Happy new years eve.
Found the bottom of my walking cast was getting moist. Removed the foam bottom (no weight bearing anyway) to dry it off last night put a washrag under the liner to draw the water out of it. Seems to be better today.
Dont want skin to stay wet, that does not end well.
Sometimes sitting with the liner open but the walking boot still on for support. Got to keep that foot at 90 degrees!
Small ache yesterday after being up most of the day taking my wife out for her Birthday dinner and wandering. Felt like it was in the bone. My Aunt (CAJ a nurse) says that you can get swelling even if you cant see it and it will cause pain. Very minor 1 or 2 passed in a few hours of sitting.
Cooked a fair amount today, among other things cake for Angie as I did not have milk to make it on her birthday. Good cake.
Ill be up to just after 12M tonight to do my first 20 of 50000 push ups Im doing with some other crazy folks from the studio. Seems like a bunch but Ill make it one way or the other. That and the 100000 sit ups should help me keep in shape while not able to work out.
When walking with Angie I used the iwalk free a fair amount (1 or 2 hours) real pain to put on and take off! Cant sit to use the bathroom with it on eithor. Ok for walking if I use a cane. The cane smooths my gait. Not sure it is worth what I paid for it we will see.
Well bath night for me, looking forward to it, the simplest things seem hard now. You need to think ahead for everything! My family (particularly my wife) are helping out a lot. Bummer to do this on my own.
Went shopping on my own today. Short outing scared the clerks when I just hopped off. They have a scooter for use in the store so I left my crutches in the car and hopped on one leg into the store, to the scooter then from the scooter to the car. Makes my family nervous as well. Good exercise and good for balance. Besides I like freaking people out, good for their nerves.
Hopping is not to bad for anything under 1/4 block longer than that and I need to lean on something for a minute. Dont want to push to much. Penalty is another operation, no thanks!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
day 12 post surgery
Rarely have swealling.
Busy couple of days. Hoping is improving.
Ways to get around.
Hopping (careful and know when to use crutches or another method, you cant afford a fall right now!)
Crawling stomach down, good for night time trips to the bathroom or moving something by sliding it in front of you.
Crawling stomach up, actually quieter than stomach down since my leg does not drag.
A young amputee friend tought me how to walk with one foot. You swivel heel to toe and stay centered over the foot. You can carry a glass of water this way. While she can do it as fast as I can walk with 2 feet I am a lot slower and have to stop and catch my balance often. She is amazing. It is very quiet and as you improve pretty quick. Thanks young lady! You are impressive!
iWalk free, great for cooking and being up transition from up to down sucks though. Takes a few minutes to put on/ take off and since I dont have the plastic cap sometimes I get stabbed by it. Contacted the company a couple of times and dont think Im going to get one. Should be able to do forms in it a bit though.
Crutches, work but you cant really carry anything, noisy and they keep falling over when I am not using them. Palms and ribs sore from using them, raw patches on skin above ribs starting to go away now. Ill really be ready for palm strikes when this is over.
Wheeled office chairs work pretty good.
other things that help.
Upside down 5 gallon bucket good in bathroom to prop leg up when sitting, good leaning post when getting up and good to kneel on (with one knee) when shaving.
Recliner couch with computer desk next to it. My throne! Photo comming soon. If you add a couple of pillows to prop the leg up it really helps, remember keep the foot above the heart and the swelling will stay down.
Ipod good music and games when you cant get up for a while.
near as I can tell I have a certain number of vertical hours. Spend them wisely. If at a friends lie on the floor and put your leg on a chair while visiting. dont be shy you are injured! Be proud and hurt or be humble and do more stuff your choice.
Great friends and family, I can tell patience is running a bit thin but they have not thrown me out yet.
A friend mentioned use cat rules for opening doors look at them and they will open. Funny I get the most help when out from the roughest fellows, a friend says they are the ones most likely to have been hurt so they have compassion for injuries. Works for me.
my balance is really improving in my right leg, calf muscle appears to be growing, hoping around will do that. very flat shoes are important! I am using Zem nija
Pack your patience. If you get to feeling to bad make friends with someone that cant walk and remember yours is temporary so dont whine. As a friend of mine said "If you need people to help you your job is to be pleasant so they want to" did I mention he is one of my wisest and smartest friends?
