Lazy recovery time

Recovery is hard.  I mean, sitting around all day with your foot up, watching the Tour de France, followed by marathon sessions of Mad Men, True Blood (after the children have gone to bed) and Portlandia is really hard.  Actually, I'm so sick of sitting. Couch, arm chair, in bed.  Ugh, Can I just walk already?  I miss getting up and grabbing a cup of coffee, water, etc.

Buster made my whole lunch, cut the apple and everything!

DH, Buster and Cub have all been so helpful.  The boys have made me breakfast almost everyday, and even lunch when DH was mowing the lawn.  I think they've done an amazing job for being 9 and 6. 


It's sad when your big activity for the day is taking a shower.  Although, I did wander out a few times. One trip to Target with the boys.  I have to say I love the scooters.  The boys both wanted a little ride on my lap which worked for about 5 minutes.  I only managed to bang into a few clothing racks (totally embarrassing when you have to go in reverse with the loud "beep, beep").  I think everyone stared at me though, but thank goodness I had that heavy splint on. 

Sleeping with a huge splint on also is extremely annoying.  The first few nights were ok, since I was on pain meds that knocked me out. After a few days though, it was rough.  I don't like sleeping on my

back and I move around a lot at night.  So,  finally managed a way of resting my splint on a pillow so that I could comfortably lay on my side.  Also, getting up in the middle of the night with crutches kind of sucks. 

Ok, so enough with the complaining.  On a positive note, pain has been minimal.  My incision site on the medial side is the one that hurts but I knew that one was going to be bigger.   I didn't know how much bigger since it was wrapped up for 12 days.

Yesterday, I had my follow up appointment.  Here's what I wanted to hear: "Incision looks great, wear your boot, until you can walk without it. No need for crutches anymore.  Feel free to start PT and go ahead and start spinning.  Run when you are ready." 
Here's what I got:  Incisions look great, wear your boot for 3 weeks, no need to start PT yet since they won't be able to do much for you right now, no spinning unless you want a world of pain, crutches as needed. boo.

He did tell me exactly what they (Dr and Resident?) found.  I had a menscoid legion between my fibula and tibia from a high ankle sprain (assuming that was with the initial avulsion fracture) that wasn't the source of my pain but they took it out anyways, they cleaned up the inflammation in my ankle joint called synovitis, and took off 2 bone spurs that were on my talus and my tibia that would bang into each other (otherwise known as kissing spurs) when I flexed my ankle.
 

All the inflammation was from the spurs not arthritis like he thought.  My cartilage looked great, no lesions.  I'm extremely happy about that since I never believed I had arthritis. I had the symptoms, yes, but I couldn't wrap my head around having it.  I probably would still be in denial even if he told me I had it.  

So, finally got the splint off.  I have a tiny little incision on the lateral ankle side and a bigger than expected incision on the medial side-about 2 inches.  Leg hair shorter than expected (thank God!), and I could actually flex my ankle a little bit (enough that Dr was impressed I do that much after splint).

last of the Oompa Loompa Skin plus some lovely stitches

Pampered ankle with steri-strips and nail polish!

So I get to use my boot again, the ankle is in a different angle now so I'm feeling the incision area more, crutches still.  I can at least put my foot down with minimal pressure on it but it's a start.

Running update

11 weeks post injury- this is this AM before I've really been on my foot today.

•  Dr appt went well, told Dr my problems that I am still having, he again focused on my now hard lump in front of my ankle.  He thinks I might have an impingement which is why I can't flex my ankle.  I'm supposed to get an MRI...which is another story. 

 

• So Mon is Dr appt, I'm to get a call to schedule MRI, I wait til Thursday after work- still no call, grrr, call the Dr office, get call on Fri, "Oh, Dr never put in the MRI order, but it's in the office notes.  You'll get a call next week".  Yesterday, I get a call "Scheduling you for a CAT scan" "What?!, I'm supposed to get a MRI." "Oh, the note says MRI but the order is for a CAT scan, I'll call you back after confirming with the Dr".  So, here I am, day 2 of my vacation- waiting to get this MRI scheduled.  I don't want to take time off of work for the MRI and the follow-up appt if I can help it.  Seriously, people!  

