Well this week it will be four months since I had the brostrom procedure as well as repair on the peroneal tendon, drilling in the foot and repair. I fell off a porch delivering pizza and have been out on worker's comp since December. I'm still struggling with some pain, still wearing the lace up boot when I leave the house. As long as the pavement/road is a flat surface I am fine, but if it is uneven or steps are involved, I'm still struggling. I see the surgeon this Tuesday and he has me scheduled to return to Dominos next Wednesday 6/27/12. So nervous about returning to work, esp with still struggling with stairs and uneven pavement. Sigh, guess we shall see what the doctor says on Tuesday!
Joyful, sorry you're still having trouble. Are you still going to PT?
Yes I'm going three days a week. It just seems so weak still - but I had a late start on PT I think. This is only my third week really. In general the pain is much, much better - unless the terrain is uneven or steps/hills are involved.
Hey JOYFUL! I'm sorry you're struggling so much. I still am struggling with pain and swelling but doctor says I will be for another 6 months. I think you hit it on the head with mentioning PT. I think after more PT your ankle will be stronger and you will trust it more. I wish you didn't have to go back to work until you've gotten through a little more PT especially with what that job demands. Definitely keep wearing your lace up brace and do your PT exercised religiously as that will help strengthen your ankle faster and elevate and ice! Hope it gets there soon. I'm not totally confident in my ankle yet either, but since PT, it has gotten so much easier (well after I had a LOT of PT, not in the beginning)! Keep us up to date!
Well I saw the doctor today, it was not a good visit. Sigh. I told him how much pain I'm still having on uneven pavement, that steps are nearly impossible and that sometimes if I move my foot wrong that the tendon pops on the side of my ankle and it really hurts. He did all these tests on me - pushing against his hand from side to side....it really hurt, leg was shaking - couldn't do it very well. His comment, yeah, you can go back to work next week. I wanted to smack him I did make a comment about how painful it still is and he reiterated that I could return to work. So I left, my foot pounding like it hasn't done in quite some time and was really discouraged.
Talked to my manager tonight at Dominos - she wanted me to take longer, but I cannot since it's workers comp, so she's gonna gradually bring me on the schedule, only working a few hours at a time instead of a whole shift. I am so relieved that she is so willing to work with me....THAT is a huge plus in this whole thing today. Anyway, just wanted to send out an update. Go back to doctor in six weeks and continue with rehab.
The following user gives a hug of support to joyful123: LoriLynnB (06-20-2012)
hi, so sorry you are going thru this. seems to me you are just getting started w/ this PT thing. I had achiles tendon reconstruction a couple of yrs ago and it took 3 different iternations of PT for me (but I have fibromyalgia too). One thing that really help strengten my ankle was water walking in a pool. If there's anyway you can do that I'd try it. I would walk back and forth and back and forth in the pool (had a PT with me) but that's the exercise she had me doing. It took me a year to fully recover but with my fibro I take longer that most.
If you are not satisfied with this dr. can you get another opinion?
I'm not sure if I can get a second opinion or not - since it's workers comp. This recovery has been very slow for me and very frustrating. I do have a therapy pool about 20 minutes from me that I could start going to. I did walk around the boardwalk today down by the water, it wore me out and really hurt, but it's the only thing I know to do to try to get some strength in this ankle of mine. I do have a call out to my lawyer about returning to work, etc.....it is overwhelming. Thankfully I do have a very good PT...which helps alot
I would get a second opinion. You'll need to find out from HR what their rules are about a second opinion, (mine didn't allow for one without their permission) but the bottom line is if your tendons are snapping then you may be retearing them. I had a tendon repair done last year and complained to my PT and my surgeon that it was snapping and neither one listened. I'm a nurse and went back to work but just couldn't get past pain and all of the snapping. So I got another MRI done and went to a new surgeon - turns out my tendons had retorn, a ligament completely ruptured and I had a major joint effusion! The peroneal tendons had been flipping over my malleolus that whole time. I ended up with a Brostrom repair/tendon transfer two months ago. A second surgery just about put me over the edge but I'm so glad I listened to my body and had it checked out again. The second surgeon did a GREAT job and I am just returing to work at nine weeks postop.
JOYFUL--oh sweetie I'm so sorry! As If we haven't been through enough and now you are feeling your tendons pop again? I want to smack your doctor for you!!! GRRR!! I'm glad you have a great manager at Dominos who is so willing to work with you! Also glad you put a call into your lawyer. Ask if there is any way for a 2nd opinion. Like PFILLBERT, after my first surgery I went back to work as an RN in the SICU way too early, but my doctor said I could. I ended up with complications. Those kicked off a long line of further injuries which landed me my 2nd surgery on the same day as yours! I don't want that to happen to you!! I know it's WC, but what happens if you take further time off? Would you lose your job or would WC drop you and leave you will all bills because you didn't follow their orders (you know, seeing as how they are doctors and such! Ugh!)
Well, if I don't go back next Wednesday - yes, I will lose the job. Legally they have to pay for everything whether I go back or not. However, I have such a supportive manager that is so willing to work with my full time schedule - that it seems more logical to return rather than look for work elsewhere. I'm still working out logistics. The popping in my tendon is something my ankle has done for several years, I don't think it is related to the surgery/injury....it just hurts more now than it used to when it would pop. My PT thought maybe the tendons were not back in the "groove" yet, but the doctor yesterday said they felt fine to him, so I have no idea. I did take a Tramadol last night as well as this morning, which has helped with the pain.
