Staples Out! Split Off! Purple Cast On!!!

Today I went in for my first post op appointment.  It has been 18 days since my surgery.  Having the splint taken off felt so nice.  I was able to move my ankle around a bit and wiggle my toes.  The incision wound looked really good.  It was swollen but not too bad and there wasn't any bruising.  After having the splint taken off the nurse removed my surgical staples.  They look like real staples and weren't very comfortable to have removed.  Luckily my doctors office told me to take a percocet prior to coming in.  After the staples were taken out the nurse wiped off my leg and toes with rubbing alcohol.  She didn't clean around the incision.  I was surprised there wasn't more blood around the incision wound, there wasn't any really!  After that, I had x-rays taken and the doctor came in to see me.  Both the doctor and nurse told me how good everything looked!  They said they could tell I have been following orders and not over doing it.  I will go back in a few weeks and have another cast put on and then on August 12th, I will have my cast removed and will be able to walk!!!!!  Until then I will be on crutches and not allowed to put any weight on it.

The first photo is with staples, the second is with them removed.

It feels so great to have the splint off and the new cast on.  The fiberglass cast is so much lighter and less bulky.  Its really amazing.  I am still going to stay around the house and keep it elevated.  I am following my doctors orders.  I think that is so important.  I could see how tempting it would be to go out and do something right now, but I want to keep the swelling down and I want it to keep getting better!

16 Days Down!

So this begins my 16th day after surgery on my peroneal tendons.  I am doing much better and able to get around the house more.  Tylenol has been sufficient for my pain, and I have become a pro on crutches.  Tomorrow I go in for my first post op appointment.  I will have my staples removed and a new cast put on. I am really looking forward to seeing my incision wound and getting a new cast put on.  This splint it hot and heavy!

I waited until summer to have this surgery done.  It was kind of my only option.  It really sucks though :).  I live in Maine and it has been unseasonably warm.  Perfect weather to go to the beach or go swimming.  But I am stuck indoors which is hot!  So if you can choose when you want to have your surgery, I would do it during a season where you don't mind being inside.

My biggest complaint with my ankle is the swelling.  You really have to keep it elevated or it swells right up.  It feels like it is going to explode sometimes.  If I am on my feet for 5 minutes, it becomes extremely uncomfortable.  I am looking forward to that going away.

One other struggle with this surgery is how you lose your independence.  You really need someone around to help you get a bowl of cereal, or do certain things for you.  Luckily my husband is on break and he is around and very helpful.  But its nice to be able to do a few things by yourself, so here are my newest tips...

-Make sure you have a Nalgene water bottle.  These are easy to fill and you can hold it by the loop with you crutch back to bed or the couch.

-Have popsicles around!  I read this in someone else's blog and it has been a huge help!  It is a sweet treat that you can grab yourself and take with you.  Plus they just taste good.  I recently got Edy's Blueberry with Acai.  They taste really good and have antioxidants, which is important while you heal!

-Use a little backpack or shoulder strap bag.  This way you can take things with you around the house.  It is extremely helpful.

- Here is a picture of my splint.  Really looking forward to a cast.  You can see the foam pillow the hospital gave me.  It has been a lifesaver.  During the day I put another pillow on top to get more elevation.  If you doctor doesn't give you one of these, I recommend going out and finding something similar.  My leg never falls out while I am sleeping and I get more elevation than using a stack of bed pillows!

Other Great Blogs...

I have found some other great blogs from people who have shared the same experiences with their peroneal tendon surgery.  I like these blogs because they are positive and won't scare you about having this surgery!

http://thesabins.com/category/the-trouble-with-tendons/

www.dreamingfullcircle.com

http://peronealtendonsurgeryblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/injury-prevention/injuries/just-surgery-peroneal-tendon/.0
- This one is great because it shares many stories.

If I find others I will share them!

Ways to kill time...

So now I am on day 11 after having surgery on my peroneal tendons.  Things are still going well.  I am being really good about staying in bed and resting and having my leg elevated.  The pain is not too bad.  I take Tylenol every 4 hours.  I do start to feel a little pain or soreness once the Tylenol wears off but it is nothing excruciating.

