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.
Sunday 30 January 2011
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
7th Jan 2011 - The day of the Surgery...I thought.
At the clinic on the 4th I was asked to fast from 3am every day from now onwards, as we wait for a bed to become free. I then received a call on both the Wednesday and Thursday at 9am to say sorry, no available beds, but please fast from 3am tomorrow. No big deal - I was expecting this...
Friday morning came, and I received a call - we may have a bed coming free, so please don't eat. You will receive a telephone call at lunchtime. Lunchtime came and went.
2.30pm - I received a call saying 'please make your way to ward 16 - you are booked in for 4pm - eek!
4pm came and went, as did 5, 6 and 7pm. Getting a bit peckish now.
7.15pm - sorry my Cashman, surgery is postponed until tomorrow. Due to the Ice and snow there had been a couple of more urgent cases come in. But you cannot go home, and we will try operate tomorrow morning. Wolfed down a rancid sandwich, got laptop out and watched Get him to the Greek (v.funny) followed by Zombieland (removed the headphones, and the sound effects carried on!! It's noisy on ward 16...and its worth watching by the way).
Tea, toast, teeth, sleep.
Friday morning came, and I received a call - we may have a bed coming free, so please don't eat. You will receive a telephone call at lunchtime. Lunchtime came and went.
2.30pm - I received a call saying 'please make your way to ward 16 - you are booked in for 4pm - eek!
4pm came and went, as did 5, 6 and 7pm. Getting a bit peckish now.
7.15pm - sorry my Cashman, surgery is postponed until tomorrow. Due to the Ice and snow there had been a couple of more urgent cases come in. But you cannot go home, and we will try operate tomorrow morning. Wolfed down a rancid sandwich, got laptop out and watched Get him to the Greek (v.funny) followed by Zombieland (removed the headphones, and the sound effects carried on!! It's noisy on ward 16...and its worth watching by the way).
Tea, toast, teeth, sleep.
4th Jan 2011 - 3 days after full rupture of achilles tendon.
Hairy Dave kindly took me to the hospital to see the specialist at the orthopaedic outpatients clinic. After a 20 minute wait, I met with the surgeon who confirmed the rupture, and asked which repair route I wanted to go down - conservative or surgery.
I opted for surgery as many of my friends are ex-sportsmen, and one had been through the same injury 10 years earlier. I spent 3 days solid looking at the evidence for and against surgery as a route to full fitness, and the support for surgery was overwhelming. The Surgeon was less optimistic - he said the recovery time is roughly the same, and apart from a 5% difference in chance of re-rupture, there's not much in it.
New pot, and we will ring you about when to come in for surgery. Could be a few days, as it's Icy outside and this is when many older patients take priority after falling and doing some real damage (Rightly so)...
Just a case of wait and see...
I opted for surgery as many of my friends are ex-sportsmen, and one had been through the same injury 10 years earlier. I spent 3 days solid looking at the evidence for and against surgery as a route to full fitness, and the support for surgery was overwhelming. The Surgeon was less optimistic - he said the recovery time is roughly the same, and apart from a 5% difference in chance of re-rupture, there's not much in it.
New pot, and we will ring you about when to come in for surgery. Could be a few days, as it's Icy outside and this is when many older patients take priority after falling and doing some real damage (Rightly so)...
Just a case of wait and see...
Day 1 - 1st Jan 2011.
Just like most years in the Cashman household, we woke up bright and early, with no hangover after failing to stay up long enough to see in the New Year.
Text from coops a bit later - '2 courts booked for 4pm - whose up for a hack?'
No hangover, and no plans to stuff my face with food and wine - why not? So, Coops, Hairy Dave, Andy and myself headed off for a bit of light squash, which is usually followed by a couple of pints.
I'm reasonably fit, and 3 days earlier had been out mountain-biking on the hills around Honley Woods and Meltham. When it's cold I make a point of having a good stretch, and today was no exception. I even wore my skiing thermal base-layers, and we had the heating on full. Coops took the first and second game, I took the third, and we were half way through game 4. As it was just a friendly I was only really in probably 3rd gear, out of a total of 5, as was my opponent. Coops played a ball to the front left, and I chased it from the opposite end of the court.
Within 20 mins I was in a pot upto the knee, foot pointing down, and on my way home with an appointment to see the specialist 3 days later.
Text from coops a bit later - '2 courts booked for 4pm - whose up for a hack?'
No hangover, and no plans to stuff my face with food and wine - why not? So, Coops, Hairy Dave, Andy and myself headed off for a bit of light squash, which is usually followed by a couple of pints.
I'm reasonably fit, and 3 days earlier had been out mountain-biking on the hills around Honley Woods and Meltham. When it's cold I make a point of having a good stretch, and today was no exception. I even wore my skiing thermal base-layers, and we had the heating on full. Coops took the first and second game, I took the third, and we were half way through game 4. As it was just a friendly I was only really in probably 3rd gear, out of a total of 5, as was my opponent. Coops played a ball to the front left, and I chased it from the opposite end of the court.
I recall falling forwards, but also remember looking backwards to see which flowerpot had opened the court door mid-game without knocking, and hit me with it! The door was obviously still shut. Had I hit myself with the racket? - nope, still in my left hand. The pain was incredible, but reasonably short lived. I tried to stand - not a chance. I was limped off court, and hopped into Dave's car and went off to casualty. We sat there for about 5 hours. The Thompson's test was the point at which I knew I would be out of action for a very long time. kneeling on a chair she flexed both calf's - the right moved, the left just ignored any signal coming from the calf: Example test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFleDmyeEMw
Within 20 mins I was in a pot upto the knee, foot pointing down, and on my way home with an appointment to see the specialist 3 days later.
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