Another wash today with my wonderful wife putting up with my paranoia about hurting my ankle while washing it. Well I dont want to do it again darn it! She is right I am over the top on this but it should not be such a big deal soon another Dr appt in the new year. Feels great to be clean, the things you miss.....
Busy couple of days. Hoping is improving.
Ways to get around.
Hopping (careful and know when to use crutches or another method, you cant afford a fall right now!)
Crawling stomach down, good for night time trips to the bathroom or moving something by sliding it in front of you.
Crawling stomach up, actually quieter than stomach down since my leg does not drag.
A young amputee friend tought me how to walk with one foot. You swivel heel to toe and stay centered over the foot. You can carry a glass of water this way. While she can do it as fast as I can walk with 2 feet I am a lot slower and have to stop and catch my balance often. She is amazing. It is very quiet and as you improve pretty quick. Thanks young lady! You are impressive!
iWalk free, great for cooking and being up transition from up to down sucks though. Takes a few minutes to put on/ take off and since I dont have the plastic cap sometimes I get stabbed by it. Contacted the company a couple of times and dont think Im going to get one. Should be able to do forms in it a bit though.
Crutches, work but you cant really carry anything, noisy and they keep falling over when I am not using them. Palms and ribs sore from using them, raw patches on skin above ribs starting to go away now. Ill really be ready for palm strikes when this is over.
Wheeled office chairs work pretty good.
other things that help.
Upside down 5 gallon bucket good in bathroom to prop leg up when sitting, good leaning post when getting up and good to kneel on (with one knee) when shaving.
Recliner couch with computer desk next to it. My throne! Photo comming soon. If you add a couple of pillows to prop the leg up it really helps, remember keep the foot above the heart and the swelling will stay down.
Ipod good music and games when you cant get up for a while.
near as I can tell I have a certain number of vertical hours. Spend them wisely. If at a friends lie on the floor and put your leg on a chair while visiting. dont be shy you are injured! Be proud and hurt or be humble and do more stuff your choice.
Great friends and family, I can tell patience is running a bit thin but they have not thrown me out yet.
A friend mentioned use cat rules for opening doors look at them and they will open. Funny I get the most help when out from the roughest fellows, a friend says they are the ones most likely to have been hurt so they have compassion for injuries. Works for me.
my balance is really improving in my right leg, calf muscle appears to be growing, hoping around will do that. very flat shoes are important! I am using Zem nija
Pack your patience. If you get to feeling to bad make friends with someone that cant walk and remember yours is temporary so dont whine. As a friend of mine said "If you need people to help you your job is to be pleasant so they want to" did I mention he is one of my wisest and smartest friends?
Another wash today with my wonderful wife putting up with my paranoia about hurting my ankle while washing it. Well I dont want to do it again darn it! She is right I am over the top on this but it should not be such a big deal soon another Dr appt in the new year. Feels great to be clean, the things you miss.....
Friday, December 23, 2011
Day 9 post surgery
Wow moving right along. Now we get down to the hard part.
I think it is relatively easy to keep your spirits up for a week or so its the next few that will be hard. I spent a good portion of my life very inactive and it is hard to go back to it now.
I guess that means I have changed a bit, good news. I should have what I need to change my cast stuff out and wash it by christmas so that sounds like a good time to start push ups and sit ups.
Also I will be ordering a book: Danny Dring and Johnny D. Taylor are co-authors of the book Stay in the Fight: A Martial Athlete’s Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Injury.
This was pointed out to me by some friends at the Tae Kwon Do studio. Im sure I will face more injuries as time goes by but I am proud to be a Martial Artist and need all the help I can find to keep up with it.
Tae Kwon Do has made a huge difference in my families life. We are so lucky that we have picked up such a great family.
When you are in a hard patch you find out who your family really is.
Well been good as long as I can take it. Now using the iWalk free. Dr is against it. Oh well, Ill keep a cane handy for a few days
nearly impossible to sit down with this on, need to work on that.
"The path of the warrior is lifelong, and mastery is often simply staying the path." Richard Strozzi Heckler. (thank you Sir.)
I think it is relatively easy to keep your spirits up for a week or so its the next few that will be hard. I spent a good portion of my life very inactive and it is hard to go back to it now.
I guess that means I have changed a bit, good news. I should have what I need to change my cast stuff out and wash it by christmas so that sounds like a good time to start push ups and sit ups.
