Day 5 - New Cast!

Well, Dr. Bob was pretty confident that I'm coming along just great. The x-rays look great and he didn't have to do ALL the surgery I thought he was going to do. He did re-construct my ankle and put two screws in it to make it stronger and more stable. He said my Peroneal Tendon was "shot", but he really said, "for shit."

They took off the old cast and this is what I saw first:

Not bad, right? You can see the swelling but I knew underneath that - it was worse.

The first look.  

But it gets better!

Oh, this one's for my wallet!!

You can see the top suture is the Peroneal Tendon Repair and the bottom two are the ankle reconstruction.

That suture on my heel - hurts like a BITCH!  The Dr. kept telling me to pull my foot towards my face - like straight up - so he could stretch it out some. Uh huh...well, it hurt like hell and then I didn't want to play anymore!

Finally - I got my choice of color for the next two weeks ~

Well, it is Christmas!

I get to choose another color when I go back in two weeks and they take this one off and take out the stitches! Oh joy! You think they'll notice if I'm drunk?? :-) It's the heal stitch that scares me the most!

Thank you, Becky for driving me and of course for Starbucks, first!

Love,

Kareen

Recovery: Day 4

My Calvin ~ sweet boy that he is. He would sleep with me every single minute, if I let him but there are 2 more dogs to consider and although Calvin gets the 'first pick', I have to send him away from time to time.

This morning, while being awake and alone (nobody is up yet), I am very thankful for my feet.

If you've ever hated your feet or not really thought about them either way, let me tell you what a blessing they are. I have never had a cast on before and it's completely debilitating. That walk you take to your car or even to the bathroom is completely a gift. Everywhere you go, run, ride, walk or skip is a gift and you should be very thankful. I think walking is taken for granted. I'm learning to appreciate my feet <3

The pain today has surprised me. Last night I took a pain pill to sleep, because it hurt pretty bad. I have 3 places where the Dr. repaired my foot and by this morning, the pain is pretty minimal - so far. It's early yet. My intention is to see how far I can go without taking another pill. Don't get me wrong - the pills are fun! They make me sleeeeeep!  But, I need to come back to reality soon.

Hopefully, this the beginning to perhaps some moving about the house (on crutches, mind you) but without pain?  Hope so ~

I am completely dependent on family members to bring me food, I can say this is really an effective diet! My usual coffee in the morning has now become - wait till hubby wakes up and makes it! That includes any kind of food.

You know how you can just go to the kitchen to find a snack or even just look around and grab a few things you want to eat?  Yeah, well just forget that!! Those days are over for awhile!

Now, I have to remember what was in the fridge so I can hopefully have some of it before it's gone. I have no idea what's in there anymore. It's kinda like ordering from a restaurant with no menu!

The next real fun thing is taking a shower! Oh yes, be thankful you can take a shower every day. I've been relegated to every-other day! I am totally dependent of my hubby to get me in the shower, on a stool and watch my casted leg, while it hangs out the bathtub! Oh, you don't know the half of it!

Needless to say - well, it's pretty needless to say, I'll just leave it there.

First Dr. visit after surgery tomorrow!

Blessings,
Kareen

Day 2 of Recovery

Today is my second full day of recovery from Peroneal Tendon Surgery. The day after Thanksgiving!

The day went quite well, for me not having to lift a finger. I had to take a pain pill just before dinner, so I managed to get a few bites in before I had to head back to my cage and sleep.

My poor dogs just don't know what to think of me. I use to play with them every day, make their food and walk them and was very active. If they could only understand that I'm doing this not only for me, but to be ABLE to walk them again and play. This is them -

Here are some other random pictures. My table of meds beside me and on my other side, my computer. You may be wondering about this cage that I'm in. Well...it was hubbies genius idea. We not only have the 3 dogs that want to live ON ME, but we also have a grandson that can't keep his hands to himself. It was just really a precautionary thing to keep me safe from worry and such.

My daughter Lauren found a childhood toy at Goodwill and brought it over to pretend to be a Dr.

Her husband Tyler.

Meds to the right of me.

Computer to my left.

Basically stuck here in the middle of life, until I can move again.

Love to all and blessings.

Kareen

It's Done and Happy Thanksgiving!

