I was so ready to get the cast off, that I arrived to my appointment 30 mins early. For anyone who knows me, you all know that that is realllly early for me. I sat in the waiting room both excited and anxious to be moving into the next phase of my recovery. When I got called back, the cast technician came to my patient room to cut my cast off. I have heard that the cast saw is a frightening experience because you can't tell if the saw is going to cut into your skin. I was sweating bullets the entire time because it literally seemed as if he would cut into my leg.
The technician couldn't get the cast off fast enough. Waiting to see what my leg and ankle looked like was like waiting to open presents on Christmas morning. He finally got it off, and I was surprised that my skin didn't look as bad as I had assumed it would, it was just really dry. I was surprised to see how dark my scabs were on my incisions.
After getting the cast off, I went for another round of X-rays. I didn't get the digital images this time, but they didn't look much different from my 2-weeks post-op X-rays. You can see a stronger white color on some of the break lines, which indicates the bones are growing back together.
Next, my doctor came and looked at my ankle and the X-rays and he was pleased with the progress. He didn't have much to say, so I made sure I cornered him with the list of questions that I prepared for the appointment. Below are the list of questions I asked and my doctor's answers:
1) How do I take care of the incisions/scars? Remove the steri-strips when you get home and use an over the counter scar treatment.
2)When will I be able to swim again? I would wait at least 4 more weeks to allow the bones to continue to set. (This answer broke my heart. I had really been hoping that he would have allowed me to return to the pool sooner)
3) Can I return to cycling with both feet? Yes. As long as you wear the boot and don't push it too hard. (This was a small victory!)
4) When will I be able to fly again? 2-3 weeks at the minimum, but I would wait at least 4 weeks.
5) When will I be able to go to the beach? 6 weeks minimum. (My heart broke for the 2nd time. With no swimming, no beach, no flying, I knew my upcoming spring break would be seriously lacking in fun)
6) Can you refer me to a Physical Therapist that works with athletes? Yes. (The PT coordinator arranged my PT at a Sports Medicine clinic.)
7) Will I have to wear the boot at night? No. We'll give you a brace. (This was another small victory) He went on to recommend that I get an orthotic insert to put in my boot that would provide some support for my new arch.
With that all settled, I was off to the cast room for my boot fitting. I was given a wonderful black terminator boot and a stirrup brace for night (the same kind volleyball players wear for ankle support). I was dreading having to put my foot in a 90 degree position in the boot (considering my ankle was casted at an angle to allow the newly transferred tendon to rest). I have read that many people have trouble with this. Luckily, for me it wasn't too much of a struggle. My incisions touching the sides of the boot was the worst part. After my boot fitting, I was approved to start partial weight bearing 20-40%. The first few steps, with the support of my lovely crutches, were really difficult.
Next, I met with the PT coordinator and got my prescription for PT. And then, after checking out of the administration desk, I was on my way home. I stopped at Wallgreens on my way home and picked up some gel orthotic inserts for my boot.
My next post-op appointment is in 6 weeks on April 5th, 2013.
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