On Tuesday, we went down to the Bay to relax and enjoy some sunshine. I made Reena bring the basketball so I could hop out on the Court and shoot some hoops. Obviously, I was stationary, but sure enough- I made my first shot (a free throw) since my injury more than a month ago.
Today (Friday) is the 2 week mark since my last doctor's visit, which means it's time to take out one of the "heel pads." The downward angle is my "boot" is now reduced by 1/3. So far so good....
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Urban Hiking
I made it out to the Padres game on Friday, as well as the pre-game festivities at a local pub downtown. I must have "hiked" more than a mile, only putting 50% weight on my injured ankle and relying heavily on the crutches. All in all, I must have traveled over a mile "on foot." It was a great workout and I definitely felt it the next morning.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Back to the Beach
I actually made it out to the beach this week to watch (not play) some volleyball, and even took the boot off for a while. I've been rehabbing twice everyday and the mobility in my ankle gets better and better each time. My calf muscle is starting to tighten up again, so it's not just hanging like a ball of jelly anymore. Little by little, it's back to normal. I feel like I could take out the heel pads early and start walking sooner, but no need to rush it.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Great News!
July 8, 2011
I was a bit nervous about going to see the doctor today, but also anxious to get a check up on my progress. My ankle has been feeling much better over the last couple days so I haven't been inflating the AirCast anymore. Yesterday, I kinda lost my balance and shifted some weight onto the ankle and only felt a little tingle. This was a good sign. I also noticed while bathing that my calf muscle was no longer complete "jelly"- it seemed to be a bit more taught.
Anyway, at the doctor's office, he had me remove my boot and he began to lightly squeeze the back of my leg from my calf down to my heel, asking if I was feeling any pain. Surprisingly, I felt NOTHING!!! It was a very happy moment for me and Reena, who has been taking GREAT care of me all this time. The doctor also pointed out that my foot was now responsive after squeezing my calf muscle. At my first visit, my foot did not respond AT ALL when he squeezed my calf. More great news!
The doctor gave me instructions to: a) gently stretch out my ankle twice a day, b) put about 50% weight on it when walking (with crutches), and c) remove one of the heal pads every two weeks. We scheduled a follow up visit 6 weeks later, at which time I should be ready to ditch the boot. He also said I should be walking by then, but not back to running for about another 4 months. At this rate, I think I'll recover quicker than expected, but I'm definitely not going to rush it.
After that, Reena & I celebrated with some gelato in La Jolla...
I was a bit nervous about going to see the doctor today, but also anxious to get a check up on my progress. My ankle has been feeling much better over the last couple days so I haven't been inflating the AirCast anymore. Yesterday, I kinda lost my balance and shifted some weight onto the ankle and only felt a little tingle. This was a good sign. I also noticed while bathing that my calf muscle was no longer complete "jelly"- it seemed to be a bit more taught.
Anyway, at the doctor's office, he had me remove my boot and he began to lightly squeeze the back of my leg from my calf down to my heel, asking if I was feeling any pain. Surprisingly, I felt NOTHING!!! It was a very happy moment for me and Reena, who has been taking GREAT care of me all this time. The doctor also pointed out that my foot was now responsive after squeezing my calf muscle. At my first visit, my foot did not respond AT ALL when he squeezed my calf. More great news!
The doctor gave me instructions to: a) gently stretch out my ankle twice a day, b) put about 50% weight on it when walking (with crutches), and c) remove one of the heal pads every two weeks. We scheduled a follow up visit 6 weeks later, at which time I should be ready to ditch the boot. He also said I should be walking by then, but not back to running for about another 4 months. At this rate, I think I'll recover quicker than expected, but I'm definitely not going to rush it.
After that, Reena & I celebrated with some gelato in La Jolla...
Monday, July 4, 2011
Holiday Weekend
July 3rd
I made it out to the Grand Opening of our friends' new restaurant, The Local Habbit, located in the Hillcrest area of San Diego. http://www.mylocalhabit.com/ And it was a HUGE success. The place was packed the whole time I was there. We sampled some of the best local beers, and even met the owner of one local brewery. The food was amazing too. Hard to believe, but the bar menu includes cabbage, brussels sprouts, and sauteed greens, which were all delicious! Then I went to a BBQ with some friends. All in all, a great day!
