Ok, today was the day I finally saw Dr. White in orthopedics at Fort Belvoir, in Alexandria, Va. My referral was given to me in April and it took this long to get in. Walter Reed has recently closed and they moved those people to Ft. Belvoir and Bethesda, so that and the docs being deployed has put a strain on dependents getting appointments.

Dr. White said exactly what  Dr. Ellison in LaPlata had said when I last saw him. Fusing the bones together is the next step. However, she doesn't do that kind of surgery, so I'll be going back to LaPlata to see what the Doc says and probably have surgery. Apparently the bones are ragged and rubbing against each other causing my pain. She showed me some amazing pictures from exrays today and cat scan when it happened. The recovery is quite long, (off of the foot for three months), so I want to try to schedule it in the fall/winter time. It looks like I'll have another year of recovery.

I'm very upset today, but I keep thinking I can't go on like this. It will only get worse and I'm sure the longer I wait the harder the recovery. Older bones don't heal like younger ones.

Please pray for me. My Mom and Dad pray to Saint Servatus patron saint of foot problems. Deb and Diane have also had problems, sooo... stay tuned.

Slipping Over Gravity---Missing Logic!

Somehow this Sam Phillips lyric seems a fitting title to this blog entry.

I visited the doc today.I've not been happy with my recovery from my heel break,(Feb 28, 2011). The orthapedic doc told me it would take a year to heal. A friend said, your mind may have heard a year,but your body heals in its own time.

I live with varying degrees of pain everyday and am unable to do many things I'd like to. The pain is mostly in the outside of my left ankle and not the heel. This too is another of my concerns.

So the doc has taken X-rays and given me a referral to an orthopedic doctor and wants me to have an MRI. I will have the MRI first and we'll see.

I won't be going back to Dr. Cutie Pie, but I'm hoping it will be good to have fresh eyes on this. Apparently there are enough ortho docs back from deployment for me to see one in a military facility. I'm hoping I won't need surgery,we'll see. If they want to do surgery I'd like to try other holistic things first-- acupuncture, reiki, etc.

I manage the varying degrees of pain with an arnica cream. It really helps and I don't have to take a pill. If you have arthritis I recommend this. Just look at the ingredients in the package and make sure it says arnica.

Stay tuned there's more to come.

Nine months in, fall has arrived

It's definitely fall as the leaves continue to change color and drop. Temperatures have been warmer then normal, but you can feel the cold coming

That being said I am not troubled by my foot telling me a change is in the air---yet. I've been told it will take a couple of years for arthritis to set in. I say "Arthr" is not invited.

I've finished physical therapy, but continue to do the exercises here at home. I have good days and bad days, but feel I'm heading in the right direction. Sometimes I feel if I could just have a chiropractic adjustment everything would fall into place.

I walk mostly without a limp, but have daily pain. It just varies from 1-10, although it's usually in the low range. When it's bad seems to be when I'm on my feet all day or working in the garden too long. Mostly on the outside fibula and ankle area. I am trying to listen to the pain and quit while I'm ahead.

I am finally walking down the stairs with both of my feet pointing forward. I have to hang on to the railing and wall, but at least I don't have to take one step at a time. I must go heel first, so it's a bit strange, but I'm getting used to it. Try it out, it's very different.

My yoga practice seems to help and I can finally do tree on my left foot at least for a short period of time.

The therapist would like me to be able to balance on my foot for one minute. I keep trying. This is an uphill battle. Warrior helps too! ;}

Stay warm and cuddle!

Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

Those days of peanuts and pretzels and beer. Bob and Rob are having some at the Nats game today. Great day for a ball game.

Foot update: Insurance for physical therapy has run out. My therapist put in for more and says I need about 4-6 weeks more. I've been going three times a week. Will resume when I return from Rhode Island.

I will be going to Rhode Island to help Steph out as she prepares for baby #3, Vincent. While there I hope to keep Sam and Bella occupied so she can rest a bit more.

I went back to the YMCA a couple of weeks ago with Bob and did some of my therapy there. I found they have props similar to my physical therapists, so I ride a bike and do stretches and other contortions. I went yesterday and did a few balances on the half ball and think I over did it a bit.

This past week I was almost walking without a limp. The therapist wants me to use my full stride on the left side and so I have to remind myself, as I've come to rely on my right side too much. Full pronation she says.

I still must take one step at a time going downstairs. My foot just doesn't want to bend that far yet. This also prevents me from squatting, as you can imagine, so if I need to get down on the floor I bend my left leg and place my right knee on the floor and then lower myself. Just reverse to get up.

