I can see why most people who blog about their ankle injuries don't have much between their first surgeon's follow up and the second one. You hit this no man's land where you've seen a good amount of progress and there's just not that much else to do other than count down until your next follow up when you actually get cleared to start physio.
My dorsiflexion is still improving - I'm able to get past neutral now, which is great to see. Plantarflexion is also improving but the difference between my left and my right is still quite pronounced. My circles clockwise and counter-clockwise are going pretty well. Inversion and eversion are still the ones with the most minimal mobility, which isn't that surprising. There's a very tight spot on the medial side when I try for eversion. It's just below where my incision is, so I'm wondering if it's part of the ligament that I had repaired. It's part of a bigger section of swelling right around the incision that I'm trying to work on. The area around my lateral incision feels way less weird, although just below my malleolus I'm pretty sure I can feel a screw. Judging by my x-ray, it would be a spot that makes sense, as it's the edge of the plate as well as the end of one of the screws point upwards.
I've taken to sitting on the floor for a while every day as I discovered that my left leg (where I injured my hamstring in November) has still not regained range of motion and in particular, my quad won't naturally shut off when I have my legs extended in front of me. I also still can't hit terminal knee extension (with your legs in front of you, when you flex the quad, you should be able to get your heel off the ground). I can flex my quad now, which is an improvement from before and if I help things along by actively trying to raise my heel, I can have some success, but it doesn't come without pain. On the right, I can hold terminal knee extension with no problems; whereas on the left it causes some solid discomfort. It's also not the most pleasant thing to come out of just basic extension - as I sit on the floor, my leg relaxes such that my quad turns off, but when I come out of extension and back into flexion it's super stiff and annoying. My hope is that by the time I'm coming back from the ankle, the hamstring will also be happyish.
I did 8k in 1,000m intervals on the ski-erg a couple days ago. That was fun. I've been very, very curious about my heart rate while ski-erging and I've been wanting to pick up a new HRM/strap for a while now, so I grabbed a Schosche Rhythm+ from MEC today. The strap goes on your forearm instead of around your chest. So yay, new toy to play with.
I'm inching closer to single-digit days before my follow up. Ugh, it can't come soon enough. Just let me start physio!
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Day 35
I just want to start putting weight on my leg. It's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain my NWB status.
I called my surgeon's office yesterday to ask about getting in any closer to my six week date as opposed to 7.5, so that I can get the ok to start physio. His secretary was kind of a dbag. I called the ortho clinic at the Mis and the person there was a lot nicer although unfortunately did not have any good news for me. Apparently he has clinic hours once per week and they are all overbooked. His next hours after my six week date (Feb. 28) are March 6 and there's a very, very small chance if enough people canceled that I could maybe slide in that day (so let's say 10% at best). So a 10% chance that I could cut five days off my 11 day limbo.
It's just so frustrating. 18 days is a lot less than the 35 I've already done but I still don't feel like I'm on the NWB home stretch (because three weeks is not a home stretch). I think my frustration increased when I was chatting with the receptionist at Propel who also happens to have a surgically repaired fibula. She injured herself a week after me, and her follow up is two days before mine.
"It's just a week". But it's a week that I could be closer to walking, driving, progressing. Instead of sitting a home doing the same mobility, the same contrast, the same NWB and just waiting.
I know how much longer the road is for me, but I would really just like to get on that road instead of being stuck on the shoulder.
I called my surgeon's office yesterday to ask about getting in any closer to my six week date as opposed to 7.5, so that I can get the ok to start physio. His secretary was kind of a dbag. I called the ortho clinic at the Mis and the person there was a lot nicer although unfortunately did not have any good news for me. Apparently he has clinic hours once per week and they are all overbooked. His next hours after my six week date (Feb. 28) are March 6 and there's a very, very small chance if enough people canceled that I could maybe slide in that day (so let's say 10% at best). So a 10% chance that I could cut five days off my 11 day limbo.
It's just so frustrating. 18 days is a lot less than the 35 I've already done but I still don't feel like I'm on the NWB home stretch (because three weeks is not a home stretch). I think my frustration increased when I was chatting with the receptionist at Propel who also happens to have a surgically repaired fibula. She injured herself a week after me, and her follow up is two days before mine.
"It's just a week". But it's a week that I could be closer to walking, driving, progressing. Instead of sitting a home doing the same mobility, the same contrast, the same NWB and just waiting.
