Achilles rupture surgery - support group

[Mark F]

All

Why is everyone (not you lot) doing my head in at the moment?

Is it
a) Sods law or b) I'm being sensitive ?

I'm in effing plaster I'm already p....d off, leave me alone.

Wait til you get the boot !! I was thinking about having a t shirt made up 'I AM WEARING THIS BOOT BECAUSE I HAVE SNAPPED MY ACHILLES TENDON !'

Too sensitive I think is the answer.

[David G1]

Sorry for the emotional out burst, had a bad day. Nothing a couple of beers won't solve.

[David G1]

Mark F; nice one Mark, a bit more humour required on this thread

[AmiS]

Physio removed 1 wedge from my boot this morning: I was happy today until misfortune struck - see below! 1 more wedge to go. Weight bearing is increasing, albeit slowly. My target of getting out of the boot and walking by 24 August is still looking achievable. However, I tripped in the bathroom after the appointment and jarred a toe in my left foot. The boot protected my right foot so it did its job, although my right foot jarred a bit. The toe's bruised and a bit numb - typical. I can't believe it! I can move it so I don't think it's broken.

What a day.

Ami

[mariobox]

SteveD:
I just reached the 6 month mark and I still limp immediately after getting out of bed. After a few minutes, the tendon warms up and everything's fine. Try to do heel raises to excercise your calf muscles: the stronger they are the less the strain put on the Achilles. Good luck.

[David G1]

AMIS; Sorry to hear about your toe, but good news about your progress.

I got out of bed in the night to use 'the little boys room' and my good bare foot swung into my weight bearing crutch, my middle toes is now black/blue. Problem with AT you can't hop with pain on your good foot cos you'll fall over.

Saw a good thread about tips for AT patients; one was don't shave on one foot!

MARIOBOX: Blog, looks like good reading

[AmiS]

David
Thanks for the words of support. By the way in respect of your day, "Don't let the buggers get you down", to quote that phrase uttered by a 80's/90's UK politician......

Ami

[MikeBNR]

SteveD:
I just reached the 6 month mark and I still limp immediately after getting out of bed. After a few minutes, the tendon warms up and everything's fine. Try to do heel raises to excercise your calf muscles: the stronger they are the less the strain put on the Achilles. Good luck.

The thought of doing a heel raise scares the crap out of me. I'm so worried that the first time I try to go up on my toes, I'm going to feel that "pop" feeling again and then back to the beginning.

At what point did you realize you could stress your AT a little and not have it break quite unmercifully?

[swancvs]

got cocky on my crutches today and turned through 180 degrees whilst on the move, you know sort of turned body through 180 dived forward onto my crutches in the sure and (certain????) knowledge that my trusty gymnastic legs would follow in line like they always used to.

Whoops! As luck would have it they did sweep through so I had something to make landfall on the other side of the swing so no faceplant there... however I have just completed my first unscientific test of which is stronger,

Aircast XP Walker vs skin.

It will come as no surprise to the 'booters' amongst you that the boot woin fair and square, as a little tear came to the eye, smarts a bit.

Motto of this story, don't hit the good leg you really need at least one good friend down there. Also don't forget how much bigger the boot is compared to ordinary shoes and it doesn't bend at the ankle like your leg used to. Take it easy on the crutches peeps, no matter how able you feel! Very nearly came unstuck tonight, however my tendon lives to tell the tale!

Hope all is well in the world of knackered ATs and that my misfortune raises a smirk or a smile somewhere for being a tit!

[heyjenb]

Question for those who are doing a little weight bearing now: I don't understand how you can figure out how to do 5kg, 10 kg, 15 kg weight bearing on one leg, OR 10%, 20%...how do you know how much is 5 kg, or 10%, or whatever? Does the physio show you this?

AmiS - I'm not a sporty type although I am active. My exercise in the past has mainly been walking, I do hit the gym occasionally on the eliptical machine which should still be OK. The surgeon said non-impact activities are best for me now, that's A-OK for me. I have always loved what's called aquafit here in Canada, kind of aerobics in the water. It sounds a bit old lady-ish but you can get a killer work out, it's like all the cardio of aerobics plus a lot of weight-bearing, resisting against the water. For some reason men never seem to be in any of the classes, wonder why?

DavidG1 -sorry about your bad day. People can be really crappy sometimes, even good friends. I have had some really close friends be totally unsupportive through this (mainly through NEVER visiting me in the 5 weeks I was totally house-bound). In total I had TWO visitors the whole time I've been injured. I have done my share of people "doing my head in". I think people hear "tendon injury" and they think it's nothing a bit of ice and rest won't cure.

Here's something for a laugh - photoshopped pictures of "celebrities" as how they would look as normal people

http://planethiltron.com/