19-Weeks

The holidays are coming to a close. Hold on....let me thank god. Thank God! Don't get me wrong...I love the holidays, but the overindulgence of food, family, friends and house guests can get a bit tiresome. Ohh...and alcohol too. But, as my family and I clean up today, we look forward to the next big holiday.

The Achilles feels tight but no pain. The foot is still weak....but trying to support 210 pounds would make any foot weak! Man did I pack on some pounds between injury date and holiday party time! I'm usually cruising around the 188 to 191 mark. So...210 is huge for me! I broke an all time record! But all the eating, drinking, and lazing around has felt great!

Our family Christmas tradition is to go to the zoo on Christmas day. There's probably 6-people total when we showed up, so we tend to get the entire Denver Zoo to ourselves. Here's how my foot held up from all the walking and standing: not well. My heel and the portion of foot where the big toe attaches became quite painful; to the point of wanting to leave early. But...again...at 210 pounds, a weak foot is going to tire out easily. The Achilles actually had steady pain at the end of the day. That was the first time in a long time that I could actually feel the tendon flaring up. I iced it, and put myself on ice with a rum and coke. All was well after that!

I have not been on a run since the 23rd (2-miles), so I better get my butt in gear and start shedding the holiday fat storage. I need to get down to 188 pounds to be competitive and survive my marathon in May.

See you in a week.

P.S. Work is going well. The foot and achilles to get painful during the course of the day, but I'm able to rest and ice it to get ready for the next big call.

18 Weeks...back to work

I returned to work on the 19th for a 48-hour shift. Finally.

I was definitely lost when it came to my routine and rhythm of firefighting. The first time I went to put on my bunker gear, everything felt "off." It took me much longer than the other guys, and my gear did not fit! I had gained some weight during the injury, and my bunker pants were still set for my pre-injury abdomen. Man...was that tight!

The only other issue with the gear....I could not get my boot off! The scar tissue is so thick, that it change the shape of my ankle. Now, I struggle to get my fire boots off. I could get in them easy enough, but getting out I actually needed my Captain to help me get the boots off! Embarrassing, but that's the way it's going to be for a long time.

My foot got tired the first day of the shift, but felt pretty good on the second day. I forgot how physically demanding the job is. My first day back and we had 3 hours of vehicle extrication training in blowing snow and wind. Wow! When we finished, I felt exhausted. My ankle hurt and my cardio was screaming at me. I'm definitely out of shape for my return.

The second day I was able to get two solid workouts in, and we did not run a bunch of calls. So, I was able to rest the ankle and foot throughout the day and had a better day because of it. We ran a medical and and a car fire, and I felt good on both.

I need to get back to where I was fitness wise prior to getting hurt. Overall, it felt good to be back hanging in the house with the guys.

I'll keep writing about my comeback up until the 1-year anniversary of the injury.

Cleared for full duty!

17-weeks after the injury, and I'm now cleared to return to work as a firefighter! I spent the last two days seeing my surgeon and the department's doctor. Both of them gave approval for full duty. My surgeon said everything looks great. My range of motion and strength are a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. I attribute that to getting out of the boot earlier than I was supposed too, but I'm also returning back to work quicker. The department doctor did a couple of minor tests and said, "you're good to go!" So out the door I went. I do have to check in with my surgeon in 6 to 8-weeks for a progress report at which time he said they will probably close the case.

I start back on the fire engine on Friday. It's been 4-months since I've been a firefighter, so I have a very quick learning curve when I return. I'm fairly nervous to get back into the rhythm of working 48-hours on and 4-days off. It should be interesting.

I'm going to continue the blog until the 1-year mark passes. I want to see what kind of progress I get during marathon training starting in January. I ran 2-miles today...and I felt terrible. I've got a long ways to go to gather my cardio back from where it used to be.

So...for all those who are just starting the rehab process...you will make it! I promise! The Achilles will heal and you will be walking normal again. Hang in there.

c.sco

17 weeks

I see the doctor on Tuesday. I have a good feeling I'll be released for full active duty as a firefighter. I have a fit for duty test on Wednesday following the surgeons appointment, and they will give me the thumbs up or thumbs down for a return. My fingers are crossed.

The Achilles feels fine. There is still some tightness in the morning, but it subsides quickly. My foot still gets fatigued in the evening if I've had a hard workout or on my feet all day. But, the Achilles feels fine. Probably the most fatigued part of my lower leg is the pad under the big toe. Not the big toe itself, but the pad of the foot that leads to the joint of the big toe. That sucker gets tired! That's when I tend to "roll" my foot towards the outside to avoid that area. I still, in the late afternoon, concentrate on pushing off that pad to get the strength back.

Here was my workout on Friday:

3 rounds of
10 pullups
20 box jumps
135 pound deadlifts, 11 reps.

I felt no pain in the foot or Achilles during the box jumps. That leads me to believe that I will get the final approval on Tuesday. I finish every workout with some calf raises and single leg calf raises. My right foot and leg are able to support a "quick" single calf raise. I still cannot sustain standing on the toes of my right foot for any amount of time. I was told that will take some time while the foot regains the strength lost during its non-weight bearing days.

Overall, progress has been great. My cardio is coming back and I'm shedding the injury pounds that I gained.

I'll check back in after both doctor's appointments.

16 Weeks

I had a bit of a breakthrough. I was able to run a mile...pain free. Yep...pain free! I concentrated on pushing off the toes and working on my running form. I never felt any pain in the Achilles, shin or foot. It felt great! Granted, the run was in the morning (45 degrees F), so by the end of the day my foot and leg were pretty tired. But I think the foot and lower leg are much stronger than last week. The first steps in the morning are much easier as well. I walk with a normal gait now, but I'll tend to limp in the evening hours due to fatigue.

I have one more week of light duty; hopefully one more week. I see the doctor on the 16th, and have a fit for duty test on the 17th. If I pass both of those, I'll be back in a fire truck on the 19th. I do not recommend light duty if your used to being out in the field doing your job. Again, how folks work 8-hours a day in an office perplexes me.