So I am going to try to go in for two hours next Wednesday and see how it goes. I figure I will try to keep an open mind for a few weeks before I become the squeaky wheel at the doctor's office, believe me I have no problem doing that
I did get a couple new exercises today at PT. The walk a straight line, toe to toe. I was so unsteady and off balance for that one. The PT said my left ankle is just as weak, if not more weak than the one I just had surgery on. I told her to be quiet and that it would be "our little secret" for now. She was amused. So I'm very wobbly on my feet still, but the left ankle is as bad as the right one was before surgery - so I'm sure that isn't helping my rehab much Just keep telling myself one step at a time - literately!
Well, if I don't go back next Wednesday - yes, I will lose the job. Legally they have to pay for everything whether I go back or not. However, I have such a supportive manager that is so willing to work with my full time schedule - that it seems more logical to return rather than look for work elsewhere. I'm still working out logistics. The popping in my tendon is something my ankle has done for several years, I don't think it is related to the surgery/injury....it just hurts more now than it used to when it would pop. My PT thought maybe the tendons were not back in the "groove" yet, but the doctor yesterday said they felt fine to him, so I have no idea. I did take a Tramadol last night as well as this morning, which has helped with the pain.
So I am going to try to go in for two hours next Wednesday and see how it goes. I figure I will try to keep an open mind for a few weeks before I become the squeaky wheel at the doctor's office, believe me I have no problem doing that
I did get a couple new exercises today at PT. The walk a straight line, toe to toe. I was so unsteady and off balance for that one. The PT said my left ankle is just as weak, if not more weak than the one I just had surgery on. I told her to be quiet and that it would be "our little secret" for now. She was amused. So I'm very wobbly on my feet still, but the left ankle is as bad as the right one was before surgery - so I'm sure that isn't helping my rehab much Just keep telling myself one step at a time - literately!
Oh I definitely agree it sounds more logical to go back to work with a supportive manager! So great that's she's being so good about it! Yes keep an open mind! I know that balance exercise you are talking about. I had to do it too, but I had to stand on the bad foot while holding my good foot up in the air and throw a medicine ball back and forth with my PT. I'm still so unsteady on my left ankle. My right one is strong, but it does make this really bad clicking and catching now. Not sure what that is about. My ankle has been swelling to softball and grapefruit size almost every day because I've had so much to do to get ready for Spain. I leave tomorrow and it is hurting. My doctor gave me extra pain meds to take with me and now I'm so thankful because I'm going to need it! I'm really worried about the flight and swelling!
I figure I will get to that point in rehab - I had to do that after my knee surgery a couple years ago. I'm sorry you are having so much swelling, hopefully the airlines will work with you! I hope you have a wonderful trip and are able to see/do everything you want and that your foot cooperates
Thanks! It isn't a vacation though. It's a mission trip with my church. We will teach a VBS and a separate English camp in 8 days and the other 4 are travel days! We are doing double the # of camps in the same amount of time with 2 less people than we normally have and one of those being injured sort of (me). Should be interesting!
Well, I had my first night at Dominos tonight - the first time I've been back since my injury on 12/3/11. It was a challenging night for me. Thankfully I only worked 2.5 hours. I am still struggling with standing on my foot in general for long periods of time. Tonight is the longest I have stood on my foot for that long since before my injury. I took four deliveries and by the time I was done - I could hardly drive because my foot was throbbing so badly. It was throbbing due to standing on it for so long. When I left work - I could hardly walk, my whole foot felt like it was on fire, and it was throbbing/pounding all the way home. I am off of it now, it is elevated - still pretty uncomfortable, but the pounding has stopped. It just feels really swollen and "tight" now. I am going to find something to eat and put some ice on my ankle. I may take some Tramadol - I haven't decided yet. Tomorrow morning I see my PT - I'm kinda relieved that I see her tomorrow - after this evening.......
Well, on top of still struggling with my ankle pain I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last Thursday. It does make my mind feel a little better as far as why everything still hurts so much. It actually explains several things I've been dealing with - since at least the surgery, if not longer. I am going to contact my surgeon on Tuesday to tell him the diagnosis as I'm supposed to go back to Dominos on Wednesday and I'm not sure if this new piece of information will change anything.
I did go swimming this morning at an indoor pool, they also have a therapy pool, so I swam a little bit, did my exercises for rehab and sat in the Jacuzzi at the end to settle the ankle down again. It has been screaming at me ever since, but it did feel good to get in a pool again
Joyful: Have you called your WC to ask about getting a second opinion? I had surgery in November on my peroneal tendon due to a work injury. I too have been dealing with pain and swelling. I am living on a compounding cream since the second MRI did not show any problems. The surgeon has isolated the problem to the joint but he does not want to cut my foot a third time without a definitive diagnosis. When I spoke to WC they have given me the option of seeing another doctor, but at this point I declined. If you call them, they will probably allow you to see another doctor to be safe.
I actually have a lawyer and asked him on Friday about getting a second opinion. I called a few other doctor offices and they all said I had to wait until the six month mark to get a second opinion for workers comp? I have no idea if that's true or not as I haven't had a chance to call my lawyer back. Being diagnosed with the fibromyalgia has helped me "mentally" as it does appear that having this condition does slow down the healing process and causes more pain. So we shall see I guess.
Lawyer said to call another office - I guess the one I called doesn't have a very good reputation. Should I see another ankle specialist or a regular ortho for a second opinion? I'm thinking ankle specialist, but not sure. I worked again for Dominos on Wed for 2.5 hours. I was so swollen that I could barely move my foot. The foot/ankle felt like it was on fire again and was so stiff it was uncomfortable. Sigh. I emailed my doctor again and let him know. Guess we'll see what he says this time.......sigh.
I did make a comment about how painful it still is and he reiterated that I could return to work. So I left, my foot pounding like it hasn't done in quite some time and was really discouraged.
Just keep telling myself one step at a time - literately!
