keep gently pushing, not over-doing it - I know it's a marathon and not a sprint.

G

After PT

Well, I overdid it a bit during my first full PT session.  My session yesterday was much more subdued and my foot was pretty swollen from the day before.  I spent most of yesterday NWB and very little PWB.  Foot swelling and ankle pain seems much less today.  I will take it VERY slow this weekend.

Lesson learned - and you can read comments from others on this blog ---

This is a very long term healing process.  Pushing yourself will only aggravate the foot.  Take PWB to WB slow and let your body be the judge of how much you did or did not do.  In my case, it always manifests itself the next morning.

2nd Therapy Session

Well, it has been 1 week since I got the all clear to start WB.  I have been into the Gym now several times and started using the bike - peddled 4 miles with the boot on.  A bit cumbersome but at least I worked up a sweat.  Also back to weight training with my trainer once a week.  My second visit to PT today consisted of her putting me on the bike with my street shoes on vs. the boot.  She then had me walk with a single crutch with my shoes on!  At one point I walked across the PT center unaided, nothing, no crutch, no cane - My PT jokingly told me I was "a handful" LOL!  I then went up some stairs, she did a deep foot massage, I got a shot at the toys in the bucket and pulled 5 out, and then towel scrunches.  She finished up with the electric shock therapy (on my foot not my head ;-)  )    So in one week I went from NWB to PWB to FWB.  Even if it is for short bursts of time I am very happy with the results.   My goal now is to ditch the boot and the crutches.  Keep the cane around for awhile and try to go solo.   **Caution - individual results may vary - for those of you reading this still NWB.  Everybody's injury is different.  I also have a high tolerance for pain - Put it this way - NONE of this was comfortable, in fact, it hurts like heck to hobble around even with the cane - and my foot is pretty swollen now.  My PT advised me to do this in short spurts and to keep the crutches and boot handy when I am out of the house - as I will most likely need to revert to them from time to time.

G

Things I am learning

 - Going to WB is not a 'switch' you don't just ditch the crutches, kneewalker overnight
- Same with the boot.  I may get into shoes for a few hours (not yet but soon) - but I'll be back in the boot
- Even though I pretty much keep my foot down all the time - PT tells me I should elevate a couple of times a day
- Some of the PT home exercises - towel scrunch - very hard to do after only a couple of days - frustrating!
- Pretty much a given according to my PT that I will not be able to walk bare foot for a long time   That stinks for a guy who pretty much goes barefoot and sock-less unless he has to.

G

First PT Session

After a weekend of partial WB, I had my first PT session this am.   Over the weekend - in three days I managed to use the cane around the house.  Still a bit painful but great to actually be 'walking' on my own.  Monday am I thought I would pay the price  - the foot was a little swollen but not overly so.   First session of PT is mainly an assessment of your range of motion, etc.  I did the towel exercise - where they have you scrunch up a towel with your feet.  Didn't do too well on that.  Then had me pick up plastic toys from a bucket.  Managed to pick up 2 with my toes.  My range of motion for my ankle and feet are pretty stiff.  She gave me some home exercises  - ankle pumping, ankle alphabet, circles.  Nothing painful -- yet.


So - some progress, and a long way to go!

HA! It's not so easy is it?

Thought I'd just throw a quick post out here - Working from home - and trying to use the crutches all day PWB vs. my knee walker.  Seems like I have gone backward!  I can't carry my own cup of coffee into my home office now, and it's a lot harder to go down the small stairs outside.  Still doing the bum shuffle up the big stairs to the bedrooms though.  I WANT to put a lot of weight on my bad foot - but there is some weird ankle pain that prevents this - along with fear.  So, I am walking around the house putting minimal weight on the foot - (what the heck is 25% anyway?).  At one point I even managed to walk out of my office using only 1 crutch - and then got reprimanded by the boss (aka wife) for trying to do too much too soon.  Oh well, I'll wait for my first PT session Monday am to get their perspective on where I really am.  In the mean-time, I'll keep gently pushing my limits.

One positive - It was Heaven to sleep without the boot or sock on last night!!

WB!