It's funny how you learn to manage when you can't do things----and then the therapist says, "do it" and I really have to switch gears in my mind because it's been so long since standing on just that foot for instance.

This is my fifth month.

I am progressing and find I don't need ice every night anymore. My arnica cream is helping and I recommend it to anyone suffering from muscle pain.

All for now!

Fibula--you've got to be kidding

So my next hurdle in my recovery seems to be my fibula. This is a small bone that runs from your knee area and forms your outside ankle. Mine is like a red hot poker and bee sting all in one, right in the ankle area. Not all the time, but mostly after physical therapy.

Don't get me wrong I love my physical therapist. The problem is I was feeling soo much better. I haven't had pain like this since the first few weeks after the accident. I know it's all part of the process, but I really am literally taking two steps forward and one step back. At least that's what it feels like.

I am very thankful to my friend Lisa--she's a physical therapist in another county--for giving me a gel ice pack I can wrap around my foot. It really helps. ;)

Going down stairs is the hardest and at this point I turn my injured foot side ways and step down with my good foot. One step at a time. I just don't have the flexion in that foot. Sometimes I feel like my leg is doing all the work.

I took Tad to pt in Friday and he charmed everyone there, as he always does. They found a toy golf ball and he was in heaven, but when it rolled under a curtain separating patients, he knew he couldn't go there and just looked. The pt inside kicked it out. He's so funny!

I have another session today and continue to pick up marbles, stretch and do the runners stretch, my favorite NOT! I keep thinking work through the pain and my yoga breathing really helps me there.

Continue your prayers as I think about my future with this foot.

Love you all!!! And thanks for letting me vent.

Spain

We arrived home from Spain yesterday. I can report that we had a fabulous time and my foot was cooperative for the most part.

Upon arrival we did a walking tour and the tour company provided me with a wheelchair. Bob pushed me most of the way, but our friend Michel as well as two younger gentlemen helped. I was able to walk stairs and one day went with my friend Margie into town to shop without the wheelchair. Of course, upon returning to my room ice was in order.

My last visit to the doctor was good and he wants to see me in six months. Most of my pain is on the outside of the ankle. I will continue with physical therapy to strengthen that part of my ankle.

On my last visit my physical therapist really put me through the works. Runners stretch for a minute and then with bent knee really did me in and was quite painful. I am also now standing on a thick sponge as well. She wanted me stand on one foot--my bad one--. I could not so she just had me rock back and forth trying to keep weight on the entire foot, not just the heel. Again, painful.

While in Spain I took my stretchy band and did my exercises, even the runners stretch. I really think it helps an am thankful for this process. I am able to listen to "My Left Foot" and stop and ice it when needed. I also purchased a cream with arnica that helps with the pain. I feel more normal everyday and am soo, thankful I'm heeling.

We met a young lady while in the airport. She and I shared a wheelchair ride in an elevator. She had been pinned to a wall by a motorcycle in Spain and had hurt her knee. The Spain docs couldn't do much for her because she wasn't a citizen and so she was coming home early from a study tour to be treated. She couldn't even get pain medication. Keep her in your prayers. It had been several days since the accident. I really felt bad for her.

Back to a normal routine today. Good to be HOME!

My two new shoes

Finally purchased new shoes for my feet. The physical therapist said they must tie, so no cute sandals for me this summer. The two that I chose are made by a company called "Sensible". Made sense to me ;).

My friend Sara and I headed to Fredericksburg for my physical therapy. She went shopping while I worked out and then we had lunch at Wegmans from the mediterranean bar. Yum!

We shopped a Comfort One Shoes in "the burg" and the first pair I tried on made me float and I almost had no limp at all. This pair is black and dressier.

The second pair I tried on, not so much... The third pair I thought I'm not sure about this and then I tried them on. They are walking shoes and I felt like my heal was floating. I decided to get them both. The second pair are grey with silver trim. I call them my s

Super Hero shoes.

The physical therapist cut my orthotics to fit the Super Hero's and I am off and running. Well not really running, but moving much easier.

I ice my foot every night before bed and sometimes during the depending how I feel. If I wake up with pain I take two tylenol, ice the foot again and usually sleep 'til morning.

I can't tell you how thankful I am with the progress I am making and I know it has alot to do with all the thoughts and prayers from all of you. Thank YOU!

Our trip to Spain will be much better then I thought. I just know we'll have a great time.