Yucky to Yippee!!

Today was my first physiotherapy appointment. I was mentally mentally prepared for what lied ahead. My appointment wasn't until 8:30am, but I had to be there at 8am to fill out paperwork. Well, my grandmother likes to be early, and I understand that, but we were there WAY too early. We arrived and checked in at 7:20am. I filled out my paperwork which literally took 30ish minutes to do. So we sat around until I was called around 8:40am. My therapists name is Chris. Well, he's one of them, anyway. He started out by measuring the degree in which I can plantar flex (point foot downward), dorsiflex (bring foot up towards my leg), invert (turn inward), and evert (turn outward). I didn't do so hot. I, along with my doctors and pt'ist, were expecting that. I still have so much edema (fluid) buildup I had to get a compression stocking. It makes my foot feel all squeezed together securely. I like it. Anyway, after he took the measurements he began to push my foot forward and pull it down. It didn't hurt at first, but it didn't take long for his movement to get wider and wider. Then it started to hurt. When I began to let out a shy, low voiced "ahh!" he would stop. Next, it was on to the inversion/eversion exercise. Moving in and out really made my stomach turn. I honestly felt like I was going to vomit. As you may remember, the ankles shattered and are still VERY tender. Then he did the heel slides. Those were easy and were the least painful out of the exercises. Basically, I lay on my back and slide my right heel toward by buttocks until I feel a gentle stretch, hold it for 15 seconds, and then relax it. After that it was time for the ankle circles. For some reason, my body isn't communicating with my foot and allowing me to do this. It kind of looks like when people try to pat their heads and rub their belly's. It just wasn't working without help. After all of the exercises I could do like that we moved over to bicycle machine. I had to bicycle the best I can for six minutes. OUCH! Six minutes might not seem like that long of a time to you, but it felt like an hour to me! At least when I was done we went back over to the table/bench/bed thing and he gave me a nice foot massage. He said when the scab comes off on my lateral side I'll be able to use the Whirlpool for my foot exercises. This scab cant all off soon enough! Chris did say that my tendon seems to be shrinking due to lack of use and we really need to be proactive to avoid a future tendon surgery. Sounds scary. He gave me the above exercises to do at home 20 times/set, 2 sets, 5 times a day. I felt sick all day because of the inversion/eversion one. I have to go to PT 3 times a week at least until March 3.

While we were in proximity of the hospital I coaxed my grandmother into waiting in the Radiology department so we can pick up my records from the ER visit on 12.26.10. Here are three pictures that best show my injury. The rest are posted on Facebook if you care to see more. (Click image to enlarge)




When I got home I received a call from a classmate of mine. She and another classmate wanted to stop by and spend some time with me. I didn't turn down that offer! They hung out for a few hours and headed home. Shortly after I received a text from my friend Amanda asking if her and a few other of our friends could stop by. Again, I didn't turn it down. They showed up around 6ish and hung out for 45 minutes or so.

It's really good to have visitors. It breaks up the day or week and makes my "house arrest" more tolerable. I'm not looking forward to what PT brings tomorrow. He said he went easy on me today. Whatever that means.

ღ mmv

Good news?!

Today was my 5 week check up. I am still unable to bend my foot to the proper angle to wear my boot so I was really not looking forward to today's appointment. I explained to Dr. Rod my situation and was anticipating a "scolding." That didn't happened. He wanted to get some x-rays so he can see if there was a bone blocking another bone from moving to the position required for the boot and later, walking. He had the x-rays taken while I moved my foot back as far as I could bend it back with the aid of a towel. This view allowed him to determine what was going on, if anything. After he reviewed the images he concluded that I was just stiff and there wasn't in fact something blocking it. I would just have to work it harder, he said. Harder? How do you want me to do that? There's only so much I can do, and the minute it hurts or I think I'm doing something wrong I stop. He wants me to go back in 6 weeks to see my progress and then figure out when I should start physiotherapy. I'm not sure if what I'm doing to even try to get it bent is what I need to be doing. I'm not a PT'ist. I know nothing about how to get my foot to bend properly. Ok, I thought. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. As we were checking out, I was hoping there wouldn't be a repeat -almost death- situation like last time. You see, my grandmother was wheeling me down an incline and said she had me and I could let go of the wheels. So, what did I do? I let go. What shouldn't I have done? Let go. She didn't have me, she was on the phone talking to my aunt. Down the incline I rolled almost ending in my head being decapitated. Nice. REAL nice. So, I said a little prayer and asked for someone to help her guide me SAFELY out of the clinic. Not a second later she took grab of the wheelchair to begin our "adventure" back to the car. She swung my right foot into the wall! Ugh, not once, but TWICE. I don't think she likes me.......

A few hours ago I received a call from my Dr's office setting up an appointment for NEXT week for physiotherapy. Next week? Why? Oh, upon a second look at my x-rays Dr. Rod felt it was necessary to get me in as soon as possible for my ankles to be realigned and help aid me in getting my foot to bend again. As much as I appreciate the fact that he's trying to get me walking sooner as I have a deadline of being able to walk BY May (without the use of walking aids) so I can finish school instead of being dropped I'm not looking forward to them realigning my still very tender ankles. This is going to kill. I called Matty and told him what was going on and he gave me a silver lining. He said, "Well, that's better news than him saying you'd have to go in for more surgery." However, he quickly traded my silver lining in for a rain cloud, filled with very large hail and lightning by saying "It is going to suck when they have to twist your foot to where your joint realigns and you pass out from the pain...." Jerk. Well, actually, I'm not sure if I'd quite mind passing out from pain. At that point they would be able to do whatever they needed to do and I wouldn't care because, well, I'M PASSED OUT! I'm sure you'll have a lovely update to read after that appointment.

ღ mmv