Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Day 175+


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
Getting closer and closer to the actual 6th month mark! Eeeek! Exciting. Gosh I wish I could run. Have I mentioned that?

My foot is feeling a bit better today. Not enough of an improvement from day to day to keep me happy, but I'm wondering what exactly that would take at this point? Not sure. Anyways, I'm hanging in there! I'm anxious to get back to boxing as well, since I'm out of that too, until the stitches are removed. Or at least until this gash heals up some more!

Day 174+


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
Lovely photo, isn't it?! Yes, I know. My pride and joy right there.

I'm walking a bit better. It's still very sore, it feels a little bit better than when the screw was in there, but I can't really tell for sure yet. The whole area is still so sore from surgery, ugh. I still can't touch the outside of my foot, nor can I touch my heel of course...it still has stitches in it, for another week. So it's sandals for me for a while!

My soon-to-be sister-in-law, Ana, so kindly donated her bike to me, so after my Dad and Juan spent some time fixin' it all up for me, they're so wonderful, I finally took it out yesterday afternoon. I don't think I've ridden a bicycle that wasn't permanently adhered to the gym floor in oh...say...10 or 15 years. Okay, that's a lie, I rode once a couple years ago. Anyways, it was tricky at first, but after a lap around the block, I felt confident enough to take it for a real ride. So I "biked" my errands yesterday. So much fun! And today, my legs hurt in a strange way. Not like the muscles inside hurt like when you normally get sore, but my legs hurt to touch... like even my skin hurts! It's very odd, but that's okay. I'm excited to have this new bike to play with. Hopefully I'll be running in the next 2 weeks, but, *sigh* I will bike for now!

Day 167+, Surgery #2, Hardware Removal


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
So here I am, right after the second surgery to remove the huge painful screw from my heel. And after looking at it I realized I shouldn't feel like a wuss for being in so much pain. That thing is enormous, and really shouldn't be inside your body, or sticking out of your heel. :)

Surgery went well, it was tougher and more involving than the surgeon let on, but oh well, it's over now. It only took a few minutes for him to unscrew, by hand, and remove the heel from my bone. There is a nice incision on the back of my heel and two huge stitches closing it back up. I was under for quite a while, and pretty much slept all day. Something about surgery, it's the best sleep ever! No interruptions! It was pretty painful that day, not nearly as painful as the reconstruction itself, ugh...that gives me the shivers! But I couldn't "walk" out of the OR like the Doc said I would be able to. I couldn't bear any weight the day of surgery.

By the end of the first day post op, I could bear a little bit of weight, so that's good. I was on pain meds the first day, and that was it. Didn't need them after that! Yippie! But was really sick the next couple days, just slept straight through them.

Overall, hardware removal was a definite success, and I even got to take the screw home with me. It's definitely my favorite piece of hardware, even above all the trophies and medals I've collected over the years, because this shows what I've gone through more than any award ever could!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Day 162+


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
Day 162 post op, 4/16/09. My foot swells so much, that with a shoe on, all the swelling gets pushed up to where there is no shoe constraining it. Nice. Real nice. This picture was taken in the middle of the day, after I had been sitting all day. Oh, wait, actually—— I did go to boxing that morning. But still, it gets sooo swollen all day.

I had my 5 1/2 month post-op check up with the Doc on Friday. He said it looks great! It feels amazing (minus the screw). The doc said last time I was in that I could run if I was up to it. Unfortunately, I only made it once because the screw causes so much pain I can't push off of the ball of my foot. He felt the back of my heel, where the screw head sticks out and mentioned how big the screw head was, as if I can't feel how big it is. :) So he asked me if I wanted it out, I said yes, he asked when, I tried to get him to do it the next day, hehe, but he actually said I could do it Tuesday (tomorrow) to my surprise. He had initially told me after 6 mos I could get it removed, but I am long since healed so we are good to go!

So tomorrow morning I go in for "hardware removal." He said it wasn't a big deal, but the nurse already called me and I have to prepare for "surgery." I wish they wouldn't call it surgery. I can't handle another one. It's exhausting. But then again, I'd rather prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised than the opposite.

I woke up today and my heel felt great. All day it felt great, really. I thought it was a sign, that maybe I should just give it a couple more months, that maybe the pain will subside. So I went for a "run" when I got home, and that definitely convinced me that I am making the right decision. I didn't make it far at all. Granted, I did much better than last time, but it's just not worth it right now. I am for sure going to pull another muscle or throw something out of whack because of how bad I am limping when I run. It's just not right!

So wish me luck tomorrow, I'm pretty nervous and very anxious to be myself again. I can do two a days at boxing class, but still cant run. I REALLY want to run. Soccer...well, we'll talk about soccer later. The doc said I could play, but I dont think he understands that I, nor the people I play with, play for "fun." :)

Day 162+, Right Ankle


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
Day 162+ post op. 4/16/09.

Day 162+, Left Ankle


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
For comparison. 4/16/09.

Day 139+


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Originally uploaded by megalitz
Day 139+ post op, I can stand on one leg all by myself! This was taken two months ago now, haha, I've been a bit busy, but it was very exciting! I've been back at boxing for about 2 months, I even tried running once! It was a beautiful day, I went out for a "walk" and was uber frustrated right off the bat because I'm so tired of walking. I want to run!! So I tried very slowly to run, and to my surprise, I could do it! I must have run a mile! Very slowly, and embarrassingly, but I ran a mile! I cried a little too. From happiness. Very overwhelming. I've been through a lot these past five months! More later!