Rebel recovering achilles surgery...help!

[cline]

I am walking without the swelling...

That is HUGE!!!! BIG! It took me forever to stop swelling. They told me at least a year. I'd say 9 mos and still a bit when I run. Since I haven't been running, ankle's been great! LOL.

and I just got the blessing to swim...YEA!!! and bike...YEA! I've been released from PT, because the strength is all back...the one issue is getting used to the little bit of pain from the piece of bone they had to leave in the Achilles to maintain integrity(I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV!). The biggest hindrance to full recovery is the extra 125#s I carry around on top of those little wondrous machines called ankles!

Yea, YEA, YEA!!!!!!!!!! Wow! See? you are 2/3 of the way to your sprint tri! Whoo hoo! The weight will come off. Curious to see how you like swimming? I'm not a strong swimmer. I kinda do it b/c it's all I've got right now. I gasp and choke my way across the pool - slap slap slap the water, gasp, slap slap slap. It's silly. The only thing sillier is seeing me run while chanting "i hate running". LOL.

My challenge goal is to be able to get up on both toes 10 times each day...shifting the weight more and more to the left ankle. (Interestingly enough...the 'strong' ankle is the one I've had three surgeries on in the last two years...it's just had over a year to recover from the last one!). Then, to let my weight down from the upward position with my left ankle. Then - to do toe raises just with my left ankle. While I'm doing the work on the left, I'm remembering to strengthen the right!

It's a GREAT GOAL! My husband just recovered from micro tears in his achilles (not so bad as a tear!! thank goodness) and he now finally gets how hard that is. And how important. I remember telling my surgeon I wanted to be able to tip toe around my house and he said "why? who cares?" and I said "I do b/c normal human feet can do that". I can do that now and I do it a lot. It's amazing how hard it is to get to that place, isn't it? Small victories...

Walking, and eventual running, is so difficult without the ability to get up on your toes...the stride just isn't right!

Your stride might never be "yours" again. I've found that after 4 years with a broken ankle and all these surgeries that my gait is all messed up. It looks normal to everyone unless I point out how it's messed up - it's subtle but it's different. I've found that it's really messed up my walking and running. Interesting thing is that I went to running after my surgery and I could only do it forefoot style. Ha. Good for me. Walking has been tougher to fix. Mostly, it's just annoying and it's really just me that's bugged by it.

Cline - you are a wonderful inspiration! Thank you!!!!

Ha! Happy to help. Wish we didn't have this knowledge.

I will also tell you surgeon said to never run or jump and that I'd probably be limited to recreational bike riding, swimming, and walking for the rest of my life. Ain't no way - I can run a 5K, do box jumps, jump rope, etc. Might not be fast, might not be as cool looking as crossfitters (it is an effort for me) but I can do it.

[ChristArtist]

I will also tell you surgeon said to never run or jump and that I'd probably be limited to recreational bike riding, swimming, and walking for the rest of my life. Ain't no way - I can run a 5K, do box jumps, jump rope, etc. Might not be fast, might not be as cool looking as crossfitters (it is an effort for me) but I can do it.

My doc knows better than to say that to me! ;-) His goal is to get me healed BEFORE I do it again! ;-)

My running depends on my knees...but, hey, all this not walking has given me time to strengthen them! All things work to the good of those that love God, right?

Anyway - I'm going to take Gabriel(my service dog) out for another walk - that gets me to 1 mile today...and then go paint!

Oh, you'll get a laugh - the first time I painted in my studio, I came back and my ankle hurt SOOOOOO badly....couldn't figure it out, until I sat in a chair, and realized how I had held my ankle FOR THREE HOURS!!!

Now, I get up and move a little!

cool looking...that's not going to happen for me...I just want to be OUT THERE!!!