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Frustration! A number of things....

Posted , 9 users are following.

rose71920
rose71920

Hi everyone, 

As the new year is here I have been pushing and pushing myself to get my life back so to speak. 

I have some frustrations that I have to vent off! LOL

Tomorrow: Jan 6th  8 weeks post op

Doing gas pumps constantly

Doing calf pumps/ heels up and down about 3 x's a day

resistant bands 3 x's a day

My frustrations is that I still can't push the gas peddle and the brake peddle on the car fast and deep enough just yet... makes me mad! I think I should be there by now.

Frustration #2: trying to bake cookies for my sister and can't stand for to long with out crying in some sort of pain/ surgery site/ heel (which has nothing to do with surgery!) and even my back ( I think from trying to ignore the pain in the foot so I'm tensing up the back)! 

Frustration # 3 : Feeling like my tendon /ligament is popping so to speak after certain things i'm doing..... 

took a nice walk down the road yesterday  in a nice pair of KEEN boots and it hurt like a bi***! 

So yea, I'm frustrated... I'm so ready to go and yet when I do go I can't go far. 

And because the other foot was done in August and not fulling healed as of my right foot surgery , now that is super painful... 

?And I have a high tolerance of pain.... ! 

?  What were people with surgery of tendon/ ligaments or any type of ankle surgery time lines looking like before you felt the relief of no pain or minimal? Driving? Walking? Exercising? I know its pretty normal up to 10 weeks but man, this is just a long recovery ... and how do you know if this surgery worked or not? Has anyone had a failed go of it?

Thanks in advance!

Rose

 

0 likes, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • jennifero77
    jennifero77 rose71920

    Posted

    Hi,

    So sorry you are going through all of this. What was your initial surgery/injury if you don't mind me asking? I know tendons and ligaments take forever and are a complete pain with my own on going saga.

    Take care,

    Jen

    • rose71920
      rose71920 jennifero77

      Posted

      HI Jen, 

      Thanks for the reply. My initial injury was a yr ago in 2016 on Dec 21rst. I had a fall ... believe it or not out of my slipper! My slipper went up from my foot and I went down twisting and turning all the way down injuring my right ankle badly. Grade 3 sprain so they told me. Left foot, I cracked my cartilage and developed post traumatic arthritis in my first joint. Took them *after 3 doctors* to find out what was wrong. I tore my ligaments and tendons on my right ankle. If they had put me in a boot or splint right away my doc now said I may have healed properly.. But sadly that didn't happen. 

       So on August 2nd I had the left foot done with a Cheilectomy  and on Nov 13th I had the tendons and ligaments reconstructed. 

        It is such a pain! No pun intended! LOL I am pushing myself quite hard but not sure if its the right thing to do. 

       Good luck with your recovery!! How long have you been going through this? 

      Take care,

      Rose

       

    • jennifero77
      jennifero77 rose71920

      Posted

      I had a tear in my peroneus brevis that was repaired on June 16, 2017 that never really got better. I still had crazy swelling, pain and limited function. After PT and two steroid injections without relief they decided to do another MRI. So, on December 8th I had a lateral ligament reconstruction along with a joint arthroscopy that I'm now starting to weight bear as tolerated. I'm thankful it's my left foot so driving isn't an issue. All I keep hearing is recovery is very long.

    • rose71920
      rose71920 jennifero77

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that Jen. You've been through it pretty bad!  Its interesting that you said your doc gave you steroid injections.  My doc wouldn't do that. Said its not good at all for anyone with tendon/ligament damage. Actually can damage more.  That is why I wouldn't go through with it. After every thing he said and I've read about them, no way was I going to have it done. 

      ?I'm glad you are on the road to a new recovery and hopefully it works for you this time! 

      Keep your chin up!

      Rose

       

    • ali45989
      ali45989 jennifero77

      Posted

      Yes, very long...alters your life to a slower momentum.

      Being grateful for at least 5 things each day helps to remind me how it could be so much worse...

      Sending Hugs🙏🏻

  • MSK2017
    MSK2017 rose71920

    Posted

    Hi Rose,

    I had surgery for an open fracture of my left ankle on 7/25/17. Two more procedures followed  due to infection three weeks later.  Wheelchair, walker, cane and finally I’m walking some with no extra support. I do have swelling and some pain. PT at home and with the therapist has helped so much. I am relearning to walk properly and regaining my balance.  Just this week I noticed I could actually walk better and didn’t have to ice an elevate so much.  Haven’t taken a Tylenol in over two weeks.  It was like I woke one day and did not feel the intense pain anymore and I could walk much better. 

    This was a life altering event as I was a very busy person and self reliant. I have never been fearful but I am terrified of falling again.  This fall changed my whole world for a few months. 

    My husband and son still have to help me with a few things and I can’t walk long distances. I can shower, cook, work and do light shopping thank goodness,   although at one point in late August I feared I would never regain my independence again. I did 😊 and am getting better each week. I’m 55 and the three bones I broke and tendons I tore were the first ever. 

    I hope you get along  ok. There is light at the end of this long tunnel. Keep doing PT and get a physical therapist. Mine is expensive but I would not be walking today without him. 