 

• Ran again this past Saturday since the sun was out and the temps in the balmy 50s.   3.1 miles in 28:40.  Ankle hurt the entire time...grrrrrrr.  BUT I RAN 3.1 without stopping.  Yay for keeping my cardio up with spinning. Ankle was a bit pissed off after, but Hey, f- it. 

 

• Walked/Ran on Easter Sunday, again the beautiful weather drew me out and of course, being curious, my walked started with a small run to test out the ankle, then ended about 1.5 miles later.  Again, ankle not happy with me. Good thing it's cold out this week again- probably won't try anything for a while considering I could hardly spin last night it hurt so bad.  

Add caption

• So that's were I am...I've reached the F it stage.  I am tired of not running.  It's been 11 weeks.  I am happy I still have cardio so I'm not out of breath.  This running once a week is not making me happy.  

Nice glass of Whine

 


Quick post since I can't seem to be anything but negative today.  I was told 6 weeks until I could run- hah!- I wish.  It's been 7 weeks since I messed up my ankle. I still can't stretch my calf with out getting pain in front/back of my ankle.  I still hop down stairs since my ROM is not much.

I'm trying to be a good patient.  I've been icing 5x a day, doing my Theraband ankle exercises and going to PT 3x a week. I have not been good about elevating it as much as I should- so I guess I could improve on that.  It's hard since I'm on my feet at work most of the time, then on the weekend, I feel like a lazy bum sitting with my foot up not working on stuff when my DH is busy around the house.  Not much of a blog post, sorry, but I'm sure you don't need more whine with that cheese. :-)


Cardio this week:  Spinning x2 34 miles- good resistance no pain
Days til my race:  63 days!  Could I walk it? maybe? That would be soooo hard for me to do.  I'm too competitive. 

lovely lump on left ankle

Like the sock lines? 

Best Ice Pack ever- 3 parts water, 1 part rubbing alcohol- nice and slushy

10 mins x 5 times a day! fun times!

Yay! PT

Ankle injury update:  

Better than the boot or aircast!

• Dr. said I could start PT, ditch the boot and upgrade to a smaller sleeker ankle brace for 6 weeks.  Yay! 

Can you see that lump in front? 

•  I have swelling still in the front of my ankle which makes my ROM (range of motion) pretty limited but it's way better that it was 5 weeks ago.  I have a nodule in the front that the Dr. spent more time poking at then anywhere else.  He says he sees this on occasion and that it's fluid trapped under something or another.  So technical I know, but it was a week ago. 

• I went back to my PT who helped me with my planter fasciitis.  
•  I get to start with fun things like:
• stretching my calf (BTW- impossible with swelling!), As I sat there, with my toes half way up on of those boards for stretching your calf and trying to hold it for 30 secs. was so hard.  It hurt (was it more than 4 on the pain scale, yes, so technically I shouldn't do it, but I didn't say anything, since that seems to be key for ROM). 
• lovely ROM stuff with the BAPS board (sitting down), 
• scooting around the office backwards on the rolly chair (best part!), 
• marching on a cushy pad 
• stepping up and over a 4" board (and it was tough).  
•  I get to have ultrasound to work on the swelling, manual manipulation of my ankle (trying to get it to move in the right ways) and a nice massage to work the swelling down.
• Then ice for 10 minutes. Fun times! x 3 week, but progress is progress...next time Therabands!  woot! woot!

Only 76 days til the Flying Pig Half.  I'll be ready, right?  Trying to be optimistic, I hoping if I keep up my cardio, then the running won't be too bad to get back, right?  I can dream.  

Cardio of the week:  Spinning 3 days this week, kept resistance down- no pain! 

A few of my favorite Pins of the week:

Yes, I'm alive and well

I haven't been in the mood to blog lately.  I haven't been doing much with my bum ankle and I've been feeling sorry for myself.

Ankle Update:  It's been 3.5 weeks since I injured it and I've got 2.5 weeks left (until it's healed?).  I keep going between: optimism- this will heal quickly and I might still be able to eek in some training before the Flying Pig (13.1, 10k 5k) and pessimism-I can't workout, I'm stressed, everyone and their mother is telling me it's going to be a long recovery and I shouldn't push it.

