Walking in Shoes - Getting Adventurous

Based on my 6-week post-op check up, I am allowed to start weaning off the boot.  For the next week I am allowed to be in shoes in the evenings.  I experimented this weekend, and it was a challenge.  I was not in pain, but I am still very weak.  I walk very slowly, and it is not fluid.  However, I will say that after 2 evenings of practice, I was getting much more comfortable.  I felt like it was starting to feel normal again.  The PT is continuing to go well, and I think I'm in a good stop.  Hopefully in a week, I can start to alternate boot days and shoe days.

Feeling Good

Things seem to be progressing nicely.  The inflammation went down from the meet on Tuesday, and wound is almost heeled.  I can't imagine it'll be more than a few more days.  In the evenings I've been taking the boot off and doing a little walking around without shoes (not very much at all).  The PT is going well.  The heel raises continue to get easier, and I can feel myself getting stronger.  Overall, I feel like I'm starting to get back to normal.  It feels good.  Hopefully the future continues to be bright.

First XC Meet of the Season

Today was the crown point invite.  This is the first cross country meet of the season.  The girls ended up winning, so that was cool.  As far as my Achilles...it was a little much.  First off, venue (lemon lake) was really wet.  It had rained pretty hard the past couple of days, there was no avoiding the wetness.  Knowing this beforehand, I decided my old worn out boot.  Even though it's not as nice as my normal one, it was a good decision because my nice one stayed clean.  I was a good boy at the meet, and didn't run around or anything.  However, between school and the meet, I was standing on my feet for a long time.  For the first time since the surgery, I could really tell my foot was swollen (I guessing from just being on it for an extended period of time).  On the plus side, it doesn't hurt, and wound continues to improve.

Back to the Grind (First Full Week of School/Teaching Begins)

After a semi-relaxing, but semi-busy weekend (I DJed Satuday night; luckily it was a pretty basic set-up.  It did start to get sore after I stood for a while, so I made sure to take some sit down breaks), I'm back to the school grind.  It usually takes a week or two for my body to adjust.  The past few years when I had been training for the Chicago Marathon, the first week or two back to school really effected my training.  My body is just not in "teacher" shape yet.  Overall, things went well today.  I emailed Dr. Porter an updated picture (see below), and I made a point to indicate the achy portion.  I am almost certain it is just from being on my feet again and teaching.  Hopefully I'll be OK in a few days.  He responded, and said that everything looks good.  Hopefully the final portion heals quickly.

Second Day of School

Well, I made it through the first 2 days.  It was still achy/sore today...pretty consistant with yesterday.  I made a point to sit at my desk more, and explain things while sitting on my stool.  Hopefully I can recover well this weekend, and continue to get stronger.  The PT is going well.  I'm getting better at the heel raises, and the thera-band stuff.  It also seems to be healing nicely.  Hopefully only a few more days with the scab.

First Day Of School

Well, today was the first student day of school.  I wasn't sure how it would go, but it ended up being OK.  As a teacher, you stand a lot, and you are constantly walking around the classroom.  Although I've been on my feet for the past few weeks, this is an entirely new category.  By the end of the day, I could definitely feel my foot.  It was achy towards the base of the heel.  I wouldn't say it was painful, but it was sore.  At this point, I'm not too concerned.  I think it will just take some adjusting over the next few days.  If I notice it gets worse, then I will have to figure something out.  I emailed Dr. Porter a picture of the wound, and he seems to think it's on the right track.  He said that I should continue taking the Keflex and email him another picture on Monday.

Pics (Aug 16-20)

Aug 16th

Aug 18th

Aug 19th

Aug 20th

Standing Heel Raise (take 1) - updated pics

I tried the standing heal raise for the first time today, and it was pretty rough.  My calf and achilles is just incredibly weak.  I'm trying to stay optimistic, but the thought of me being able to do a 1 footed heel raise just seems impossible.