No - Not that crappy fake TV Network (Does anybody remember the WB?)  Weight Bearing!  I had my 10.5 week X-ray and appointment with my surgeon.  X-Rays looked good.  After a short visit, he prescribed PT and gave me a cane.  Instructions are PWB 25% progress to FWB - no time limit - I guess on my own.  Wean off boot - 1-2 weeks, wean off crutches next 4 weeks, transition to cane - 4-6 weeks.

His caution - I'll start to feel pain again - you all have told me that - so I am prepared.....  Got home - and tried to put weight on the foot with the boot on and walked across the house (with crutches of course)  - felt totally alien - but good to try!  Any pain seemed to come from the ankle not the foot.

All and all - I feel like I have made some great progress today.  I know I have a long way to go.  He also said I can sleep without the boot (FINALLY!!) and I can use the pool and hot tub.  He never mentioned going bare foot - I guess I'll ask the PT, AND he said I should transition to regular shoes - did not mention orthotics or rocker sole - so again, curious what my PT will tell me.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!  

1 More Week NWB

Well today marks the 1 week mark till my next visit with the Orthopedic Surgeon.  As of Sunday I will have been 10 weeks NWB.  In some respects, it seems like yesterday that I had my injury, and in many respects, I don't remember what it is like to walk on my own, or run, or go up and down stairs, or do simple things.  In 10 weeks, I have tried to live a 'normal' life.  I have strained the family and friends with all the physical stuff I used to do, tried to get to work and get out, and tried to enjoy life, family and friends as if nothing is wrong.  I am tired of telling my story to complete strangers - and getting that 'pity' look when they see me coming.  I am tired of providing the free advertising for the knee walker.  Many many people have asked me where I got it - and commented on how it looks like fun - yea right!  I have fallen twice, once that really scared me, suffered a root canal, a Hurricane and 4 days without electricity, (yes I had a generator - but it was no fun crutching down to the garage at 4am to fill the genny with gas :-) + no hot water!)  and the normal ups and downs that life brings.  Stuff breaks, needs maintained, etc.  I hate hopping around when crutches and knee walker are not around, I dread showers, I dread stairs, curbs, ramps, hills, low pressure systems (swelling), long car rides, parking lots, cracks in pavement, uneven floors, getting out of bed to go to the bathroom, dressing in work clothes, swelling, dry flaky, itchy skin.  A few times, and notably when on pain medication, I nearly lost it.   This injury is NOT for the weak at heart.  You really need to approach it with a positive attitude and patience - it is a MUST.

Having said all that, I have learned a few things.  It is not so bad to rely on the kindness of family, friends, or strangers.  Its very nice to have the ability to post my thoughts on this blog - and hopefully, many who read this can relate - or find some connection, solace, advice, or interest in what I have experienced.  I REALLY appreciate what permanent or temporary disabled folks go thru - and I will have a lot more empathy for everybody.  and finally, I REALLY REALLY appreciate the gift that I had been given - the ability to walk - un-aided, without pain, without thought.   Now - I long to have that back.

So - I go into my 'final' week NWB - before therapy, with a new set of questions - that I hope to answer - thru my fellow journeyman (and woman), and thru my own experience...

1. After 10 weeks NWB - will my final X-ray before WB be OK?  Did I mess something up when I fell on my bad foot 3 weeks ago?

2. What will it feel like to put weight on this after so long?

3. How long will I be in this now very smelly boot?

4. When do I get to transition to those really cool sexy rocker bottom shoes (sketchers?) BTW - Amazing how Madison Avenue can put shapely models into a pair of these and make them appear sexy.  And - how many men would not be caught dead in these unless they had to be - and I hope I don't offend anybody here.  But not my style.

5. When can I wear my docksiders and walk barefoot again?  Will I have to purchase 2 different size work shoes?   (I guess this is the point that the woman ask - when can they wear heels again if ever ;-)  )

6. Will I walk with a limp?

7. When will I walk with 100 percent weight on my bad foot?

8. When can I do Cardio again so I can start losing some of the 5-8 lbs I think I have gained.

9.  How long will it take my chicken leg to look normal again?

Anyway - Long post of reflection.  We got power back today.  Many 1000s in CT still without power and another Hurricane churning in the Atlantic.   Life moves on......  I plan to move on with it...

Stay positive, life and time does move forward, and hopefully so do we.

Unless I do something stupid before next Thursday, I will not post until my next visit to the surgeon.

G