Also I will be ordering a book: Danny Dring and Johnny D. Taylor are co-authors of the book Stay in the Fight: A Martial Athlete’s Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Injury.
This was pointed out to me by some friends at the Tae Kwon Do studio. Im sure I will face more injuries as time goes by but I am proud to be a Martial Artist and need all the help I can find to keep up with it.
Tae Kwon Do has made a huge difference in my families life. We are so lucky that we have picked up such a great family.
When you are in a hard patch you find out who your family really is.
Well been good as long as I can take it. Now using the iWalk free. Dr is against it. Oh well, Ill keep a cane handy for a few days
nearly impossible to sit down with this on, need to work on that.
"The path of the warrior is lifelong, and mastery is often simply staying the path." Richard Strozzi Heckler. (thank you Sir.)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Day 8 post surgery
Moving right along, slowly learning how to do this blogging thing.
Going to be a long 6 weeks. Got to keep my eye on the prize.
No pain just inconvenient. I have been sleeping on the couch since getting the walking cast, Im always worried about it slipping off. Ill try the bed tonight. Actually I prefered the other cast it was smaller and lighter and I didnt worry about it. When I go out today Ill get a few supplies to secure it better. Also trying to find a source for stockinette so that I can wash the one I have when I change things out tomorrow. According to my research the walking cast should reduce my post cast recovery time and that is worth a bit of worry.
Going to be a long 6 weeks. Got to keep my eye on the prize.
No pain just inconvenient. I have been sleeping on the couch since getting the walking cast, Im always worried about it slipping off. Ill try the bed tonight. Actually I prefered the other cast it was smaller and lighter and I didnt worry about it. When I go out today Ill get a few supplies to secure it better. Also trying to find a source for stockinette so that I can wash the one I have when I change things out tomorrow. According to my research the walking cast should reduce my post cast recovery time and that is worth a bit of worry.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Day 7 after surgery.
A week ago right now 1630 I had been home for a while after having my ankle worked on.
I over did a bit to much today getting the boys to piano and doing grocery shopping. Bit of swelling and tired. Sad how fast us old guys lose our conditioning. Its going to be a long 6 weeks.
Ill be ready for palm strikes when I get back to TKD, I am really getting sore palms from the crutches. Also the armpits get sore from the rubbing of the tops.
Apparently the next few weeks are the most critical for the healing. Once everything revascularizes and the dead tissue is replaced it should all be good. No Weight bearing uses all new muscles. I was able to raise up from the floor last night with only my right leg, if you think it is easy give it a try! One rep was plenty though. continue to do slow kicks.
A week ago right now 1630 I had been home for a while after having my ankle worked on.
I over did a bit to much today getting the boys to piano and doing grocery shopping. Bit of swelling and tired. Sad how fast us old guys lose our conditioning. Its going to be a long 6 weeks.
Ill be ready for palm strikes when I get back to TKD, I am really getting sore palms from the crutches. Also the armpits get sore from the rubbing of the tops.
Apparently the next few weeks are the most critical for the healing. Once everything revascularizes and the dead tissue is replaced it should all be good. No Weight bearing uses all new muscles. I was able to raise up from the floor last night with only my right leg, if you think it is easy give it a try! One rep was plenty though. continue to do slow kicks.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Day 6 after Surgery
Excited to see the Surgeon Dr Vickars today. Hoping for a removable cast. Expecting a solid cast. Time will tell.
Hope I get the Ok to drive, fortunately one of our cars is an automatic should be ok to drive with my left in a cast. Sad I dont get to drive the new car for a few months.
Some concern since surgery I need to use the bathroom often at night (4 to 5 times) The meds should be out of my system right now so I need to look into this.
Well just made it to the Appt.
Dr had to remove 8mm of cartilage. Apparently not to bad they transplant carilage when it gets over 2cm. After messing with the cartilage they drill a hole in the bone so it will bleed a bit and put in a fibrous replacement for the what was removed. {any messing up of terms is entirely my fault Dr Vickars was very clear.}
Aparently I basically had no tendons left on my ankle, now I know why stepping down would cause it to pop. Also my donor tendons were very Beefy (exact quote) so there will be no problem there.
From what I know now I wish I had done it long ago then I would only be down for 1 week (nwb). Oh well. He also mentioned they X rayed both ankles and my right is pretty much in the same boat but he advised worry about one ankle at a time. The other one works now.
