Middle Aged Athlete

Here I am! I'm back! It has been over a month since that fateful day and I am ready to get back in the blogging saddle, as it were. For those of you who haven't heard, I ruptured (severed, tore, ripped, separated, disconnected) my achilles tendon on April 15th, while playing volleyball at a combined mutual activity. Yes, it was painful. No, I did not swear aloud. Yes, I am officially old enough for such a freakish injury. No, I was not jumping or doing anything stressful. Just moving quickly. Yes, I thought someone had kicked me in the back of the leg. Nobody was remotely close. Yes, mom, I took Arnica right away that helped tremendously with the pain. No, I did not go to the ER because I am stubborn and waited until the next day to see a Dr. Yes, we were having an Elder's Quorum BBQ party at OUR house that weekend. No, I didn't get to play volleyball out on the lawn or help the kids ride the horses. Yes, the BBQ was still a big success and I enjoyed it all while sitting on a lawn chair with my foot propped up.

After an MRI confirmed that the tendon was completely ruptured, I had surgery to reattach it and now am on a not-s0-speedy recovery.

Here is the offending appendage in all its glory! This was taken 2 weeks after the surgery. Pretty gross looking and not an attractive scar as far as scars go. The foot dr. is a great guy! The surgery went well but recovery was a little rough. Glad that part is over!

I was in a large splint after the surgery for a few days and then got this pink cast. I wore this bad boy for 2 weeks. I really struggled with crutches, but since I can't drive for FOREVER, I didn't go anywhere except for church and church related events.

Here are some pics of my cast getting cut off.

It felt so good to let my leg breathe for a few minutes. I REALLY hate having it on and I think I have claustrophobia of the foot.

The kids have each made color requests and since I have to have a new cast put on every 2-3 weeks (to reposition the foot) I got the pink cast for Lauren, and the new purple on is for Ressa. I think I only get one more so if the boys pick two different colors, I may just combine them. If I had my way, I would just get the black one. I did go back to the dr. the day after this purple on was put on, had them cut it off and redo it. It was SO tight in the middle and it was freaking me out! I am so glad I did that 'cause now my leg feels much better! I was really worried that it WAS all in my head and that I was more mentally unstable than I had thought!


So after 8 weeks of casting, I will get to wear a boot for another 6-7 weeks. Chad and his parents are my chauffers. Frank and Elaine take the kids to piano, scouts, or wherever they need to go. LeaAnn tries to come and visit once a week to keep me company and help around the house. I have great friends like Sarah, Lucy, Tiffany, Carmen, Shelly, who have brought us dinner after the surgery or come to visit and clean a little. I am so grateful! Now I am not in pain and can pretty much do all my chores with the help of my rolling computer chair. I am also able to get around on my hands and knees pretty well.

I will admit that I am not the most liveliest person to hang out with these days. Being disabled is torture for me and I am sad about it. I feel like a lousy mom and wife and friend. But I am trying to be more positive and less of a grump. I have read 7 novels in 3 weeks (thank you, Sarah!). I love reading and now have a good excuse! June is going to be a rough month with the kids out of school and not being able to drive them anywhere. I don't know what I would do without my inlaws next door. They are so wonderful, but they too have lives and I feel so bad to impose on them. But I told Elaine that we make a perfect team since I can't drive and she doesn't have a car!