My weight training is mostly lower body at this point with concentration on the lower and upper legs. Overall fitness had improved, but I have a long way to go to get back to the level I was pre-injury.

I did have a small slip on the snow and ice catching myself full force on my right leg. Everything held up fine. I had a tiny limp after the incident, but my confidence has greatly improved with my Achilles.

See you at Week 17.

15 Weeks

Not much of a change. I do feel more comfortable in the morning with the first few steps, but I'm having difficulty standing on the toes of my right foot. I only have a couple more weeks until I see the doctor, so I need to show him that I strong enough to do that. Otherwise....2 to 4 more weeks of light duty hell!

I was able to jog...and I mean a slow jog...for 1 mile. I was only able to get to the 1/4 mile or the 1/2 mile mark before I had to stop due to my fitness level and weakness in the right let. But 1-mile! Yeah! It's weird...I was running a marathon just 6-months ago. That same marathon is coming up...but I might have to wait until next year. I just hope I get that endurance and spring in my step back at some point in my life.

So...not much progress on the PT. I am stronger when I walk, but still need to get at least 10 to 20 one legged toe stands in the next 2 weeks.

See you at week 16

14 weeks

I went to the chiropractor today to get adjusted. I feel much better after that appointment! After all that limping and walking in a boot, my lower back was completely out of alignment. It took the doctor a couple of good tries to get it to "pop" back into place. I slept for 2-hours after the appointment....I was that messed up!

The foot and lower leg are getting stronger. There was a bit of a plateau over the past couple of weeks, but this morning I was able to walk with a comfortable gait when I woke up. Before, it would take me a bit to get going because of the pain during the first initial steps. I've noticed I'm able to push off with my toes much easier during the last several days. My leg still gets tired at the end of the day, and I have to concentrate on pushing off with the toes, but seeing progress is helping mentally.

I tried to run this morning, but the lower leg is just too weak to push it right now. So, I walk quick mile every day strengthening it. I can run in short but slow bursts and then walk. The calf muscles and the front of my leg feel the brunt of running. I work on a lot of stretching exercises and calf raises from two feet. I can do a one legged raise with a bit of support, and the foot muscles are getting stronger with that exercise as well. Everyday I try to balance on one leg with my eyes open and with them closed. It really works out the foot when my eyes are closed.

Work is quite dull working on computers and filing papers. For those of you that do that 8 to 10 hours a day....I have no idea how you keep from being bored to tears during that time. I just hope the doctor releases me for full duty on the 16th of December.

See you at Week 15!

95 days, saw the doc today...

It's been awhile since I've seen my doctor, but today was the day. I was hoping to get released, but after testing my weak foot, he said, "another 4-weeks." Yikes!...light duty...filing papers and answering the phone at work for another 4-weeks! I need a beer...and I need it fast!

My range of motion is excellent, but the strength in my calf and foot are still very weak. I'm ahead of schedule, but still need some more work to get back to 100%. My doc told me I need to be 100% to do the job that I do...and I have to agree. I have some pain first thing in the morning when I step on the foot, and my foot gets tired around 4 in the afternoon. It's still the pad under my big toe that hurts the most. I tend to roll my foot to the outside to keep off the big toe. My doc said to concentrate on keeping equal pressure and make sure I'm pushing off with my toes to get stronger. Also, the scar tissue is massively thick. I no longer have an ankle, and probably never will again. The scar tends to get annoying near the end of the day as well, or from rubbing in my work boots.

I ask the doctor, "So...this injury pretty much takes 16 to 18-weeks to heal?" He said, "Yes." "That's the typical time frame." I knew that going into the appointment, I just thought maybe....just maybe...I'd be released. But...that's why he's a doctor and I'm a fireman. He knows best.

So now I work on strengthening the foot and lower leg over the next 4-weeks. He told me to be prepared to be released for full duty at that time. That's the 16th of December. Hopefully I'm back on the job for my first 48-hour shift on the 19th. Just a week before Christmas. Wow!

One cool thing....he prescribed Chiropractic care because of the limping and wearing the boot caused my back to get out of alignment. That will be a nice change because the Chiropractor that I use does massage as well. Yep...massage! That's a nice break from the reality of an Achilles tendon injury! Something to think about for those of you going through this injury...getting a good Chiropractor to keep you adjusted and happy!

See you at Week 14.

13 Weeks

So...I've had a small setback with running. Because my calf muscle atrophied, I've developed a small shin splint in my right lower leg. I've decreased the running and have started walking instead to keep my cardio going and lose the injury pounds. The shin splints have settled down, but I miss running. I find it difficult not to run and push myself, but I'm injuring other parts of myself trying to get over my Achilles injury.

Overall, I feel better. My walk is normal now, but I will begin to limp slightly in the evening. The evening hours and the first steps in the morning are still painfully annoying in the Achilles and the foot. This recovery is going to take a long time.

At work, I'm still on light duty. There's no way, physically, I can perform the rigors of firefighting with the weakness in my leg and foot. So, I deal with the boredom of filing papers and maintaining the computer systems while I wait for the strength to come back. I'm not going to any physical therapy program, and I'm trying to get it done on my own with some of the techniques I learned from my former PT program.

I see my Doctor on Tuesday the 18th. I'll know much more about my future after that appointment. I've heard there going to run me through a battery of tests to see when I can return to full duty.

Hopefully....it all goes well.

12 Weeks

I'm running! Slow and steady, but my cardio is returning and so is the strength in my lower leg. My scar tissue and achilles are very tight at first, but after warming up, I feel nothing except the lack of muscle in my foot and calf. Today I ran 4 X 400 meters with 25 squats in between sets. I've been working on upper body and abs to get my strength back for firefighting.

I'm back to work in a light duty role. I answer phones, file papers, and general clerical office type work. Boring, but a nice change to the recovery routine. It's very difficult to see the fire engine leaving the station on a call, but I know my turn is coming soon.

My foot and ankle still swell at night. The scar tissue becomes sensitive near the end of the day as well, so it's nice to get my shoes off and foot up. I get frustrated with the discomfort and swelling, but I'm only at week 12 of a long recovery process. The mental game of non-weight bearing was the toughest, but now the mental game of healing begins to meddle with my thoughts.