People that have "joint Laxity" will have these problems eventually. I was wondering what I could do for my boys. He recommended lace up braces when doing high risk activities. Apparently studies have shown they do not make your ankle weak or injure the knee. Strengthening activities do not really help. His opinion is that it is always good to have strong ankles but the muscles do not have time to react when an accident occurs. Main thing is to not get into the cycle of sprains that I have been in.
For the next 4 weeks I have to be very careful of my ankle if the ball of my foot drops more than 30 degrees from 90 it will rip out the replacement tendon and all but the cartilage must be done over again. Yikes, I might ask for a hard cast tomorrow, washing will be stressful, no pressure.
From now on it should only improve. At 4 weeks he will start doing joint movement excercises and at 6 weeks I can start putting small amounts of weight on it. Shortly after I will start PT and be in a lace up brace like I have been wearing in TKD.
I am paranoid about it slipping so I keep adjusting the boot to tight and putting my foot to sleep.
After Angie took me out to dinner.
Excited to see the Surgeon Dr Vickars today. Hoping for a removable cast. Expecting a solid cast. Time will tell.
Hope I get the Ok to drive, fortunately one of our cars is an automatic should be ok to drive with my left in a cast. Sad I dont get to drive the new car for a few months.
Some concern since surgery I need to use the bathroom often at night (4 to 5 times) The meds should be out of my system right now so I need to look into this.
Well just made it to the Appt.
Dr had to remove 8mm of cartilage. Apparently not to bad they transplant carilage when it gets over 2cm. After messing with the cartilage they drill a hole in the bone so it will bleed a bit and put in a fibrous replacement for the what was removed. {any messing up of terms is entirely my fault Dr Vickars was very clear.}
Aparently I basically had no tendons left on my ankle, now I know why stepping down would cause it to pop. Also my donor tendons were very Beefy (exact quote) so there will be no problem there.
From what I know now I wish I had done it long ago then I would only be down for 1 week (nwb). Oh well. He also mentioned they X rayed both ankles and my right is pretty much in the same boat but he advised worry about one ankle at a time. The other one works now.
People that have "joint Laxity" will have these problems eventually. I was wondering what I could do for my boys. He recommended lace up braces when doing high risk activities. Apparently studies have shown they do not make your ankle weak or injure the knee. Strengthening activities do not really help. His opinion is that it is always good to have strong ankles but the muscles do not have time to react when an accident occurs. Main thing is to not get into the cycle of sprains that I have been in.
For the next 4 weeks I have to be very careful of my ankle if the ball of my foot drops more than 30 degrees from 90 it will rip out the replacement tendon and all but the cartilage must be done over again. Yikes, I might ask for a hard cast tomorrow, washing will be stressful, no pressure.
From now on it should only improve. At 4 weeks he will start doing joint movement excercises and at 6 weeks I can start putting small amounts of weight on it. Shortly after I will start PT and be in a lace up brace like I have been wearing in TKD.
I am paranoid about it slipping so I keep adjusting the boot to tight and putting my foot to sleep.
After Angie took me out to dinner.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Day 5 after Surgery
Pain low I will take 1 advil to keep swelling down with lunch.
Moving along fine. Continuing to do slowly 5 front kicks, 5 back kicks 5 side kicks now without crutches but I am doing them in a door way so I can grab if I start to fall.
Unfortunately I cannot practice with my right leg because I need my left leg to support. Frustrating to see all that muscle fade away. At least I am in good enough shape that recovery should be fast. Hope for a good report from the Doctor tomorrow.
Plan to attend Tae Kwon do tonight (I just get to watch) but maybe we will get to eat with friends afterwards.
Great night with friends. Time for bed tired.
See Doctor tomorrow, hope the news is good.
Pain low I will take 1 advil to keep swelling down with lunch.
Moving along fine. Continuing to do slowly 5 front kicks, 5 back kicks 5 side kicks now without crutches but I am doing them in a door way so I can grab if I start to fall.
Unfortunately I cannot practice with my right leg because I need my left leg to support. Frustrating to see all that muscle fade away. At least I am in good enough shape that recovery should be fast. Hope for a good report from the Doctor tomorrow.
Plan to attend Tae Kwon do tonight (I just get to watch) but maybe we will get to eat with friends afterwards.
Great night with friends. Time for bed tired.
See Doctor tomorrow, hope the news is good.
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