It's what the well-dressed ex-walkers are wearing

Evidently.

The boot ends about 2-3 inches below my knee. It's hot, it's cumbersome, and it makes me walk like a duck sometimes, especially when I try to walk outside on grass. I am not amused.

Doctor appointment is on Tuesday morning (it will be a full month on Tuesday that I've been in this thing). He'll let me know then what my next step is. I think I'll probably be going for an MRI. I see and feel no change overall, but we'll see what the doctor says. I'm kind of afraid he may to try to cast it next. That would be the last thing before surgery. 

As an aside, one of my GFs has been in a boot like this since last October. She had stress fractures in her ankle that wouldn't heal. Then she went down to St. Thomas, tried to walk in the ocean, turned the ankle and tore tendons, or something like that. It's not healing and, to make it worse, she is diabetic, which just adds to her foot issues. So I've been in mine a month; she's been in hers since October. It's her left foot and it's my right foot. She comes up and picks me up for coffee at DD sometimes (she can still drive). We get a lot of attention!

There's always somebody worse off than you, no matter how badly you feel about it. 

I wish you the best Pam and hope things will look a lot better and you can be rid of this thing.  Good luck on Tuesday.  Keep us posted.

for Tuesday!

I was thinking of you this morning.  I was trying to find a way to get out of running, even though it is a little cooler today (low 80s).  I hurt all over and just didn't feel like going.  Then I reminded myself to suck it up, some people are wishing they could WALK.  So, off I went and I got it done.

I hope what the doctor tries next is the final step and fixes this problem.  I think the "well let's try this" game makes things harder for us to handle mentally.  When you break a bone, you accept the fact that it needs to be set.  Something like this is more vague and hard on all parties involved.  It's hard for the doctor to come up with a solution other than whipping out a knife, the patient just wants to be done with this mess and move on with their lives, and etc. 

Your poor friend.  I've torn all the soft tissue on the right side of my ankle before, and a year later it was still the same size.  It took forever to heal and I still have to be careful or it will "roll" out of nowhere.  And once it rolls, it increases the chance that it will roll again and soon. 

I hope this Tuesday brings good news!

Oh my. I do not want to trade my broken toe for this. Sending lots of good wishes for complete healing.

Thanks guys.....I'm not in love with my boot, that's for sure. 

Peaches, I'm glad you were able to get your run in! Take a walk for me, too. I'd dearly love to be walking, even in our heat and humidity. I miss it more than anybody knows.

One more day, just one more day with Buford. (I hope)

Fingers crossed for your appt!!!!

Thank you! Today at 10:30! 

Good luck!!! :cross:

Well..........  

The doctor isn't convinced we're not done with this, but he is hoping. I got rid of the boot; it's in the computer room closet and I drove myself into work this afternoon. I am to start walking and he gave me no limits at all. None. I am to walk as much as I want and see what happens. If it starts to hurt again--and the lump is still there--we'll do the surgery. He gave me two options: Stop walking for exercise pretty much forever (other than an occasional walk here and there) or have the surgery. I looked at him and said, "So where do you want me and when?" He said he had this surgery and he's back to running his marathons, so I'm not worried. It's what I'll do. Anything to keep walking. For now, though, I have to try and then see how much pain I get and then take it from there. And if surgery is what's needed, well, it is what it is.

I think that, for the rest of this week, I'll go back to the elliptical and see where that goes. And then start on the treadmill next Monday. 5 days a week and no more (no weekends for a while). After doing virtually no exercise walking for almost two months, I'm not going to bust out and walk 3 miles.....I don't think I can handle it. 

Stay tuned! Thanks for thinking of me!

Good luck Pam!!!

That sounds like a really good plan IMO.  And like you, I'd opt for surgery if it comes to it.

Good luck! At least the hated boot is off!

Winchester said:

 
Well..........

 

, "So where do you want me and when?" He said he had this surgery and he's back to running his marathons, so I'm not worried. It's what I'll do. Anything to keep walking.

Click to expand...

Altho I don't have the same problem as you have, I do have a problem walking.  I'm under the care of a Pain Management Dr. and I'm hoping he can help me.  I do believe my legs are weak due to my Spine Stenosis.  Hopefully I won't have to face the question of having surgery but if it makes me able to walk normal again, I may just have to do it as you are. 

Glad you had a good diagnosis and you can walk now, good luck.

I have problems with my achilles heals. Both of them. They're not too bad at the moment. When they get bad the doc sends me for physiotherapy and after about 12 visits its heals for a couple of years and then it starts again. It's very painful but nothing compared to what you're going through pam. I hope the exercising goes well :vibe

Thanks for all the well-wishes, guys.....very much.

Carol, you'll have to do whatever it takes so that you can walk again. I wish the best for you.

Judy, do you have heel spurs? My mother had them and she said they were very painful.

Rick and I had a long talk. If surgery becomes necessary, I will wait until the beginning of October if the doctor can fit me in at that time. By then the gardening will be done. Rick will be coming back from Portland and Vegas by end of September and will not be going anywhere the rest of the year. I still might be able to do Thanksgiving dinner at the end of November for Rick's parents, even if I'm still on crutches (Rick will help). And I should be fairly OK for Christmas. I am going to start cooking for the freezer with some soups and casseroles. Doesn't hurt to be prepared. I've got it all thought out!   

If it's earlier than that (and I doubt it would be.....you know how doctors are), our son told Rick last night that he has a ton of vacation time and he'll come stay with me while Rick is away. That should be interesting because DS doesn't take anything from anybody least of all me and he certainly won't let me do a thing! I was kind of surprised but when Rick talked to him last night, he offered to come up. He didn't want me to be alone and he thought I'd do too much if he wasn't here to stop me. Men!

Well, I'm glad you gave the boot the boot!
Sounds like you're being sensible about easing back into exercising. Nice of your son to offer to stay after your surgery. That should help out a lot.

I don't know what heel spurs are. It's just the achilles heel and since mentioning them they've got rather more painful.

Lots of :cross: and that the surgery isn't needed.

I hope things are looking up for you, Pam!  Kick that boot to the curb! (No--not literally--with your luck, you'd hurt yourself doing that!  )

(When I saw the post's title, I thought I saw the word "street" in front of "walker"--now, THAT really got my attention, I must say!