I just wish I had a good foot to start training for a marathon!

One day at a time.....one day at a time.

I see my Doctor on the 18th. They're going to run me through a battery of tests to see where I'm at in my recovery process. A battery of tests?...I have no idea what that means, but I'll find out in a week. I will have a better time table for my return to full active duty as a firefighter as well.

As paul r says: Happy Healing to all of you!

11 Weeks

I started my 11th week. There's a sense of joy and a bit of sadness. I'm elated to enter week 11 as my progress continues to get better. I'm a bit sad as my PT comes to an end. No more three days a week, because I start light duty at work on the 4th. I do have access to a good workout area at work, and I plan to utilize that 4-days a week; I'm just on my own for the exercises. I have a pretty good idea on what do to, but there's no therapist there to direct my movements.

Week 10 showed a bit of a plateau, but that's to be expected with the enormous gains coming off of non-weight bearing several weeks ago. My limp is beginning to disappear, and my normal gait is returning. I ran a mile, and only walked twice. My run is still a bit strange as the muscles of my foot and calf return. I can push up on my toes with both feet, just my left foot, but nothing yet on just my right foot. Again, my brain fires the signal at the foot, but there's nothing; no strength at all.

I talked to my physical therapist about running. He was surprised because the doc said "no pushing off." I told him that was 3-weeks ago, and things are changing rapidly. My conservative therapist decided that it was time to ramp up the exercises by making them a bit more challenging. That's what I wanted from day one! He called my doc who gave the approval to get more aggressive with treatment. But...no more physical therapy. Bummer. I might be able to see him once a week over the next 6-weeks, but that's to be determined with my work schedule. My PT wants me to start on a treadmill wearing my fire helmet and carrying a tool that I use for work. He says I need to start building up the strength in my neck and back as well as my legs to prepare for the return to full duty. Sounds fun!...and I'll start on Tuesday! To return to full duty, I have to go through some fairly major physical testing to get approval from the department's physician. I'll probably work on those specific tasks to get back as soon as possible.

I'm going to start back with a milder version of Crossfit, as this was my workout of choice prior to getting injured. I'll take it slow and steady, and be very cautious about pushing off with power until I can push up on the toes of my right foot.

I see my doc on the 18th, and will have a good understanding upon my return to full active duty.

I miss being a fireman. Although, this small taste of retirement has been nice too!

Week 10

I entered week 10 2-days ago. 70 days post rupture; post op

I also enter my last week of PT with my current physical therapist. I go back to work on November 4th to a desk job until the doctor gives me the word that I can return to full duty as a fire fighter (probably by Christmas). So...I'll sit at a desk and a computer for 10-hours a day. Sorry for those that do that for a living, but I'm used to the high paced action filled world of being a firefighter.

My limp is not quite as pronounced as it was a week ago. I've been focusing on taking proper steps to get my gait back. My wife noticed I was rolling my foot to the outside as I walked. The pad under the big toe is still painful when I put full weight on it, so to compensate, I roll to the outside to avoid that area. Also, my calf muscle and muscles in the front of the leg are so weak that I again compensate to the outside to lessen the fatigue. To correct that and build up tolerance to the weight bearing, I'm taking steps the way I used to before the rupture. After 3-days, I feel stronger and more confident with the calf, foot, and the big toe. I also work on two legged calf raises (standing) and one legged calf raises with 25 pounds of weight (seated) to build up the muscles. I'm not able to do a one legged calf raise while standing. It's a strange feeling to have the nerves fire up from the brain to the foot, but no strength to push myself up. I wear my running shoes all the time now. They tend to give me the most support for walking.

In PT, I'm still working on the balance board, squats, hamstring curls, some pilates type machine that works the thigh, and walking back and forth with proper walking mechanics. I did try and run the other day. It was a flat footed waddle and not a run, but I got a bit of cardio out of it! I've lost a couple of pounds from the injury weight, so there's a bit of encouragement there as well.

On to Week 11! I feel better every week! Oh...and I hit a bucket of golf balls again!

I've read a couple of blogs from folks that have re-ruptured their Achilles. One guy slipped while walking up some stairs at 11-weeks...11 weeks!! The other guy at 7-weeks slipped on a curb while wearing the boot! So, I have to be careful and not push too hard.

csco

Week 9

66 days post rupture, post op.

I mowed the lawn today. I took it slow as I was walking on a weak ankle, but I mowed the lawn! It actually felt liberating. My brother called and told me, "it's like being on house arrest." Yes, this injury is similar to house arrest, especially when your non-weight bearing. I've read some blogs from people who live in upper story apartments, alone, with only a couple of friends that are becoming worn out under the burden of helping them with simple tasks. This injury is debilitating, demoralizing, and psychologically devastating. You really have to keep your wits and sense of humor to get through this thing.

Week 9 continues with physical therapy 3-days a week. I'm working with a device called prostretch (just google prostretch and you will find several sites selling the device). The stretch I get on my calf and achilles is tremendous. After 5 sets of 30 second stretches, I can walk with a normal gait. There's still a bit of pain and tightness at Week 9, but this little prostretch helps.

My physical therapist starts with a massage of the ankle and scar tissue to help break it up. After the massage and a warm up on the bike, I hit the prostretch, balance board, one-foot balances, squats (body weight), and hamstring curls for the next hour. Everything is progressing nicely. I'm a tad sore when I leave PT, but my walk definitely improves after the session.

Standing on one foot (the rupture side) is liberating as well. I was very nervous about attempting it, but using all the tiny muscles of my foot and ankle to stabalize my weight helps with the recovery progression as well. Once I was able to stand on one foot...about a week and a half ago...I was able to take my first shower standing up! No more plastic lawn chair in the shower!

Week 9 is very similar to week 8, I'm just getting stronger and stronger in my atrophied leg, and stronger mentally too.

Ohh...and I hit a bucket of golf balls at the driving range! I hit right handed, so my injured side only pivots; no pushing off. But....I hit a bucket of golf balls on a nice 70 degree day. wow.