It's still swollen but compared to my last post- down a ton.  I'm still pretty swollen along the joint line, and behind the (c)ankle. I still have a weird pain on the medial side of my ankle (opposite to my injury) although it's not as bad as it was.   I'm wearing the boot still at work- since I'm on my feet most of the day.  At home, I'm using an elastic brace that gives me mild support.  My ankle is feeling not as weak as it did last week.  I'm doing my ROM exercises that I prescribed myself along with Dr. Google.  Don't worry- nothing that causes pain.  I've tried last weekend to go boot free to go grocery shopping.  It hurt- but I think it might have been more my cheap ankle brace (ditched that one- it rubbed against my ankle bone- not good)  Anyways- moved my Dr appt up to Monday so I can at least start PT soon.

Yesterday, I went for a massage.  Wow.  I figured she'd not touch my ankle, but no, she worked on it very gently and reduced the swelling in the front joint line and along the ankle bone.  She thought it was weird that I was swollen on the joint line too. 

Anyways, she told me that a great homeopathic anti-inflammatory was castor oil.  I guess you wrap your ankle in strips of cotton soaked in castor oil, wrap that with Saran Wrap, and a sock and leave it overnight or use it with a heating pad.  She swore by it.  Needless to say, I'm trying it.  It can't hurt, can it? We'll see how it goes, since I'm doing it right now.  I'll let you know if works.


Then, I WORKED OUT!  My god, I've never been so happy to workout!  Not only did I spin, but my fav instructor happen to be subbing!  Double yay!  I used my soft ankle wrap, clipped in my shoes before hoping on the bike.  The first few minutes were a little rough- my ankle was stiff- but it worked out.  I kept resistance down.  I even stood- i know, but I can't sit in a bike saddle for 50 minutes straight!
 Today, I felt fine, no damage from last night, so I'm going to get back to spinning. Yes, I'll take it easy.   My mood has been so much better today as well.

A few quotes to inspire or make you laugh.

latest and greatest ankle injury pictures

Day 3 Dr. office

bottom of my foot is totally bruised just by sitting down waiting.

Ahhh, comfort! Now I can put some weight on my ankle.

day 4 AM bruising setting in

bruising on the inside too

Day 4 PM,  more colors

day 4 pm

Day 5 more bruising- back to work

bruising more in the medial side

Day 7 AM one week after

day 7AM

Day 8, more swollen today- tried to walk around too much yesterday

Right ankle normal, left ankle still swollen (just after I took off the ace bandage)

What my ankle normally looks like

What my left one looks like on day 8

Day 9 am

day 9 am

Yay! You made it through all my lovely pictures.  I'm grossed out by them but at the same time it's interesting to see how your body reacts to trauma.  I never thought my toes would be bruised by an ankle fracture for example.

Recovery wise- I last blogged on Monday- 2 days after my accident.

Tuesday (day 3)- RICE and Dr. Appt where I got a boot.  I have to say, I love the boot.  I couldn't but any weight on my ankle/foot before and now I can so it's helping with walking with crutches.  The official diagnosis:  Avulsion fracture of my fibula. Basically, my calcaneofibular ligament ripped off my fibula and took a chunk of bone with it. It was really tiny in the xray. So this is usually treated like a sprain.  6 weeks and I should be good.

Wednesday (day 4)- RICE and got up more and got used to the boot and crutches.

Thursday (day 5) back to work- kept off my feet as much as possible, iced 2x during the day.

Friday (day 6) work- walked around for about 1hr without crutches- small victory.  Later that night, same thing.

Saturday (day 7- 1 week)  Rested, but feeling frustrated of not being able to work out and irritable cleaned the house with headphones on.  I did some ROM exercises, abcs and flexing it. Over did it, and hurt later that night.  grrr.

Sunday (day 8) RICED, babied it, crutches, etc.  I was able to bear weight on it and actually took a few steps before going to bed to try it out.  The only place it hurt was the medial side...strange- the opposite side from the injury. Hoping it's just stiff.

Monday (day 9- today)- I'm going to try just wearing the boot today and skip crutches.  Wondering if the pain I get in the boot is from just being stiff.  Although as I type it hurts and I haven't even been up in 30 minutes.  Probably need to elevate it!

So my goal this week:  to try to wean from the crutches and to increase ROM.

One week down, 5 to go (hopefully!)