I know how much longer the road is for me, but I would really just like to get on that road instead of being stuck on the shoulder.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Day 30 Updates
Today is Day 30 post-injury. 23 days until my next follow up.
Thursday marked the arrival of my ski-erg, which was super exciting. One of my friends came over that morning to put it together, which was awesome.
It is definitely a workout, and it is a welcome, welcome addition to my life. I didn't actually get to use it on Thursday as I needed to pick up a stool to facilitate me using it while I am NWB, so me celebrating its arrival had to wait until Friday. I wound up doing a 5k ski in 500m intervals, with about a minute's rest in between. It was so, so great to be doing something.
Also on Friday night, after some encouragement from one of my nurse friends, I took the tape off of my incisions. I started with the lateral incision (the larger of the two) and quickly made a gross discovery that both the tape and the scabs were being held in place by a large quantity of dead skin.
Taking the tape off became a bit more of a delicate process than expected due to this. When I was finally done, the end product was not nearly as grotesque as I was potentially expecting.
So with my new found courage I pulled the tape off my medial side (smaller) incision. This one is also healing very well.
The interesting thing with the smaller incision is the numbness in and around the area. I'm trying to massage it to work at breaking up scar tissue, but the sensation is super weird. I feel it during my mobility too. It'll be something to work on.
Saturday marked the closest thing to a shower that I've had in the past while. I've been able to wash my hair without help by getting down onto my knees and leaning over the bathtub, but a decent method to bathing has still been a work in progress. I thought about getting a shower chair, but I would still need help getting in and out of the tub (and it's sketchy) and I'm not paying $70 for a freaking bath stool. So anyways, I managed to actually turn myself around on the side of the tub so that I was facing inwards and not outwards, which meant I could hose myself off without getting massive quantities of water all over the bathroom floor. I needed help to swing myself back around (for some reason getting back out was sketchier than getting in) but overall, success. I could do without the entire process taking as long as it does, but I guess I will appreciate a traditional shower all the more when all of this is over.
Sunday marked my return to lifting, which was also welcome. Well, I guess I "returned" to lifting Monday of last week, as I did some dumbbell work while Marlies did a crossfit workout, but this was the first time I had a barbell in my hands. I was really happy with how my floor press felt - considering I haven't lifted in a month, the weight felt pretty good in my hands.
Today, partially to commemorate Day 30, and also because one of my physios suggested it, I did a round of contrast therapy. For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure, you cycle between a bucket of cold water and a bucket of hot water. I was told to do a minute in each for 8 rounds, so that's what I did. I'm hoping it's going to help with reducing some of the swelling in the area. It better. Sitting in that cold bucket for a minute is torture.
Thursday marked the arrival of my ski-erg, which was super exciting. One of my friends came over that morning to put it together, which was awesome.
It is definitely a workout, and it is a welcome, welcome addition to my life. I didn't actually get to use it on Thursday as I needed to pick up a stool to facilitate me using it while I am NWB, so me celebrating its arrival had to wait until Friday. I wound up doing a 5k ski in 500m intervals, with about a minute's rest in between. It was so, so great to be doing something.
Also on Friday night, after some encouragement from one of my nurse friends, I took the tape off of my incisions. I started with the lateral incision (the larger of the two) and quickly made a gross discovery that both the tape and the scabs were being held in place by a large quantity of dead skin.
Taking the tape off became a bit more of a delicate process than expected due to this. When I was finally done, the end product was not nearly as grotesque as I was potentially expecting.
So with my new found courage I pulled the tape off my medial side (smaller) incision. This one is also healing very well.
The interesting thing with the smaller incision is the numbness in and around the area. I'm trying to massage it to work at breaking up scar tissue, but the sensation is super weird. I feel it during my mobility too. It'll be something to work on.
Saturday marked the closest thing to a shower that I've had in the past while. I've been able to wash my hair without help by getting down onto my knees and leaning over the bathtub, but a decent method to bathing has still been a work in progress. I thought about getting a shower chair, but I would still need help getting in and out of the tub (and it's sketchy) and I'm not paying $70 for a freaking bath stool. So anyways, I managed to actually turn myself around on the side of the tub so that I was facing inwards and not outwards, which meant I could hose myself off without getting massive quantities of water all over the bathroom floor. I needed help to swing myself back around (for some reason getting back out was sketchier than getting in) but overall, success. I could do without the entire process taking as long as it does, but I guess I will appreciate a traditional shower all the more when all of this is over.