Week 8

60-days post rupture; post op.

Week 7 and week 8 seem to be...for me anyway...a major breaking point with recovery. At Week 7 I started to ditch the boot and walk on my own. Although it was a rather flat footed duck walk, I was walking without any support. At week8, I'm walking, or limping, in a shoe, but the duck walk has straightened itself out as I gain more confidence and strength in the lower leg and ankle. The heel pain has subsided as my foot strength increases. I had to use the crutches once because of the fatigue of walking all day. The end of the evening is still the worst time for heel pain.

My physical therapy is still set at 3-days a week and I'm showing great improvement with my flexibility, lack of swelling, strength and mobility. We work on a multitude of exercises for 1-hour. I firmly believe physical therapy is the key to rehabbing this injury. If you have the luxury to go 3-days a week, by all means do it! 5-days a week would be nice, but I use the days off to work out on my own. I'm back in cycling shoes and riding my mountain bike 3-days a week right now. Yesterday I pushed it a bit too hard, and stressed the Achilles and calf. Also, I have to stay off dirt trails as the bumps in the trail actually hurt the ankle. And...I don't want to crash and risk a re-rupture! So, I stick to the paved and rather flat bike path. I'll probably pick up swimming in the next week or so to help with my cardio workouts.

Mentally, Week 7 and 8 have been a major boost in my overall attitude towards this injury. I've heard a plateau in recovery is coming, but I look forward to my physical therapy and regaining the cardio effort I had 61 days ago. I'll probably return to work (modified duty) in the next couple of weeks, and look forward to getting out of my home routine. My boredom has subsided as I'm able to work in the yard and finish projects that have been nagging at me since August. I stained the deck and winterized the irrigation system. And...I can mow the lawn again...Yessss!

Who would think that mowing the lawn and even doing laundry would be exciting moments in one's life! There small stepping stones on the road to recovery, but they feel good mentally.

Oh...the crutches and the boot?...they live in storage now.

Out of the boot! Week 7

I saw my surgeon today for a follow up visit. He said my range of motion is excellent and I've regained some strength back in my lower leg and foot. Also...he told me to transition out of the boot over the next week. I told him I was already walking at home with a running shoe and only wear the boot to sleep or go out. He told me...than take the boot off! Yeah baby! No more boot! He did say that if I felt like I needed it for support, then by all means wear it. But...I'm stickin' with the running shoe.

We talked about the heel pain that I experience while full weight bearing; especially out of the boot. He said that's because the tough skin that protects the heel has weakened along with the foot muscles over the past 6-weeks. And, that it will take some time for that protection to build back up again. I do very well in the morning, but the heel pain creeps up in the afternoon. By the evening, I can't stand it, so I get off my feet and ice down the heel.

He said the Achilles has repaired itself by week 6. Now it's just mobility and strength that I need to regain in the ankle and lower leg. The chance of a re-rupture is there, so I have to take it easy. I cannot jump up, push off hard, or jump down from heights. He said the muscles of the leg are so week that it could put extra pressure on the repaired area and rupture it. I am restricted to carrying 20-pounds and I'm not supposed to walk for more than 4-hours at a time. So...I'm just walking slowly with a limp, riding the exercise bike and getting my physical therapy done. In 6-weeks, I head back in for a follow up. The doc said that the potential is there for me to return to full active duty as a fire fighter after that follow up.

Right now, it feels like my ankle is so weak that I could "roll" it at any time. It's going to be a mental challenge as I learn to walk again. I should be able to drive a car now, and will test that theory tomorrow when I go to PT. But for now...

Wow! No more boot! I'm walking!!

This is a long recovery process, and for those going through it, especially in the beginning phases.....hang in there! It does get better! People go through different treatments and rehab, I just found an aggressive doc that want me back to full speed.

Google: achilles tendon repair protocol. It will bring up a couple of .pdf files that show you what to expect over the next several weeks.

I'll check back in at Week 8 unless there's something new to report.

P.S. Here's a video of Misti Mae Treanor snapping her Achilles tendon on "Dancing with the Stars." Listen to the sound and then her description of the injury. For those reading the blog that have gone through this...or are going through this injury...the sound and her description are spot on!

Week 7

I'm at the start of Week 7. In an earlier post, I mentioned I was finishing up Week 7, but I had to go back and change that. Maybe I should slow down a bit as I keep getting ahead of myself and the schedule. I guess being cooped up in the house and not driving a car has me very antsy to get healed and back to work. I'll be careful.

I had a good ride on my indoor bicycle without the boot today. I just took a flat footed position in a running shoe and stayed out of the toe clip. The ankle was tight, but it loosened up over the course of a 20-minute ride. It actually felt great to work out some of the stiffness. I tend to workout pretty hard, so once the Achilles began to act up a bit, I tempered my pace and stayed on the safe side. I wore the running shoe for support, and now find myself walking in the shoe around the house. Is this the first stop towards walking? Will my doctor approve this? No more boot? I find out on Tuesday the 7th of October what he thinks of my new found skill.

Mentally I'm out of the fog now. I still get some small bouts of depression as the day wears on, but I'm seeing positive results from workouts and physical therapy. My life feels patterned and mundane, and that's hard for an active guy like me. Returning to work and the unexpected nature of my job should shake away any feelings of a routine.

I still have bouts of insomnia, and have been taking Lunesta to help with sleeping. My mind wanders with random thoughts of boredom that keep me awake at night. I wake up every night between 2 am and 2:20 am. Strange eh? I think about work, life, money issues, weight gain and surfing the internet for Achilles info. My mind spins out of control until I fall back asleep around 4:30 am and then up at 6am to start the day all over again.

Overall....I'm fine mentally. This is a tough injury psychologically, but the light shines brighter each day at the end of the rehab tunnel!

I'll check back in after my appointment on Tuesday.

No more crutches!

I started the morning out with one crutch. I needed to get a cup of coffee from the kitchen to the living room to work on the computer. I took two steps and realized I left my crutch in the kitchen, but I had no pain in my foot, ankle or Achilles. I decided to take a few more steps and came to the conclusion that I do not need crutches any more! As I posted in a comment earlier, the freedom to walk in the cam boot is liberating...not only physically, but mentally as well.