That's not what supposed to happen!

my "before" shot- was planning a muddy "after"  shot

. Note my cute little left ankle

So I had a fabulous week last week with running.  My IT band has decided to cooperate and I ran 13 miles with in the week  2 five milers and a quick 3.1 on the treadmill.  I was feeling great, so on Saturday the local running club (which I just joined finally) was having an 8 mile trail run- the weather was going to be in the 60s in January in OHIO.  It was going to be muddy and fun.  My running partner couldn't make it, and it was going to be in the woods so I didn't ask my dh if he wanted to go- since the boys wouldn't be able to see anything.  I figured I was just going to run this for fun, I  haven't run 8 since Indianapolis so it was just going to be a workout.

OF COURSE, that didn't happen.  The first part was going well, muddy, puddles, narrow trails exactly what I wanted.  Then it all fell apart.

I was heading down a narrow path on a hill, it was really muddy so there were roots that were kind of packed down and made for good steps down.  At the bottom of the hill was a small ravine with a bridge over it.  On the last "root step" I stepped, slid, rolled my ankle, heard a pop/crack and wiped out.  I landed on my hands and saved my face, but I didn't care about that at all, since my ANKLE was in so much pain, immediately it was swelling (crazily fast). I said every swear word in the book. I knew it was bad.  I'd take natural child birth again to that pain. 

  Everyone behind me stopped since I was blocking the bridge, but 2 guys helped me up and got me over to the side- other runners ran ahead to get help.    After the initial pain, it stopped hurting too much and just kept swelling.  One of the guys that was with me found a y shaped stick that I used to prop my foot up while we waited for help.  We talked about the Air Force marathon and various races and running groups in the area, anything, to help me take my mind of my now grapefruit sized ankle.  Runners kept coming by and asking if I needed any help, then commented on how it was swollen and bruising. I texted dh to come to the race to pick me up.

 The race director showed up pretty quickly and told us where they could carry me to get me to a car.  So Randy and Steve (my heroes) carried me up a muddy hill and across a huge field to a back parking lot of a nursing home and the race director picked me up in his car.  By then, the pain had returned, since it wasn't elevated.  The race director had the paramedics check me out at the elementary school to make sure I was ok.  They wrapped up an ice pack on my ankle and cleaned out my skinned knee (hadn't realized that until then).

My dh showed up and we headed to the emergency room.  I just got my flu shot last week, so when we showed up and a about 3 people have face masks on- i got super paranoid.  Yuck- I don't need the flu on top of this.

 Hours later...  I got my diagnosis.  FRACTURED FIBULA- but what it really was, as the ER Dr. explained, "Your ligament ripped off the bone and took a bit of the bone with it". Gross.  Really gross.  She explained that it would be treated like a severe sprain.  6 weeks before I'd be able to run again.  So I was given a lovely Air Cast and crutches and instructions on calling an orthopedist on Monday. 

Getting ready to leave ER. Love the sock- traction on both sides, but it keeps the toes warm so I'm still sporting it.

Nurse Chester

Since then, I've been on the couch with my foot up and taking various lovely pictures of my ankle as it grows and gets more colorful.  My cat, Chester, has been watching over me.  Sleeping next to me, yet not on my lap like normal.    I have found that my foot doesn't hurt, but my chest and arms are so sore.  I think it was the combination of falling and catching myself and holding/supporting myself on the hike out of the woods.  Plus, to insult to injury- since I skinned my knee I had to get a tetanus shot.  So 2 days after, I can hardly lift my body off the crutches to move.  So tomorrow is my Dr appt. to see what the real damage is. 

Anyone, dealt with a severe sprain?  I've been googling it like crazy.  I'm going to have to just wait to see what ligament isn't attached and if I messed up the others.   I'm also going to have to figure out what I can do to stay in shape.  Hmmm, core, arms, swimming? I guess more Qs for the Dr. 

So, my goal of running 13 13.1s in 2013 has been delayed- but the contest is still on! 

Ready for some yucky pictures?   Don't scroll down if you don't. Lucky for you, I had ice on my ankle at the hospital otherwise you'd see a grapefruit under someone's skin. 

18 hrs after

about 1.5 days after- can you tell where the brace was

AM of day 2 (I couldn't sleep with it elevated)

starting to bruise on the opposite side from injury  2nd day am

2nd day about 48 hrs since I did it.  (after icing) Getting colorful!