Ankle Ankle surgery 12/21/2023

[MissFanny]

I am feeling a little better today! I have done next to nothing for 4 days, which I am not crazy about but I do like healing up. I am being super careful when I move, bringing my foot up closer to me when I pull and strap my boot on or massage the swelling in my shin, ankle and foot. I am careful not to twist and lift or bounce hard while I pivot. Also making sure I sit on even surfaces and keep my good (hard working) leg relaxed when I can. It’s all helping! Never thought I would have to be so careful about regular movement, but there you have it. The surgeon’s office also said i can rub analgesic cream on the sore spots. I haven’t used that stuff since before my hip replacements, so I will need to dig around for it.

Going to try to increase my activity again a little tomorrow. But just a little.

Today, I binged TV, napped, and ate my weight in tortilla chips.

 

[mendogal]

That's a lot to be mindful of with each movement!
Besides fostering healing, it may have a side benefit of increased understanding of your unique body structure, its glitches and its strengths.
Hang in there!

 

[benne68]

Never thought I would have to be so careful about regular movement,

Gives new meaning to the term "I feel like I'm walking on eggs...."

 

[MissFanny]

I’m feeling pretty well! Good weekend except for really rotten weather. I’m in the Midwestern US and it is brutally cold.

I submitted a request for my surgeon to release me for work as follows:

- January 18-31, work from home half days
- February 1-18, work from home full days
- February 19, no restrictions

Surgeon may not go for the “no restrictions” without seeing me first, but that’s 8 weeks from my accident.

I am ready to dip my toes back into real life, fill a few hours of my day, and not be so isolated from others.

 

[djklaugh]

@MissFanny It is lovely to hear you are feeling better and ready to get back to your regular activities. I hope your surgeon agrees!

 

[Annie N]

Good luck.

 

[MissFanny]

I’m approved to go back to work half days beginning tomorrow! I never thought I would be so excited to go back to work, but it feels like another step toward normalcy. Also, I feel lonely and isolated. The weather is terrible here right now and no one is traveling. We had snow dumped on us on two separate days, and now it’s dangerously cold. Luckily, my husband is home shortly after 1 pm every day—he goes to work early—but I am ready to engage with people and have some purpose in my days.

My healing continues to look good. I tried to cut out my one remaining pain pill I take at night, but that didn’t go so well. My heel and ankle ached too much in bed. But I am down to 2,000 mg acetaminophen (1 in the morning, 2 in the early afternoon, and 1 with a pain pill before bed) and the 1 Percocet. My swelling is significantly decreased, so my range of motion in that ankle is better. I have been doing real gentle ROM exercises. My hip and lower back pain continue to be an issue, but I have resigned myself to the idea that will be an issue until I resume walking normally.

On that note, I am thinking about ordering an even up shoe leveler for when I start walking in my boot. Does anyone use something like this? Any product recommendations?

 

[djklaugh]

@MissFanny It's great to hear your surgeon has cleared you to go back to work! And do be very, very cautious if walking outside in slippery conditions! As for the shoe leveler .... I know nothing about those and would urge you to check with your surgeon before buying any. While it sounds like it might help your surgeon should be the one to have the most knowledge and advise specific to your situation.

 

[Annie N]

Hi there, good news but do be careful. You will really enjoy work for a bit but do take it easy it will get done eventually & if not you did your best.
Never heard of a shoe lifter but still very cautious as it looks too me to be a trip hazard, you don't want to fall again! Do you have walking, chunky trainers or snow boots you can clean up & wear around the house to level you up & give you grip? That is what I was told to do when I got my boot. If not I think you can get inserts that might be safer. Even a flattish platform shoe might do it, save you money & be one shoe not two bits.
Lindy has been doing this a while I bet she's got ideas.

 

[MissFanny]

I don’t have shoes with soles that thick. I do have a pair of shoes with extra inserts. I put them in and they still didn’t even up my legs + they made my shoes uncomfortably tight. I sent my surgeon’s PA a message and asked about the shoe leveler. I will let you know what his thoughts are when he responds!

 

[Annie N]

Can you safely take the soft lining out of your boot? Mines got a big rubber pad inside, it's going to be replaced with one of my orthotics when I'm using it to walk

 

[Lindylee]

I used a height increasing air cushion heel lift insert. It had 3 layers that increased from 3 to 6 cm but I only used 3cm. I didn’t want a full insert as it would have made my trainer too tight. It worked well in my trainer and a walking boot but if you needed something higher it would have to be a walking boot.

 

[Annie N]

That insert is interesting.
I've got some higher platform sketchers sandals I've been wearing indoors they look like this, might work if you're indoors, it's almost level & working for me

 

[MissFanny]

The PA responded most people don’t use anything and do just fine, but if I want to use the shoe elevator, it’s fine. I don’t know how anyone could stand to walk lopsided. My hip and back hurt thinking about it.

 

[Lindylee]

The chap in the plaster room mentioned the shoe lifts. I have scoliosis in my lumbar spine and being more lopsided that usual gave me a lot of pain. Walking wasn’t too bad as long as I made sure not to limp but it was standing. After 5 minutes I was in agony.

I didn’t fancy the thing that went over the whole shoe although I suppose it is just creating a platform but with the 2 heel lifts I could have one in my indoor trainer and one in my outdoor walking boot and I found them quite comfortable.

 

[Annie N]

Possibly most folk don't walk far?
I've been in a boot now on 6 occasions & have only ever used a walking boot on the other side but the sketchers are higher.
if you are still healing perhaps don't do too much & do it slowly & carefully. It's only a few more weeks now. You will feel very odd when the boot comes off so be prepared. Do you have a walking stick?

 

[Lindylee]

It felt odd the first day without the boot but I soon got used to it. I have been taking it slowly, had to go to podiatrist this morning and hospital on the bus with other half this afternoon and by the time we got home and I’d done my exercises it was quite painful so I’ll take it easier tomorrow and give it a bit of a rest. I did use one crutch out as the pavements are so uneven. I have walking sticks left over from TKR’S plus walking poles so plenty of options.

Because of my scoliosis I’m a bit lop sided before I start adding height on the wrong side. If the boot had been on the other foot I might have been alright.

 

[Lindylee]

I should have added that I am 9 years older than you and it does make a difference. One of the physios that I saw at Kingston for my knee gave me the leaflet for the knee scooter as she said crutches become very difficult once you’re over 70. Another bonus of getting older!

it gets me sometimes when so many friends say they’ve gone downhill since reaching 70. I started going downhill at 50!

 

[MissFanny]

@Lindylee, I get feeling like you have gone downhill starting at 50. I turned 55 December 22 and feel like this decade has been plagued with problems! I can’t even drink alcohol anymore. Even that knocks me on my tail. Even in my 40s, I could hit a brewery with my friends at night, then get up and ride my bike 25 miles. Nowadays, no booze, consistent (and early) bedtime schedule or I won’t sleep, joint replacements, weight gain, missed steps coming down stairs resulting in calamity . . . I have got to get myself together!

I wish I could go somewhere and try different shoes and devices to see what would work best, but we have ridiculous amounts of snow on the ground right now and getting in and out of the house is challenging as it is. But I still have until 1/31 for my next appointment. Maybe I can get out by then. I like the idea of a platform sneaker, but I’m already quite tall and would probably never wear them post recovery. Maybe I can find something reasonably priced on Amazon.

 

[MissFanny]

I just found a pair of wedge sneakers for the same price as that even up shoe leveler. I am going to try that instead. I will let you know how it goes!