I have not talked to my surgeon, but I'm finishing up Week 6, and he wanted me full weight bearing by week 8. So...I just started a bit early! I was able to do laundry, I know fun right!, for the first time today. Actually carrying a load of laundry in both arms was amazing! I truly want to mow the lawn and get some outdoor projects completed before the snow flies, but I better not get too ahead of schedule. Plus...I'll turn my sock green in the boot!

I'm also continuing my cardio rehab on the spinner bike. I weighed myself today, and I'm at a portly 203-pounds. Portly, because that's heavy for me standing 5-feet, 11-inches tall. The day of the injury, I weighed 193. So...10-pounds later, and winded on a flight of stairs has me on the bike every day. Today I was able to spin and push myself a little harder because of the weight bearing. It felt great! Albeit sweaty and out-of-breath, it felt pretty good. My right leg has definitely become weak. I've got a ton of work to do to get back to work.

Remember...I'm still on track for the Colfax Marathon in May. Can I do it? My physical therapist does not think so, but my surgeon says yes. I can't wait to run!!

More weight bearing

I'm down to one crutch. I'm able to start bearing more weight on my right foot, so I can ditch the other crutch for another week. I'll go to full weight bearing in week 8, and after my doctor's appt. on October 7th, I might be in a shoe! Yesssss! A shoe! I better temper my thoughts on the shoe though. I know I don't want to push to hard, but getting out of the boot will be a tremendous boost to morale.

I turned in the Roll-A-Bout. It's a bit harder working in the kitchen or doing dishes, but using a chair with a folded up towel worked great! I could rest my good leg, or use the chair as support for both legs. I have a stool that I use at the bathroom sink for the same purpose. I'm still showering in a plastic lawn chair sitting in the tub, but I'm able to stand on more often now.

PT is going well. My therapist has been working on range of motion the last 5 appointments, and I graduated to a one-legged squat on a moving platform that I lay down on. There's hardly any pressure on my foot, but I'm working the thigh and calf that have disappeared over the past month. I have a spinner bike that my mom let me borrow that now resides in the basement. I have started my cardio recovery finally. Hopefully I can drop some of these injury pounds that have built up since August. I ride with the boot on for now, but hopefully can ride in a shoe soon. I'm doing push-ups and sit-ups every Mon, Wed, and Fri. Check out http://hundredpushups.com/ it's a great site for an upperbody workout.

I was once a big time crossfitter. But I'll have to wait 8 months to a year before I can start that program at full speed again. Check out www.crossfit.com. They have some killer workouts!

One word of advice for those of you in the boot. Wear a sock. I was barefooted during the initial stages of wearing it. It stinks!....Literally! Once I began wearing a sock, the smell has dissipated. Sorry to the doctors who had to smell the thing. Yuck!

Week 6

Pt is going well. My range of motion is excellent, but my strength is very low. The calf and muscles of the foot have completely atrophied. My PT is working on both range of motion, massaging the scar tissue, and strengthening exercises. I was able to ride the exercise bike during PT for the first time in a long time. If felt great! My knee joint has tightened up a bit over the past several weeks, so the bike loosened up the knee and the Achilles tendon.

I'm partial weight bearing still using both crutches. It's not too bad and putting weight on my foot has helped out my hip muscles as well. The pins and needles affect has worn off, but I'm sure it will return when I move to full weight bearing next week. I amazed at how weak my right leg has become. I will have to learn to walk again. There's still no pain, although it gets a bit stiff at night from the PT.

I slept for the first time not wearing the boot. I actually fell asleep with the boot off while watching TV, and woke up at 3am with a throbbing foot. I put the boot back on, and the throbbing went away. I guess I'm not ready to go "bootless" yet. I also put on a tennis shoe for the first time over my right foot. It was a bit tight, but I wanted to see what normal looked like again. I took several steps using my crutches to loosen up the ankle. That felt great too! I can't wait to walk again!!

The mental side of this recovery snuck up on me again the past several days. I have become bored not being able to drive and stuck in the house. I've been moody and depressed up until today. The same old routine is wearing on me. I'm a very active person, and not having the freedom to "get up and go" is very tough mentally. There are several projects around the house that require a ladder...and I can't get to them. Arghh! The weight gain is pissin' me off too. I'm doing upper body work, but it's done nothing for my new belly. I set up my bike on a trainer, but it's hard to ride without my cleated cycling shoes. A spinner bike would be nice! There's light at the end of the tunnel...there's light at the end of the tunnel....there's light at....the....end....of...........the tunnel.

I'm off to ice my foot. I'll check back in at Week 7.

Started Physical Therapy

Friday I started PT. I'm using Rocky Mountain Spine and Sport in Lone Tree, Colorado. After a quick interview to see what my Doc wanted for PT and what I wanted for PT, my therapist started off with range of motion exercises consisting of pushing and pulling my toes forwards and backwards. This started to loosed up the joints and muscles. He used his hand to create some resistance to help strengthen some of the muscles not used in several weeks. I had no pain, and the 1st appointment went well. My PT is 3 days a week for the first several weeks.

I'm still non-weight bearing (toe touch only) until Today! (5-weeks post op) I start partial weight bearing using both crutches, and progress to full weight bearing at the 8-week mark. I hope to be walking with one crutch by week 7 and full weight at the 8-week mark. The Doc said I might even be able to ditch the boot and start with a shoe on my next appointment October 7th.

Except for the pins and needles feeling coming from the ball of my foot, it feels good to put the foot on the floor and stretch out the atrophied calf muscle a bit. I'll probably ice the foot in the evening as that's when the swelling and tightness is at its worse. I'm going to set up my road bike on a trainer and start riding that slowly to increase some range of motion and gain some of the cardio I lost during the past 5-weeks. My upper body has also atrophied a bit, but my belly is looking fat and happy! I better get back on the workout trail! I have a job to do in December that will require 100% of me.