I made it out to the Grand Opening of our friends' new restaurant, The Local Habbit, located in the Hillcrest area of San Diego. http://www.mylocalhabit.com/ And it was a HUGE success. The place was packed the whole time I was there. We sampled some of the best local beers, and even met the owner of one local brewery. The food was amazing too. Hard to believe, but the bar menu includes cabbage, brussels sprouts, and sauteed greens, which were all delicious! Then I went to a BBQ with some friends. All in all, a great day!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Finding Inspiration
July 2nd
Determined not to spoil the entire holiday weekend without getting some sun, I found a seat in the sun on the porch and removed the boot. I put in an hour of reading and actually broke a sweat just soaking up some rays. Later, I received a really nice "Get Well Soon" card from my co-workers at the Law Library, which cheered me up. In the afternoon, I spent a couple hours researching my injury online. After reading several conflicting reports, I found the general consensus to be that a full recovery was highly likely, with or without surgery, but I would need to have great patience and dedication. I also came across a blog by a similar ill-fated soul, who quickly recovered without surgery. (http://achillestendonruptureconservative.blogspot.com/) Feeling inspired, I began working on my own blog...
Up and At 'em
July 1st
For obvious reasons, I decided it was finally time to wash my (injured) foot and lower leg, and the t-shirt I had wrapped around it (for comfort). With great care, I removed the Air Cast and lathered up the leg in the bathtub, again without incident. Later, we ventured out for a happy hour with a few friends, but didn’t stay too late because of the crowd. Before bed, I was feeling really confident and carefully did some push-ups, sit-ups, and stretches, without impacting the ankle.
Venturing Out... Again
June 28th
After SEVERAL days of sitting on the couch, I was finally ready to venture out into the world again. At this point, I felt I was almost ready to try standing without crutches, but was in no hurry to try. We went out for burgers and beers without incident.
Road to Recovery
June 19th
I woke up feeling sore and still disappointed by the diagnosis. So I made a decision to sit my butt on the couch and not move for as long as possible to help speed along the recovery. Luckily, I have some GREAT friends who spent their Saturday night at my place feeding me beers and keeping me in good spirits.
Venturing Out
June 18th
Feeling confident in my new cast, I decided to attend a flag football game not far from home. Armed with crutches and a lawn chair, I parked myself field side for the game. Since this was the playoffs, the one-hour game, turned into two games, and a post-final celebration. Several hours later, I made it back to the couch at home. Probably shouldn't have tested my ankle so soon...
Feeling confident in my new cast, I decided to attend a flag football game not far from home. Armed with crutches and a lawn chair, I parked myself field side for the game. Since this was the playoffs, the one-hour game, turned into two games, and a post-final celebration. Several hours later, I made it back to the couch at home. Probably shouldn't have tested my ankle so soon...
Bad Idea & Worse News
Friday, June 17
One week in, I was actually feeling MUCH better, so much that I thought I could even stand up first thing in the morning. BAD idea! I immediately fell back on the bed in pain and needed two more painkillers to get back to sleep.
In the afternoon, I went to my first doctor’s visit at an office near the hospital. Once I was in the visitation room, they removed my splint and, for the first time in a week, I could see the damage. I had bruising (purple, blue, & yellow) all around my heel and lower ankle. The doctor had me lay on my stomach and squeezed my left calf. NOTHING happened. Immediately, he gave me his diagnosis- a rupture of the Achilles tendon. Honestly, I will never forget that moment. As a relatively young (29 years old), healthy, active individual, the news was absolutely devastating. After discussing the situation with my doctor, we opted for the non-surgical treatment because it was (a) cheaper, and (b) reportedly just as effective. I was fitted for an Air Cast and scheduled for a follow up visit 3 weeks later.
One week in, I was actually feeling MUCH better, so much that I thought I could even stand up first thing in the morning. BAD idea! I immediately fell back on the bed in pain and needed two more painkillers to get back to sleep.