I am immobile as I could be. Today will be very interesting since I've cooked the Thanksgiving dinner for the last 25 years! I think they got it dinked though.

The surgery went well. I was cut in 3 places - 1 being the actual Peroneal Tendon repair and the other two were pieces of bone he had to cut out so that I could walk straight. I have very high arches and a natural suponation to my foot.

The pain is not really bad. I thought it was going to be worse. I had a block and that's all but worn off. He sent me home with Hydrocodone/Acetominophen - which works great as long as I have food in my stomach.

I go back to see Dr. on Monday for Post Op check, but I have to be in this cast for 6 weeks! That means crutches too.

I think by Spring, I'll be able to walk again. That's what he says and that's what I hope.

My dogs can't figure out what's wrong, but they do know something is up. Momma can't take us outside anymore! :-(

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and well, I'll just be sitting here watching the day go by.

I'm very thankful for my family. They rose above and beyond to help me and they still continue to do so. God has blessed me so much.

Thank you Lord!

<3
K

It's tomorrow!

I'm looking at my last day of "foot freedom" today. I think people take walking for granted. I've been dealing with not being able to walk - pain free - for over a year now. I think I always thought it would just get better. I never thought I'd have a tear in my tendon.

Today, I saw my Dr. for the last time before surgery. I got my crutches and pain meds and then he came in and drew on a piece of paper what he was going to do, exactly.

It would be one thing if just the tendon was to be repaired, but since I walk on the outside of my foot - he has to cut into and take out bone from two different bones in my foot, and then put screws in each just to make my foot walk normally.

Swell!

I've cleaned my house and prepared a place for me to convalesce. My family has to come through and pick up ALL the chores I do on a regular basis. Cross fingers!

Next we speak, I'll have a cast on my foot, up to my knee!

Pictures to follow....if I'm awake!

<3
K

T-Minus 4 days!

So, this is what my right ankle looks like today - 4 days before my surgery. I'm preparing the house best I can so everyone can let me convalesce.  Yes, it hurts to walk on!

A Time For Thanks & Change ~

I've been quiet lately, that's for sure. Why?

Well, not only is Thanksgiving coming up but there is going to be some rudimentary changes in my household for the next half year!

I'm having ankle surgery ON THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING! This means, there will be no cooking, no preparing, no cleaning - no nothing from me for many days following.

Currently, I'm planning each day up until Wednesday, the 23rd. - Surgery Day!

I feel like I'm going camping or on a vacation with all the things I need to prepare for: Housecleaning, cooking, shopping, dog care, chicken coop care, laundry, marketing and just regular day to day living!

I won't be down for long, but I will be on crutches for 6 weeks, which means I can't drive or get around too easily.

I hope to journal my 'journey' through all this for you to see and get some nasty cast pictures to go along with it. I think it might be important for me to see my own progression.

6 days and counting and as much as I'm ambivalent about the whole thing, I'm happy that I'll get a new ankle and by this time next year - I'll be walking my dogs again!! <3<3

Next we speak (read), I'll be preparing my house, and couch to take on at least 5 good days of nothing but sleep and rest - and major drugs! :-)

Thanks for visiting!

Here's to the future!

K.

I know, I know ~

 I've been quiet lately. First of all, it's been raining here and I'm not too keen on taking the ol' camera out in the rain.

Secondly, and most importantly - I may need surgery on my right ankle soon. I go for an MRI next week to find out how bad it is and why my ankle has been dogging me for a year now!

Yeah, I sat in the grass, with my legs underneath me - LAST YEAR just to play with my dogs - you know, throw the ball? I was like that for maybe 30 seconds and when I got up, I couldn't walk. Had no idea I'd torn anything, but apparently I did. Walked on it for a year thinking it would heal. Wrong!

Not too happy with the thought of a cast and crutches! Not to mention 6 to 8 weeks immobile, and how does one go up and down the stairs with crutches??? How am I supposed to cook, clean and do my daily chores? Ugh!

I'm ahead of myself though. Haven't yet received the news that that will happen. I just hope it doesn't, but it doesn't look good.

I'm still here though and perhaps soon, I'll get my rear out in the day and take some pictures. Lord knows I miss it!

K

I walked into a back bathroom today - and this is what I saw.