Here's my progression so far:

August 15th: rupture day
August 15th: surgery day
August 26th: 1st post op check with the Doc. I get the boot and non weight bearing for 4-weeks.
September 16th: 2nd post op check. Start partial weight bearing week 5.
September 19th: started PT
September 20th: Wife's birthday! Started partial weight bearing using crutches and the boot.

October 7th: next check up with the Doc.

4-weeks, 4-days, 2nd Doctor's visit

Good news today. I visited the Doc, and they changed the settings on my boot to a neutral position. The Achilles felt a bit tight as I tightened the boot back up, but I know it's progress. I actually saw a bit of light at the end of a very long tunnel today.

I start partial weight bearing in 7 days (with crutches), and full weight bearing in a couple of weeks (one crutch). I'm still under toe touch weight bearing at the moment. I start PT on Thursday to start working out some of the kinks and swelling in my right ankle. They will start some with some minor range of motion exercises before ramping it up to all out physical therapy.

I told the doc I wanted to be as aggressive as possible to get back to work, but I think he's going by the book on this one. He's more aggressive with treatment then most, but he does not want me re-rupturing. Amen on that! Vail Orthopedics is an amazing facility. They've worked on major athletes, mainly skiers, so I know I'm in good hands.

I'm off to ice the freshly adjusted Achilles.

29-Days post rupture

No change in the injury from yesterday. There's no more itching. Probably due to my liberal use of cocoa butter lotion on the lower leg every other day.

I'm writing today to say I have a new found appreciation for those folks who are disabled--either permanently or temporarily. All of my previous injuries in my life were upper body injuries. Broken arm, shoulder surgery, broken orbital, broken hand....thank you sports!...so this is the first time I have not been able to walk. Actually, in high school...25-years ago...I sprained my ankle and hobbled on crutches for 2-weeks, but it was nothing compared to this.

Not having the luxury of walking has opened my eyes to the disabled world. But...adaption is part of human nature. I wear a small backpack when I'm on crutches. I have a basket attached to my roll-a-bout to carry my phone, the house phone, remote control, bottle of water,etc. I use a plastic lawn chair in the shower. I have to sit on the closet floor to change clothes, but going to the bathroom has become much easier now that I can balance on the toe of my boot. When my 2-year-old daughter leaves her toys and other goodies lying around, I have to navigate the extra obstacles. The poor dog keeps hearing, "Hannah...you have to move," over and over again.

Now I see why the ADA was created! And...the temporary disabled parking pass has been tremendous!

I have my next (2nd) appointment with the Doctor on Tuesday. Hopefully I'll hear some good news about weight bearing, walking, and a time frame on my return to work.

I'll post the results on Tuesday evening.

4-weeks...post rupture

At 4-weeks, I'm seeing some change...not only in my foot...but in my mood/attitude. I've come to acceptance with the terms of my injury. When it first happened, I knew it was a major injury, but now I know what I'm in for: more time in the boot, more of a hit to our finances then first predicted and a possible return to my job in December...if not January.

Remember what I said in an earlier post--if you can afford it, get disability insurance, because this injury is taking a toll on our finances and emergency fund. Although worker's comp is picking up the tab for surgery, crutches, etc., my salary is taking a beating with the worker compensation rules and regs. My mother helped out with a nice check to keep our heads above water, and both sets of grandparents are helping out tremendously with taking care of our daughter while my wife picks up extra hours. But, I wish I kept AFLAC years ago. bummer. I actually miss the duck!!

I was in a full on depressed state a week ago...down on myself and what lies ahead. As I read through the numerous Achilles tendon blogs out there, they lifted my spirits reading about their recovery processes. Some folks have had longer rehabs than others, but all have recovered fine or are on their way to recovery as they check off small milestones: wearing a shoe, ditching the crutches, losing the boot are some of the examples. My mood is a bit better, and the depression has lifted. I'm sleeping much better at night...thank you Lunesta!

I'm still in the boot, my staples were removed a few weeks ago, and the steri-strips they put on over the scar are now gone. I actually removed a stray stitch that was sticking out of the skin. The scar itself is about 5-inches long and looks pretty good...for a scar. There's still some swelling around my ankle and toes, but the bruising is gone. I'm able to move my foot in circles and side to side. I'm flexing it a bit just to the point of tightness, but not over doing it. I'm tracing the alphabet with my big toe...it seems to help loosed up the tightness in my ankle. The relief from itching is a mental boost as I can take the boot off to keep the incision site clean. The boot will take on a pretty bad smell over time, so I take it off and throw the soft part in the laundry. yuck!

Here is the best site I've read so far: http://achillesblog.com/ It has everything you want to know and a community discussing their Achilles recoveries. You will definitely get stuck reading it for hours, but stop back by once-in-awhile and check in on my progress.

Also, the weight gain is getting a bit out of hand. I was in great shape going into the Achilles rupture, but now I'm not! I'm seeing a bit of a second chin and my love handles are barking for more and more food! I'm still eating like I'm working out everyday and training for a marathon, but I'm not training for anything but getting back on my feet. I'm calling it my baby weight as I get even with my wife for having to clean out the litter box for 9-months! I just need to slow down the "boredom eating" and get back on track with some nutrition.

I still want to run a marathon in May. But...I've heard it could take up to a year to get back to the athletic firefighter I once was. bummer. I want to get back to work and just do the job.

3 -weeks

Nothing special after 3-weeks post injury. After a full day of "scooting" around, I need to ice my ankle and foot at the end of the day. I've been putting a bit of pressure on the toe section of the boot when I use my crutches. It feels better on the hips and upper leg on my injured side. It's not much pressure, but I use it mainly as a "stabilizer" when crutching.

The mental side of this recovery is the worst. It's the end of summer and the weather has been perfect...it's tough watching the world go by. I'm in the depression phase...is the acceptance phase next?

The Doctor's appointment is just 10-days away! It's funny how that's my next milestone!

20-days post rupture

I actually walked out...ok...rolled out into the real world yesterday. Depression and touches of anxiety were caving in around me as I began to realize the true length of this recovery process. I could have it so much worse, but I've been in a rather down mood lately. So, I went to a Rockies game with my Stepfather (free Brad Hawpe t-shirt day!)

