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.