In the afternoon, I went to my first doctor’s visit at an office near the hospital. Once I was in the visitation room, they removed my splint and, for the first time in a week, I could see the damage. I had bruising (purple, blue, & yellow) all around my heel and lower ankle. The doctor had me lay on my stomach and squeezed my left calf. NOTHING happened. Immediately, he gave me his diagnosis- a rupture of the Achilles tendon. Honestly, I will never forget that moment. As a relatively young (29 years old), healthy, active individual, the news was absolutely devastating. After discussing the situation with my doctor, we opted for the non-surgical treatment because it was (a) cheaper, and (b) reportedly just as effective. I was fitted for an Air Cast and scheduled for a follow up visit 3 weeks later.
The First Few Days
June 14, 2011
Over the next several days, I did nothing but sit on the couch and sleep. It was miserable! But eventually, the pain went away and I was able to put a bit of pressure on it while sitting. So, I hopped downstairs to the office and got some work done.
Over the next several days, I did nothing but sit on the couch and sleep. It was miserable! But eventually, the pain went away and I was able to put a bit of pressure on it while sitting. So, I hopped downstairs to the office and got some work done.
Worst Day Ever...
Friday, June 10, 2011
I had just finished drafting some important time-sensitive legal documents for a senior attorney. I decided it was time for some 5:00 pm pick-up basketball at the local rec center with some friends. Fresh off an impressive performance just one day earlier, I was excited to get back out there. I got to the Court and jumped right in without stretching (so dumb!). About half way through the first game, I was standing just past mid-court with the ball on offense. Everyone else on the court was in front of me.
After making a simple move to my right, my ankle suddenly gave way. It honestly felt as if someone had kicked (or even shot) me in the back of my ankle. Now that I think about it, I believe I heard a noise (like a “pop”), but I was too disoriented at the time to really take notice. While hopping off the Court, another player suggests that I “walk it off.” I knew immediately that was not an option. I looked around to try to figure out what just happened. I didn’t step on anything and I didn’t land awkwardly. After taking my shoe off, I saw my foot just hanging there, twitching a bit. Not a pretty site!
Luckily, I had some bystanders help me off the Court. I got halfway to my car before they laid me on the ground and called for help. Luckily, a couple doctors were nearby and they recommended a trip to the ER. So, I called my girlfriend (Reena) and off we went. Meanwhile, the pain became almost unbearable. Once we arrived, I hopped almost all the way inside until an EMT alertly brought me a wheelchair and escorted me to Registration. Eventually, I buried my face in Reena’s side and let the tears flow. Eventually, the ER fixed me up with painkillers, crutches, and a splint and sent me on my way, diagnosing me with a “probable Plantaris rupture.” I was relieved only to hear that it was the Plantaris tendon and not the Achilles.
I had just finished drafting some important time-sensitive legal documents for a senior attorney. I decided it was time for some 5:00 pm pick-up basketball at the local rec center with some friends. Fresh off an impressive performance just one day earlier, I was excited to get back out there. I got to the Court and jumped right in without stretching (so dumb!). About half way through the first game, I was standing just past mid-court with the ball on offense. Everyone else on the court was in front of me.
After making a simple move to my right, my ankle suddenly gave way. It honestly felt as if someone had kicked (or even shot) me in the back of my ankle. Now that I think about it, I believe I heard a noise (like a “pop”), but I was too disoriented at the time to really take notice. While hopping off the Court, another player suggests that I “walk it off.” I knew immediately that was not an option. I looked around to try to figure out what just happened. I didn’t step on anything and I didn’t land awkwardly. After taking my shoe off, I saw my foot just hanging there, twitching a bit. Not a pretty site!
Luckily, I had some bystanders help me off the Court. I got halfway to my car before they laid me on the ground and called for help. Luckily, a couple doctors were nearby and they recommended a trip to the ER. So, I called my girlfriend (Reena) and off we went. Meanwhile, the pain became almost unbearable. Once we arrived, I hopped almost all the way inside until an EMT alertly brought me a wheelchair and escorted me to Registration. Eventually, I buried my face in Reena’s side and let the tears flow. Eventually, the ER fixed me up with painkillers, crutches, and a splint and sent me on my way, diagnosing me with a “probable Plantaris rupture.” I was relieved only to hear that it was the Plantaris tendon and not the Achilles.
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