I brought the crutches as I was unsure what to expect. Plus, I'm a bit vain, so I was worried what other people would think of my knee roller. It turns out, I should of brought the Roll-a-Bout because of the distance between the car and the seats. Plus, the ushers at the game put us in the disability seating area which had great seats and a place to park the walker. But...I did not have it, so I parked the crutches. My triceps took a beating from all that "crutching!" My ego would have been fine.

I picked up a temporary disability parking pass from our local DMV. Tip: pick up a disability parking pass if you find yourself in need of a closer parking space. Having the pass allowed us to park right next to the stadium saving a longer walk(crutch) through the parking lots. I'm not abusing the privilege, or looking down upon those who need disability parking full time, but with this type of injury, it is very useful for close in parking spots. It expires in December, but I hope to never have to use it again after November.

There is relatively little pain now. I no longer take any pain medication. Although my foot began to throb a bit at the game, I was comfortable. My incision itches like crazy though! With the boot, I'm able to take it off and scratch the itch. I can also massage my atrophied calf muscle and the swelling around my foot area. I make sure I wear the boot all the time in case I accidentally step down on the foot. I have dreams at night of running. I feel like I can get out of bed and walk to the bathroom at night, but reality hits hard when I wake up. Peeing in the middle of the night is tough trying to balance on crutches half-asleep!

My foot is still swollen along the right side, but the overall swelling has decreased. I still get sharp burning pains from either nerve endings coming back, or the sensation returning to my foot as the swelling recedes. My ankle is very tight, and the calf muscle is pretty much gone. I can move the foot in circles and slightly up and down, but I don't want to push it and risk a re-rupture.

Remember, opt for the boot! You can take it off and give your lower leg a breather!!


August 15th: rupture day
August 15th: surgery day
August 26th: first visit to the doc and I get the boot
September 16th: next doctor's visit!

Day 15...post op. Worker's Comp.

The State of Colorado Worker's Comp Division called and told me my claim has been approved. After several days of deliberation, they decided this was a job related injury. I still get paid, but it's only 66.66% of my base salary. Ouch. At least there is a system that pays worker's hurt on the job. I had forgotten that I will not get a full paycheck until January. As a firefighter, I need to be 100%, and I'm unable to do light duty because the injury is on my driving foot. I have a 1 1/2 hour commute to get to the fire station, so driving could become an issue. Yes...I've heard you can drive with our left foot, but the liability falls on the driver with the boot on their driving leg. So...I'll be on worker's comp until mid-December.

I suggest that...if you can afford it...get short term disability insurance. It will help pay the rest. I had Aflac at one point, but dropped it a few years ago. Man...I wish I still had Aflac! That definitely would of helped. I'm the primary income spouse. My wife is a stay-at-home mom who has now picked up some part time hours in an attempt to cover the remainder of my salary. Grandma and Grandpa take over child care when she's working.

If your a weekend warrior sports type of person...pick up some disability insurance to protect your income and your family. Donations from parents and friends have helped out. Having a support network is tremendous during recovery!

My wife and I had built up an emergency fund in case something like this would happen. We hate tapping into it, but we need to pay the bills. Another word of advise...have an emergency fund! We've used a bit of our home equity, now carry a credit card balance, but the emergency fund will prove useful over the next few months.



August 15th: rupture day
August 15th: surgery day
August 26th: 1st doctor visit and I get the boot
September 16th: 2nd doctor's visit scheduled.

Still no weight bearing, but the boot offers more protection than the splint. My days still consist of trading stocks, studying for a class, watching movies on AMC, Xbox 360 (thanks neighbor), and resting the foot.

Day 14....resources

Here's a list of other websites and blogs about the Achilles tendon:

http://www.emedicine.com/sports/topic1.htm

Achilles Tendon Rupture Blog This blogger gave me the inspiration to write about my own recovery. He has some excellent ideas like the chair at the bathroom sink and the shower seat.

Everything About Achilles Tendons. You guessed it...everything you could possibly want to learn about the Achilles Tendon.

Check out youtube as well. They have several videos, including two that showed the Achilles rupturing. Listen to the pop! Not for the squemish however.
Video 1
Video 2

Day 14 has just started for me. A bit of throbbing pain when I woke up this morning, but I did not take my ibuprofen in the middle of the night. Let's see how the rest of the day progresses.

Day 13 post surgery

Here's a look at the boot that I will wear for the next 8-weeks. It's a Donjoy. Ohh...what a joy! It's similar to casting, but I can take it off to clean my lower leg. If you look at the sides of the boot, there are dials on each side. These dials will slowly take my foot from a 22.6-degree plantar flexion position to 90-degrees for weight bearing. Currently, I have to wait 4-weeks before bearing any weight on the leg. So...I'm either on crutches (upstairs in the house) or using the Roll-a-Bout (downstairs and outside) to get around. I can't wait to start bearing some weight!

I relatively pain free now, and have reduced my ibuprofen intake to 400 mg twice a day. My nerve endings are coming back from the surgery with shooting hot pains around my foot or ankle. I still keep it elevated as the pain increases when the foot is down. I'm not icing as frequently, but will ice it in the evening. The evening hours seem to be the worst. Probably from a long day of Playstation 2, surfing the web, studying for a class, napping, etc.


August 15th: Rupture Day
August 15th: Surgery
August 26th: 1st visit to the doc and I get the boot
September 16th: 2nd visit scheduled.

11-Day Check Up

Day 11, and I had my first visit with the Doc since surgery. He said that everything was O.K. after my little stunt yesterday. I had my soft splint and about 15 staples removed. The staples were surprisingly painless as the tech removed them from the incision site. I figured removing staples would hurt like hell, but no...painless. It felt great to have fresh air on my lower leg, and I was able to massage down to my ankle. God that felt good!

I talked the Doc into letting me wear the boot instead of getting casted. I wear the boot for 4-weeks and then get and adjustment to my foot angle every 2-weeks after that. "Frankenboot" as I've heard other blogs call it, is a rather beastly looking contraption. The best part of the boot is....I can take it off to shower. A clean fresh smelling lower leg and foot?....Yeah Baby!!