Sunday marked my return to lifting, which was also welcome. Well, I guess I "returned" to lifting Monday of last week, as I did some dumbbell work while Marlies did a crossfit workout, but this was the first time I had a barbell in my hands. I was really happy with how my floor press felt - considering I haven't lifted in a month, the weight felt pretty good in my hands.
Today, partially to commemorate Day 30, and also because one of my physios suggested it, I did a round of contrast therapy. For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure, you cycle between a bucket of cold water and a bucket of hot water. I was told to do a minute in each for 8 rounds, so that's what I did. I'm hoping it's going to help with reducing some of the swelling in the area. It better. Sitting in that cold bucket for a minute is torture.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Just Killing Time...
I don't know how much there is to say about my recovery right now. Essentially, I sit around and grow bones until March 11.
I'm not really in pain, and anytime I feel pain, I become somewhat worried that I have screwed something up. So there's paranoia.
There's boredom. Oh man, so much boredom.
And then loneliness. Working from home with the dogs as company is nice in that I don't have to get shuttled to work every day, but it's also super lonely. I miss being around people.
My mobility work is going pretty well - it's definitely getting easier as the days go on. The swelling seems to be going down somewhat (although it's definitely still present).
The grossest thing has probably been the dead skin around my two incisions and on my foot. I am moisturizing the crap out of my leg and my foot, but I'm peeling like whoa. It's like a sunburn, minus the sunburn. Anyways, it's gross, but also kind of fun to peel it off. Like with white glue when I was a kid.
I got a notice about an hour ago that my ski-erg has shipped, so I'm excited for that to get here. Hopefully if I do some cardio I won't come back in absolutely terrible shape.
I'm not really in pain, and anytime I feel pain, I become somewhat worried that I have screwed something up. So there's paranoia.
There's boredom. Oh man, so much boredom.
And then loneliness. Working from home with the dogs as company is nice in that I don't have to get shuttled to work every day, but it's also super lonely. I miss being around people.
My mobility work is going pretty well - it's definitely getting easier as the days go on. The swelling seems to be going down somewhat (although it's definitely still present).
The grossest thing has probably been the dead skin around my two incisions and on my foot. I am moisturizing the crap out of my leg and my foot, but I'm peeling like whoa. It's like a sunburn, minus the sunburn. Anyways, it's gross, but also kind of fun to peel it off. Like with white glue when I was a kid.
I got a notice about an hour ago that my ski-erg has shipped, so I'm excited for that to get here. Hopefully if I do some cardio I won't come back in absolutely terrible shape.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Follow Up #1
I headed back to the Misericordia today for my two-week follow-up with my orthopedic surgeon. I didn't really want to crutch from the lobby to the ortho clinic just because the floors are so damn slick and my crutch tips were wet from the snow. Ever since I slipped at the Soccer Centre, I'm a little bit gun shy about the transition from wet crutches to slick floors. Anyways, we grabbed a wheelchair that was obviously made to accommodate someone far, far larger than I am and away we went.
This appointment took a little bit longer than my dressing change did, which makes sense given that I had to get x-rays. Not too long after we got there they cut my gauze open and split my slab cast apart so that it could be removed when I got to x-ray. I then waited a bit more.
When we got to x-ray, we finally removed the full slab. I was shocked to see my calf. My left has also shrunk over the course of the last two weeks given its usage is also way down, but seeing my right pretty crazy. The atrophy is real. Anyways, we moved me around this way and that, including a super awesome positioning where my lateral malleolus was pointing down. That incision is more sensitive than the other for sure.
There wasn't much waiting after x-ray before I was taken back into a room. They removed my slab completely and cleaned my leg, which was nice since I was still covered in betadine from my surgery. After a couple of minutes my ortho came in. I actually quite like him. He reminds me a lot of my physio. He told me the x-rays were looking good and that I would be moving into the boot. I have to wear the boot all the time, with three removals per day to work on mobility. I'm supposed to work my ROM at dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, eversion, inversion, and then work on circles both clockwise and counterclockwise. He expects me to regain my full pre-injury ROM and gave me a three month timeline for that (which is actually less than I thought).
He cleared me to lift (yay!) as long as I remain NWB (non-weight bearing) and let pain be my guide. I am also cleared for cardio as long as I am NWB. I'm pricing a ski-erg out, as I think it's my best bet for sure. The random spasms in my foot are normal, which I figured, and are apparently the muscles firing and stuff. He's not quite sure why I'm having pain in my big toe and poked around there a bit. He told me that if it's still bugging me at my next follow up they will x-ray my foot just to make sure I didn't break that too or anything.
