Achilles tendon update

[nlbarber]

Dr E. was busy having a baby on Thursday when I went in for a check after a week in the walking cast boot. (Apparently her due date was Friday.) Instead I saw Dr. S., a fill-in (Dr. E. has a solo practice), who was quite harried trying to see a full schedule of patients with no prep and deal with an office computer system and files she was unfamiliar with. The staff was harried trying to get Dr. S. to do things their way. <g>

I tried to offer a summary of my problems, but got cut off in favor of a few directed questions, an out-loud reading of the MRI report, and a brief physical exam in which Dr. S. was somewhat frustrated because nothing hurt. I told her that was the way it went--when I'm not hurting, generally no pressure or movement will hurt. When I am hurting, there's a definite are and type of pain...until it stops again.

Anyway, we didn't discuss any treatment except continuing the walking cast/boot for at least a 4-week period, then see if it was ready for PT. She suggested I try to sleep in the boot, keep it pumped up tight to really restrict all movement possible, and try getting an elastic ankle brace for additional support. All these are underway--sleeping in the thing is...OK, the ankle brace was bought yesterday and is now on for the first time, and I'm keeping more pressure in the boot except for occasional rest breaks where I'm careful not to move around. We'll see how this goes.

Don't know when Dr. E. will be back. I asked the receptionist, but she said they were playing it by ear. That could mean weeks or months, I guess, but I'd assume she will try to get back in the office quickly given the one-woman operation it is.

Comments

The walking boot

[sfminou.livejournal.com]

I'm wearing the same stylish footware -- since March 23, and I'm decidedly tired of it. I've worn out two left shoes while the rights remain pristine, I have a permanent collection of bruises on the opposite inside knee, and I'm envious of you for figuring out how to make the pressure pads work for you!
My problem is bone surgery on multiple toes and whatever the bones are called that reach down to them.(Phlanges are fingers, right?) I have pins and butterflies, and I'm now on the third antibiotic prescription. You might tell that I'm a bit grouchy.
My cats love the foot, though, now that I'm not using the foam elevator cushion. They were crowded out by that, and were not happy. They snuggle right up to it unless I'm sleeping in the air cast.
On the duvet question: My cats like something they can sink their claws into, so I keep a thermal-type blanket (which fits an ordinary washer even in queen size) on top of the silk comforter. I've tried sheets, but as you demonstrated, cats can Deal with that!
Your post popped up when I was looking for Theo Waitley comments -- is there a connection?
Kathy

Re: The walking boot

[nlbarber]

You are making me most grateful that my boot-wearing periods have been only 4 weeks or so. Of course, I wish the first round had fixed the problem, but maybe a more stringent second time will do the trick. I definitely want to avoid surgery if possible. Your bone surgery sounds like No Fun.

I don't often kick my other leg, but I've had a round of catching the boot on furniture, doorways, and other fixed objects, to the detriment of the objects and the occasional almost-fall. And scaring the cats, who don't appreciate the clomping boot. They haven't been thrilled with me sleeping in it, either.

I'm not sure I commented on Theo over here--it probably would have been during the Fledgling/Saltation writing period if I did. Just finished reading the finished Saltation on my iPad--I was waiting on my copy as a pre-supporter, patience ran out, and I bought the ebook from Webscriptions. Now I want Ghost Ship immediately. We need that direct download from Sharon's brain, filtered through Steve.

Are you on the Friends of Liad list? Or Bujold? I'm on both, though pretty inactive on Liad. I joined the Theo Waitley LJ community, but those don't track well in my RSS reader so I haven't participated in any LJ discussion.

[sfminou.livejournal.com]

I'm on FB Friends of Liad -- was that the one you meant? I'm just figuring LJ out, bit by bit. As for Bujold, I haven't read anything. She began writing about the time Barry Longyear did, and I met her, I think. Too bad I didn't meet Miles Vorseghian then, but I'll enjoy them more now that I can burn through them quickly. That's the frustrating part of Liad: waiting! Steve said the other day that Ghost Ship looks like 2012.

[nlbarber]

No, there's an email list called "Friends of Liad"--Steve and Sharon are active there. It's run by Scott Raun. Let's see...http://www.fireopal.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/liad is a sign-up page. It's generally pretty low traffic, though I think Steve and Sharon are now posting mostly the same things to the Liad list, their LJ blogs, and FB. Sharon's new Carousel Tides blog on LJ may not get echoed everywhere, though. The mailing list does get more traffic for setting up parties at cons and things.

Yes, long wait for Ghost Ship, though Mouse and Dragon will be here shortly. I broke down and bought the e-ARC of M&D, so I won't have anything new except for chapbooks until Ghost Ship.

I highly recommend Bujold--I like some of the fantasies even better than many of the Vorkosigan books, partly because she's grown so as a writer from those early books. If you like space opera, though, do give the Vorkosigan books a try. If you're not one who has to read in strict series order I'd be glad to offer some other entry points than "the first one". [g] There's a new Miles book out this fall after a years-long gap while Bujold wrote a couple of fantasy series.