Wednesday 23 February 2011

Hello!

Had another appointment with the surgeon yesterday, and its all looking good.

I've had a wedge removed from my walking boot which effectively stretches the tendon a bit more, and means I can walk about pretty much unaided without crutches for short periods!  Yippee!  Also, he confirmed I can remove the boot to sleep in as long as I put it on again if I need to do a wee in the night (as in - for the walk to the loo, not just cost its good to wear whilst swamping your bed).

Anyhow, removing another wedge in 3 weeks which puts the foot at neutral, and then back to the hospital 3 weeks later to see what happens next.

Bye-bye!

Tuesday 1 February 2011

1st Feb 2011

Consultant reckons possibly damaged my repaired tendon a bit, but not enough to really worry about.  I can still move the ankle up and down, and it flexes a bit when he squeezes my calf - just not as much as it should.  So, it's into my walking boot, foot pointed down for another 4 weeks, and then altering the angle till its stretched again.

I've got to sleep in a boot that's heavier than a ski boot, and a bit more bulky - is there an alternative that keeps the foot at the right angle?  If not, something needs inventing.

Body Odour and smelly feet.  Does it affect people who are mainly stationary??

Sunday 30 January 2011

30th Jan 2011: Oh what have I done

Took off my walking boot tonight (to get jeans off) Stood up on crutches, left crutch slipped whilst I had full weight on it, and I instinctively put full weight on the foot. The pain was incredible.  It was far, far worse than when I originally ruptured the tendon.

Where I had the stitches out was now open and bleeding again.  Charlotte called an ambulance because the pain just would not subside.  Gas and air was the only relief that worked, and I was carted off to A&E.  A&E was empty so I was seen almost right away - a junior on call doctor had a look, but could really not tell anything, and I got a taxi back home again, with instructions to get myself to Orthopaedic outpatients on Monday Morning.  The pain eventually subsided.  I took the boot off and made an additional cardboard wedge so my foot pointed down in the same position as when it was originally cast.

Feeling very miserable.  I think I've probably reruptured the tendon after just 3 weeks.  I did the Thompsons test on myself the following morning, and it was exactly like the day I snapped it  - no movement at all.  I wonder if it shows any results so soon after surgery?  I would imagine it would, as technically the tendon is attached again.

25th Jan 2011: Appointment with Surgoen

Stitches came out today.

Surgeon put me into a walking boot, at an angle that starts to stretch the tendon very slightly.  Feels great to have a bit of room to shuffle feet and stretch a little.  But its heavy, and there's a thick neoprene sock that goes inside it which means I need to sleep with my leg outside the open window to keep it from overheating.  Well that's what I really wanted to do.

Big bonus is that you have the use of both hands whilst standing up unaided, like having a shave.  Or having a wee.  FREEDOM!

Happy Birthday Sebastian Thomas Cashman, aged 4.

10th Jan 2011: Pot number 4 goes on.

Could not cope with the massive pot - went in and had a sensible, lighter and equally effective one put on.  Much better thanks.  It's only on for 2 weeks until the stitches come out.

You get used to sleeping in a cast eventually.  You take for granted all of those things that require simply standing up.  Taking a bottle of milk from the fridge, using a cash machine etc..

Rang the insurance company today to get the money back for my Snowboarding hols on at Les Arcs 2000.  That was a bit depressing.

9th Jan 2011: Day after Achilles Tendon repair surgery

Wow - that really is a big pot.  The nurse explained that as we are on an orthopaedic trauma ward, they do the pot very quickly.  Leg feels fine, but pot feels a little constricting.

That night pot started feeling really tight, and toes started to go numb.

8th Jan 2011 - The day of the Surgery...

7am:  Teeth, wash, back to bed for a delicious breakfast of Ibuprofen and a small sip of water.

10am:  Get into a hilarious gown that means you cannot pick anything up if you drop it..

10.30am:  Doctor comes round - there's going to be a delay.  But you cannot eat.

12.30:  Lunch.  Small sip of water.

3pm:  Anaesthesiologist came round for a natter.  I opted for spinal block.  Thoroughly pleasant chap. Surgery will be in the next our and a half.  Don't eat.

5pm:  Yipee!  Dinner time.  Small sip of water.  Delicious.

7pm:  Has everyone gone home?

8pm:  Blind 92 year old Ronald from the next bed confronts me about stealing his walking stick.  I only offered to get him some water - but he needed a wee.  I couldn't help with that.

8.30pm:  Gave Ronald his stick back.

9pm:  Wheeled off to surgery.  They put me to sleep in the end, as its not good to be under a spinal whilst on your front for an hour.

11pm:  Woke up, cup of tea and toast.  What's that???  It's the biggest, heaviest, ugliest pot I've ever seen!

Sleep.

Just kidding about Ronald's stick.