For the most part I stay in bed.  We only have one bathroom and it is upstairs so it is just more convenient.  I do go downstairs about once or twice a day.  My ankle starts to hurt and swell as soon as I move around, so I try not to be on my feet for more than 5 minutes.

Well I thought I would give some tips on how to kill time.  It can be difficult to sit around all day but I have found some ways to do it without losing my mind!

Read! - I have chosen some books that are in a series so that I immediately want to pick up the next one to see what happens.  I started and have almost finished the Twilight saga by Stephanie Meyers.  I am almost finished with the last one and they are pretty good.  I have also started a series by Steig Larrsson.  I read the Girl w/ the Dragon Tattoo and have ordered the other 2.

Netflix! - I ordered DVDs and watch somethings instantly on my computer.  You can watch the series 24 instantly.  This is a great and suspenseful show to get into.  I have seen some of the seasons but not all, so I am catching up.

Scrapbooking-

Work - If you can work from home

Nintendo :)

I try not to nap during the day.  It is very easy to do, especially when you are taking the stronger pain meds.  However, I have been sleeping really well at night and I think that is because I haven't napped.  It is uncomfortable to sleep because you have to sleep on your back with your leg elevated, so I am very grateful that I can manage to sleep well!

Day 5 and 6

Things are still coming along for me.  Yesterday I had a minor break down.  I was trying to get back into bed and there were a couple of boxes and things in my way.  It was late, I was tired, and I was annoyed I couldn't simply pick them up and move them.  So I threw I minor tantrum with my crutches and was throwing things across the room.  Then I trip and caught myself with my bad ankle!  Not good.  It seems to be doing fine though so I am sure everything will be great.  My husband Dan, said he will always remember that vision of me throwing things around with my crutches.

I have really gotten into the Twilight saga books and Dan picked up a couple of Nintendo games.  So the days have been flying by.  I haven't gotten too antsy yet.  It isn't comfortable to move around, and it always feels better having my leg elevated so I don't mind too much.  I made it downstairs yesterday (first time in a week).  Once I was down there I realized everything I needed was upstairs and I wasn't really missing out on anything.  So I went back upstairs.

Post Surgery Tips

Day 1 - Not too bad. Took my Percocet religiously and kept my foot elevated. The hospital gave me this big pillow that my leg sits in. Its amazing how much better it feels when it is elevated. The nerve blocker wore off so the pain increased. I iced behind my knee which helped a lot. TIP: use the ice packs made to go in coolers, the rectangular shaped ones. They stay cold really long and fit perfectly behind the knee. Ice really helps with the pain.

Day 2 - Pain a little worse. Perfected going to the bathroom with only one leg :). Also managed to make the bed. These little things mean so much!

Day 3 - Tried to ease up on the Percocet a bit. Tylenol and ice worked well during the day. (My doctor said no IB Prophen because it prevents healing) The pain seems to be the worse in the evening. TIP: Try to save your Percocet for night, especially when you sleep! I went ahead and asked the doctor for more pain meds, I think it will be something less strong.

Day 4 - Feeling a lot better. Figured out a way to take a weird bath. I had surgery on my right leg. So I was trying to figure out how I could shower. It is really important not to get the cast wet to prevent infection. So I folded a towel in half length wise and laid it on the edge of the tub. I ran water in the tub with soap. Then I sat on the edge of the tub with my bad leg propped up on the edge with a towel over it and the other leg in the tub. Then I used a washcloth and bathed myself. It felt really good after I was done and was easy. I did it all by myself too! Now my big dilemma is whether I should take the time to shave my one good leg or just let it go :). I am hoping to get downstairs either today or tomorrow. I have been stuck upstairs since Monday, really wishing we had a toilet downstairs!