 Pre-Doctors Visit (8-14)...pretty bad

Post-Doctors Visit (8-15)...step in the right direction

Second Post-Op Doctors Appointment & PT Session (6 Week)

I'd been looking forward to, and also dreading this appointment for some time now.  I knew that something wasn't quite right with how the wound was healing, I was just hoping it wasn't too bad.  When I got there, I explained what I had been struggling with, and the doctor then proceeded to scrap off all the scabs and blisters.  I lit up with pain.  At one point, I almost thought I was going to pass out.  After he was done, it was bleeding pretty good, but all the nastiness was gone.  It was a necessary evil.  It almost looked like a scrap you would get when you fall off your bike and skin your knee.  In addition to scrapping all the junk off, he also prescribed me Keflex for the next 2 week to help with any possible infection.  Hopefully the healing process goes a little more smoothly.

The doctor says that when the wound struggles healing, more often than not, it's at the base (or lower) part of the incision.  He indicated that sometimes the body doesn't respond well to the anchors, and can cause some difficulty.  He didn't seem to concerned.  He did ask that I send him a picture in a week to make sure it looks ok.  I will post pics of the new looking would tomorrow.

I went to PT afterwards.  I really didn't do much, but she did encourage me to start doing standing heel raises and thera-band work.  I am also supposed to be in the boot for another 2 weeks, and then I can start to wean off of it.  So in a 4 to 5 weeks, I should be walking without a boot.  Yippee.

XC Camp (8-11 through 8-13)

The past 3 days I've been at Camp Tecumseh for this year's cross country camp.  It was a good time, and my Achilles seemed to hold up OK.  It was the typical pain.  I will say, it seems hit or miss.  Sometimes it's painful to walk, other times it hurts.  I haven't been able to figure out a pattern.  I made a point to use the cryo-cuff once a day.  I ended up using a golf cart to get around at camp.  It was a lifesaver.  I've been doing the PT, but I haven't been biking the past couple of days.  Below is a daily update on the wound.  It looks worse than it is because I have some Vaseline on it.  Tomorrow is my second post-op follow-up, so hopefully I'll have more stuff to report tomorrow.

8-11

8-12

8-13

Where is the Pain Coming From? plus Pics

I keep going back and forth with this; I'm struggling as to whether the pain I'm feeling is primarily from the boot pressing against the unhealed wound, or if it's my Achilles from the surgery.  I think the reason I'm struggling with it is because the pain is from both.  That being said, I just hope that the pain NOT associated with the wound is "normal", and that everything is holding up well (anchors are still in place, and it still nicely attached to insertional point).  PT is going well.  For what it's worth, I feel like the wound is healing well.  I'm also impressed with how well the rest of the scar is looking.  The past couple of days, I've tried to lay low, and I've also spend some time with my foot out of the boot and elevated.

Pics

Not a whole to report.  It's still sore.  I've started to put some Vaseline and/or 2nd skin on the back of my heel to help with the heeling.  It seems to be helping; I'm just trying to stay patient, and keep off my feet.  Keeping up with physical therapy and biking.  The pics look different that most of the ones I've posted because I had just taken off the bandage.

5 Week Post-Op Recap

It's been up and down lately.  I feel like the majority of the pain is caused by the "blister" that formed on the back of the heel, that has since progressed into a nice wound.  I know my Achilles still has a long way to go until it's better, but I really hope the back of my heel heals soon.  This will allow me to focus more on the physical therapy and not the cut portion.  Frustrating.  I have been biking most days (4 to 5 miles), but that is about it.  I've been doing some light lifting a couple of days a week, but I'm having trouble with consistency (primarily due to facility logistics).  On a side note, I just hope I didn't overdue it this past week;  it was a lot of walking around.  I feel like it's more sore than usual.  I am going to make a conscious effort to lay low.

Chicago Trip and Boat

Visited Dan today to check out his new boat in Chicago.  I took the train to the city.  I tried to minimize the walking, but may have slightly overdid it.

Several Pics

Not much to report, but I just want to keep updated with some photos.