Cleared to exercise (kind of)

I guess I might as well get one post in before the craziness of back to school/soccer season starts and my blog posts suffer more than they already are.

Ankle, ankle and more ankle stuff.  I swear my life revolves around it. 

I looked WAY cooler with one foot on the ground and the other pushing this forward.

• Dr said 2-3 more weeks with the boot (I'm writing this at the end of week 2) but I'll tell you I am hurting tonight after just being at work and walking around for about 5 hrs. The last week, I'm supposed to be working towards transitioning into shoes, but honestly, I don't see it.  I'm going from be a couch potato recovery mood for 6 weeks to standing on my feet for 7 plus hours, without a boot?!  I'm going to baby this ankle for at least a week more. 
  
  
   
• Dr said I could start to exercise on the elliptical (hell NO!) and I could start spinning again.(hell YES)  Yay!  Of course, when I hear "Go" I really went for it.  It happens that they are offering spinning classes multiple times a day this week.  Yep, "overdoing it", 5 classes in 3 days.  It felt great to be back but I'm feeling it a bit too.  My ankle didn't hurt while doing it but it was swollen and tender later.  

• I started PT this week.  Sadly, it was like a homecoming of sorts since I have been going there all spring.  My one PT said I should get a personalized parking spot since I'm there so much.  I shouldn't be surprised that I can't do much, but sometimes I really am.  Today, I had to put my foot on this sliding board and just push it forward and backward.  Holy cow, that hurt like crazy.  Pushing my foot back was insanely hard and did I mention it hurt?

• On top of my celebrating my return of sorts to exercising, my FAVORITE brand for workout shirts is having a SALE which they never have.   YMX Yellowman  has the most amazing shirts.  Normally the tees run about $70 but they are on sale for $30.  I have 2 already and have worn them at least once a week for the last year. They wash up amazing, they have fabulous designs and the maxcool fabric feels like silk yet wicking!  I just bought 2 more and a tank.  I can't wait to see what is up next since they are only doing a few items for 3 days then its on to something else for $30.  Here's my review from last year.  YMX shirt review

Obligatory Ankle Scar photos

This is about 4.5 weeks post op

What an "mini open partial excision" scar looks like. Not as mini as I'd hoped. That's about 1.5".

tiny ankle arthroscopy scar

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.  

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• 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.  

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:

Feeling good!

So it has been 20 days since I got the cortisone shot and I think it's working.  It took about 2 weeks for it to kick in but for the last week I have hardly had pain in my heel.  I still have pain after getting up after sitting and at the end of the day. (of course, as I write this I get a weird twinge in my foot). But it has been much less- more of a reminder that I need to keep stretching.

I decided to run on it last Sunday.  I bundled up, waited for the football game to be on TV (since it was still snowy/icy- I wanted to run on the road- and around my neighborhood no one is out if a game is on).  Loaded my iphone with the new David Guetta songs off of itunes and map my run and took off running.  It's so nice to get out again and run in the neighborhood.  I felt great and just kept going.  I ended up running 5.23 miles!!!  Wow!  I couldn't believe it- I was more impressed that my pace was that fast.  I haven't run, really, in 13 weeks.  Unless you count the few times I went out for a few short runs.  I guess going to Spinning class 3 times a week can keep you in shape.  I was a bit nervous about much it was going to hurt later, but the heel felt ok. Not 100% but about 80%.   Just a bit stiff but not hurting.  Yay!!

Monday, my PT had me do something more exciting than ankle strengthing and stretching.  I got to JUMP! Nothing like a bit of plyometrics! My only problem was my quads were a bit sore from all the impact of running the day before.

Today,  I had to take a day off of work for my MRI that I scheduled before my "recovery".   I got to take the kiddos to school and then I decided to try another little run.  I did 4 this time.  My legs were frozen, esp. my thighs, which made them feel tight.    I guess that's what happens in 23 degrees!  Another good run, 4 miles in 35 mins.   Heel feels ok as of now.


Speaking of the MRI, I feel like a bit of a fraud now.  My heel feels better.  The MRI was to check to make sure I didn't have a stress fracture in my heel.  I can't imagine that I would and still be able to run.  Anyways, I guess I'll know for sure what's going on on Monday when I find out the results.  Then I signing up for some races! (in May and fall- nothing too soon)

In mommy land, my sons' school is doing craft beer fest as a fundraiser.  Got to love private schools!  (don't ask me where I work ;-) )  I can not wait for this!  I am a beer drinker.  Can't stand girly drinks or wine.  Well, maybe a killer cosmo that dh makes but that's it!  Anyways, if anyone is in the Dayton/Cincinnati area and loves craft brews here's a link to my friend KevBrews with the info and beer list. Yum!  BTW it's for adults only. For tickets: http://msdbrewhaha.eventbrite.com/