Other Tips... I read that Vitamin C is good for healing so I have been taking that. Also, elevation seems to be so important. It really feels better when it is elevated. When I have to get up it, I feel more pressure around my ankle instantly. Also make sure you have someone around to take care of you. I am lucking to have had my husband around. You can't cook, get water, do anything! The first two weeks are the most important to have someone around. My husband Dan has been so wonderful and helpful!

Surgery Day!

My surgery took place at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine. My doctor was Dr. Pomeroy. I was really impressed with the hospital facilities and all of the staff there. Everyone was so nice, and everything went very smoothly. My surgery was scheduled for 2:15, so I had to be at the hospital at 12:15. I signed in and was taken back. They immediately had me change and get in bed while they started an IV and began to get me ready. The anesthesiologist came back to discuss what he was going to do. He gave me a nerve blocker in the back of my knee and put me completely out during surgery. Prior to surgery the OR nurse came and spoke with me. I had my contacts out but my glasses on. She let me keep them on in the OR and took them off after introducing me to everyone in the OR. I am blind without my glasses so its nice that they were thoughtful about that. I woke up after surgery in the recovery room with a giant Splint/Cast on my leg. The nurse put my glasses on and gave me some ice. I started to wake up and they gave me crackers and juice. It was about 3:00 and I wasn't allowed to eat all day so the crackers were awesome!

I reacted well to the anesthesia and felt fine after surgery. I wasn't in any pain at all. By 4:00 I was dressed and ready to go home! I had no idea I would feel that fine and be that coherent. I was able to talk on the phone with my sister and mom and even my husband was in shock I was doing so well.

We made it home and picked up some Thai food for dinner. I then made my way upstairs. This was interesting. The best way to get upstairs for the first time for me was to sit on my butt on the stairs, and push myself up each step with my arms and one leg while my husband was holding my leg with the cast. I took my Percocet and was out and slept great! I made sure to set my alarm in the middle of the night to wake up when it was time for me to take more Percocet.

A Few Tips Prior to Surgery

My Surgery was on Monday June 21st. Here are some pre-surgery tips I can give that made my experience a little easier...

1- Make a list of things you want to do before surgery, remember you won't be able to walk on two legs for about 8 weeks.

2- Lay out clothes to wear for at least one week after surgery.

- This has been very helpful. My husband has had to do EVERYTHING for me. So I appreciate anything I can do by myself. Getting dressed is one of them. On my dresser I have a stack of comfortable clothes, including underwear. This way I can pick out what I want to wear and get dressed by myself.

3- Get your room (or wherever you plan on being for the majority of the time) ready and stocked.

- For me this was our bedroom. We only have one bathroom and it is upstairs (16 stairs to be exact). So I made our bedroom my hangout spot. I stocked up on plenty of library books, which are all in a giant llbean bag next to my bed. I also plugged the phone charger and macbook charger right next to the bed. I brought up the DVD player and got a TV for the bedroom. I also have all of my medicine, vitamins, and most importantly PAIN PILLS! on my bedstand.

4- Join Netflix and Pick out some good books!

- We were already Netflix members, but movies do kill a lot of time. I also made a list of books I have been waiting to read and got them from the library.

5- The day before your surgery RELAX!

- I was a little anxious right before my surgery. So we spent the day at the beach and it was perfect!

So I decided to start a blog...

Back in October of 2009, I busted my retinaculum ligament which holds your peroneal tendon in place (see picture). Basically my tendon was rolling over my ankle bone, which wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. I kept avoiding going to the doctor at first thinking it was just a sprain, and then finally being a little scared to go to the doctor knowing surgery was more than likely the only solution. I finally got the courage to go to the doctor and was referred to a specialist at the New England Foot and Ankle Specialists down in Portland, Maine. I was told surgery was needed and that I would be in a cast for about 6-8 weeks!

So I decided to blog about my experience with this. It was hard to find information on the web about this surgery. I found some personal experiences from other who have had to go through this, but their experiences were so negative and awful sounding that it really scared the shit out of me. So I have decided to write this blog in a positive fashion and provide tips for those who have to go through it and to allow people a little laugh at some of the things I have to deal with for the next 6-8 weeks.