Once we were done with the ortho, I had my stitches and staples removed. There were 21 staples in total (13 on the lateral side, 8 on the medial side). It wasn't terrible getting them out, but I definitely felt it. The lateral side was worse, particularly right overtop of my ankle bone. The staples were probably better than getting the stitches out, just because I felt that a little more. The staples was a pinch when she cut it. The stitches I could feel when she cut and when she pulled them out. I wrung my sweatpants in my fists a lot and wasn't too sad when she was done. She cleaned up my foot again and I was actually really happy with how the incisions looked, especially the medial one. My foot is colourful, but not as much as I thought it might be.
Next step was getting me into the boot, which was all kinds of fun. My foot needed to be at 90. It's probably been at 45 in the slab cast and, as one might expect, is very stiff. So we try putting my foot in and the tech is like "your heel needs to be to the back". I ask if it is and she pretty much laughs. She ended up putting a strap around my foot and having me do some stretching to get enough mobility and we tried again. Finally got it in. Success.
So I'm NWB and in the boot now for another five weeks. I had hoped for four, but my appointment is on the 11th of March. I asked my physio if I could start with him at six weeks and he told me to just wait the damn week. We'll see what happens. I do feel better in the boot though. It's much more robust and I can at least lean the heel on the ground when I'm standing in one place and take some of the pressure off my left leg.
This appointment took a little bit longer than my dressing change did, which makes sense given that I had to get x-rays. Not too long after we got there they cut my gauze open and split my slab cast apart so that it could be removed when I got to x-ray. I then waited a bit more.
When we got to x-ray, we finally removed the full slab. I was shocked to see my calf. My left has also shrunk over the course of the last two weeks given its usage is also way down, but seeing my right pretty crazy. The atrophy is real. Anyways, we moved me around this way and that, including a super awesome positioning where my lateral malleolus was pointing down. That incision is more sensitive than the other for sure.
There wasn't much waiting after x-ray before I was taken back into a room. They removed my slab completely and cleaned my leg, which was nice since I was still covered in betadine from my surgery. After a couple of minutes my ortho came in. I actually quite like him. He reminds me a lot of my physio. He told me the x-rays were looking good and that I would be moving into the boot. I have to wear the boot all the time, with three removals per day to work on mobility. I'm supposed to work my ROM at dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, eversion, inversion, and then work on circles both clockwise and counterclockwise. He expects me to regain my full pre-injury ROM and gave me a three month timeline for that (which is actually less than I thought).
He cleared me to lift (yay!) as long as I remain NWB (non-weight bearing) and let pain be my guide. I am also cleared for cardio as long as I am NWB. I'm pricing a ski-erg out, as I think it's my best bet for sure. The random spasms in my foot are normal, which I figured, and are apparently the muscles firing and stuff. He's not quite sure why I'm having pain in my big toe and poked around there a bit. He told me that if it's still bugging me at my next follow up they will x-ray my foot just to make sure I didn't break that too or anything.
Once we were done with the ortho, I had my stitches and staples removed. There were 21 staples in total (13 on the lateral side, 8 on the medial side). It wasn't terrible getting them out, but I definitely felt it. The lateral side was worse, particularly right overtop of my ankle bone. The staples were probably better than getting the stitches out, just because I felt that a little more. The staples was a pinch when she cut it. The stitches I could feel when she cut and when she pulled them out. I wrung my sweatpants in my fists a lot and wasn't too sad when she was done. She cleaned up my foot again and I was actually really happy with how the incisions looked, especially the medial one. My foot is colourful, but not as much as I thought it might be.
Next step was getting me into the boot, which was all kinds of fun. My foot needed to be at 90. It's probably been at 45 in the slab cast and, as one might expect, is very stiff. So we try putting my foot in and the tech is like "your heel needs to be to the back". I ask if it is and she pretty much laughs. She ended up putting a strap around my foot and having me do some stretching to get enough mobility and we tried again. Finally got it in. Success.
So I'm NWB and in the boot now for another five weeks. I had hoped for four, but my appointment is on the 11th of March. I asked my physio if I could start with him at six weeks and he told me to just wait the damn week. We'll see what happens. I do feel better in the boot though. It's much more robust and I can at least lean the heel on the ground when I'm standing in one place and take some of the pressure off my left leg.
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