    Best of luck to you!

    Karen 

    • rose71920
      rose71920 MSK2017

      Posted

      Thanks for your input MSK!  Seems everyone has the same recovery or near about the same. I'm glad to hear you have regained your independence again. This is my biggest fear! All I want is to get moving again! 

      I wish I can have a PT!! I almost called them and begged a bit to reduce the amount but opted not to. 

      what ever I'm doing seems to match every thing I've seen on YouTube and the docs paper work. 

      Thanks and good luck!

      Rose

       

  • kpower
    kpower rose71920

    Posted

    Hi Rose,

    I've been following your progress closely and I'm cheering you on.

    Count your blessings, it could always be worse (and many patients, bless their souls, have it much, much worse).

    From what I gather (and my own experience) tendons can be obnoxiously difficult to tame after serious injury. It just seems to be the nature of the beast.

    As I have been harping on for a long time, confused proper rehab is the key to getting better and avoiding a potential danger of tendonitis progressing to a chronic end state. So please don't slack off your admirable efforts-- think of it as a long journey, with each turn in the road bringing surprises, both good and bad. Eventually, it all pays off and with good luck (and a lot of sweat) you get your priceless remembered mobility back.

    Your popping sensation in tendon/ligaments seems to be very normal in recovery (I've experienced it myself). I believe it is related to the 'stickiness' of the tendon in its irritated capsule or sheath, and build-up of fluids/gases there (think of when people pop their knuckles, etc).

    Yes, keep up the exercises that move fluid and toxins out of the ankle and increase fresh blood flow there.

    If you are still unsatisfied with your progress, you could look at more relatively conservative treatments like PRP or prolotherapy or Graston technique, for starters. And I hope you have a clean super nutritious diet to provide raw material for refurbishing all those damaged tissues.

    • rose71920
      rose71920 kpower

      Posted

      Hi KP, 

      Thanks for the additional input. I certainly know that my injury isn't half as bad as others here. I would not want screws and plates in my foot!  They are all hard workers though and will find their way. 

      I think I'm writing because I need to hear what others have gone through having the surgery. Sometimes it gets lonely going through this recovery thing. LOL  My family has been wonderful to and for me. I can't ask for any thing else from my husband who is bearing the weight *no pun intended* for the house hold now. So I'm grateful for that. But some times they just don't get it. Or I think they don't get it.  

      But the last few days have been much better! 

      Driving here I come! 

      ?Thanks again,

      Rose

       

    • MSK2017
      MSK2017 rose71920

      Posted

      Hey Rose,

      My husband’s  eyes glaze over at times when I’m a bit too chatty about my recovery. Humans do not have an infinite amount of patience with sickness and injury. His has been amazing as has my sons.  However, I realized one night that this is my journey and only I truly understand my experience because everyone heals differently. It can be very lonely and this forum was something I looked forward to every evening when I couldn’t work. I still read it almost everyday and think about people like you and many others and wonder how they are recovering. I’m a very private person but yet I share openly on this forum. Maybe because the people are so kind and knowledgeable and I think loneliness plays a part as well. I need my broken ankle groupsmile

      I can describe the recovery as taking one full step forward and one half back. 

      It’s forward motion but is not a full step. For example: I stopped wearing my compression sock because I hated it and the swelling was much better overall. This was a big step but now I do need the cane again because the swelling increased a bit and I’m not sure of my balance. Next step is walking without the cane again in the office and home,  then outside to take an actual walk. After meeting these goals are met, I will have surgery to remove one of the plates. I hope it doesn’t all start over. Whatever happens, I’m ok with it. I have to be.  

      The surgeries were the worst part of this journey and the bone infection was horrible. I can’t even remember some of the days in the hospital.  The pain was more than I could handle at times and I have a very high tolerance for pain. The burning from the nerves and feeling like my ankle and leg were burned was nothing like I have ever experienced.

      I made it through the worst so I’ll make it through the rest  

      I am down to PT twice a month and will likely just begin to go once monthly  for his advice and support. 

      Try one PT  visit and tell them it’s cash only and you may get a better deal.

      Let me know how you are doing.

      Karen  

    • rose71920
      rose71920 MSK2017

      Posted

      Hi Karen,

      ?Its nice to hear that I'm not the only one with feeling like this.  Funny you said how you just woke up one day and decided this was your journey and stopped complaining about your injury and how you felt to your husband and kids. I did this just the other day. I know they have been wonderful but I also know they are so sick of seeing my face and hearing my woes! So I keep it internal now.  Your injury was much worse than mine. I couldn't imagine getting in infection in my bone. Like you, I have a high tolerance of pain but that would have sent me through the roof!  But that doesn't take away that I am fearful of stairs, my balance from walking on the edge of my feet for so long before the surgery and so on. I still won't put a slipper on my foot for fear it will happen again! Sounds so silly when I type it out, but its real. 

      Like you, I come here and see everyones progress and feel so bad for anyone just starting the process and so on. 

      ?I love my bands I bought for my PT. I do agree, I should see a PT just once. But for now , I'm doing every thing my specialist sent me home with. 

      ?I will keep you updated and you as well!

      Thanks and take care, 

      Rose

       

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