The physician assistant ask me if I've ever had any problems with the ankle prior to the rupture; tendonitits, etc. They see 6 to 7 Achilles ruptures a year at their office and they were studying why. I sprained my ankle over 20-years ago, ran a 1/2 marathon in May 2008 (ton of run time prior to the event), but no other problems prior. I wonder if the 200-miles of running starting in January had something to do with it. I never had any Achilles problems, just shin splints. So...it was a freak thing...it just popped when I pushed off on my right foot. He also said the best therapy is walking on it, but I'm several weeks away from that.

I hope to finish the Colfax Marathon in Denver in May. Cross your fingers.


August 15th: rupture day
August 15th: surgery day
August 26th: soft splint off, boot on.

Day 10....setback

I had a bit of a setback today. Whilst riding my roll-a-bout, I lost my concentration and started to fall towards my injured right side. I stuck my foot out to regain my balance and the entire event was like a slow motion movie. I knew I was going to land on my bad foot, but I could not do anything about it! Wham!...I stepped on my injured foot. Ouch!...Ouch!...Ouch! I'm elevating and icing the area, but I'm concerned of a re-rupture. The pain was tremendous, but I did not feel that kick in the back of leg, or the burning sensation in my calf muscle.

The thoughts running through my head are this: Did I re-rupture the tendon? Have I injured something else in the general vicinity? WTF...dude...use your concentration!

I have my first Doctor's visit tomorrow. I presume I'll be placed in a cast for 4 to 5 weeks, but I have no idea what to expect. Hopefully....my Achilles tendon is still in tact and I don't have to go through surgery again. Plus...I hate peeing in that urinal thing!

I've removed my splint several times during my recovery. Either to readjust the position of the splint due to rubbing or just plain old itching! The splint is on when I'm moving around the house, but I take it off occasionally when I'm icing or resting. When I ice the tendon, I find the cold penetrates the splint better with the hard sections removed. Plus, I'm able to move my foot a bit which is very encouraging. I can move the foot in left and right circle patterns and up and down very slowly. I'm not looking forward to a cast. I will not be able to move my foot and scratch an itch, but it's probably for the best.

What do you think? Should I keep the splint on and not move the foot? Or, does moving the foot and massaging the calf muscle lead to a quicker rehab?

Let me know.

Day 9 post injury

Sunday. Sunday's are always good days.

I was in total agony last night. I thought I would ween myself off of the ibuprofen last night and did not take my 800mg pill. Man...what a mistake. I woke up several times in total pain! I snatched up my ibuprofen and took it as directed. Nice...pain free.

I started my Achilles tendon protest beard on rupture day. I figured in Hockey they have playoff beards...so how 'bout an Achilles tendon protest beard! I'll grow the thing until I go back to work. My wife hates it. So, if I want to keep receiving the fantastic care that she gives me, I'll have to rethink my "playoff" beard.

Review:
8/15/08 rupture day
8/26/08 my first appointment with the doc after surgery

August 15, 2008

I'm starting this blog to document my recovery from Achilles tendon surgery. Rupture day happened on August 15th, 2008. I had surgery the same day (7-hours later), and I'm in my 8th day post surgery recovery when I started this project. I'll start with day one, and progress day to day until I am released for full duty at work. This first post will be a bit long as I'm already at Day 9 post op, and I'll get everyone caught up.

Day one. Rupture day.

I'm a fire fighter. During my shift on the morning of the 15th, everything started out routine. I checked in with my crew and checked out with the crew going off duty. I completed my equipment checks and started to wind down a bit waiting for a meeting to start. The fellas were in the apparatus bay tossing a football. I set my cup of coffee down on the back bumper of the Battalion's Chief car and told one of the guys, "Hey, I'll be your running back, hand off the ball on the next snap." He got the ball, I took a step forward to take the hand off, and... Wham! Who in the hell just hit me in the back of the leg!! Did somebody kick me? Did I get shot? Nope, by Achilles tendon ruptured. Wow...what incredible pain. My calf felt like it was on fire, and I thought I sprained my ankle. I kept looking back to see what hit me...but there was nothing there but my cup of coffee on the bumper.

The boys transported me to the ER in the very ambulance that I work on. The doc looked me over and diagnosed a full rupture of the Achilles tendon using the Thompson test. I was stunned. I was in a fair amount of pain, so they gave me a shot of Tordal and told me that I could have surgery that day. You bet! Get me in! Get me fixed! Get me out! Nope...I was told the recovery period could be over 16-weeks. I threw out the 3 W's: Wait!...Whoa!....What?! Just put my boot on Doc...I'll get back to work. When the physical therapist gave me the "how to use crutches exam," That's is when my reality set in.

I'm looking at December or possibly longer to return to working as a fire fighter. Devastating! I guess worker's compensation will help out, but what about bills, my wife, my 2-year-old daughter. Who's going to mow the lawn? I was going aerate yards this fall for extra money....that's out. How long will I be out of work? wow. miserable. I just want to do my job. I love doing what I do.

I was transferred from the ER to the OR. I was met by an Orthopedist from Vail Orthopedic Center. He also ask me questions and performed the Thompson test again. I still have a full tear of the Achilles tendon ( I was secretly hoping the whole thing was a sick joke and I would be climbing aboard a fire engine in a few hours). We are scheduled for surgery at 5 pm. wow.

Surgery

I met with the OR nurse, anesthesiologist, doctor, family, and god. They ask several questions about my medical history, medications, etc. Once nurse distracted me while the other stuck a 20-gage I.V. needle in my arm. The nurse gave me some Verced to, "make me more comfortable," and it made me more comfortable! They rolled me back into the operating room, and the last thing I remember is a green mask being placed over my face and the anesthesiologist saying, "relax....take some deep breaths." Goodnight.

I woke up in the recovery room. Groggy, but I could understand commands and recognize where I was. They say I had some problems coming out of anesthesia, but all I remember is my nurse saying, "take some deep breaths." My leg was now in a "splint." The back and sides are of a hard material, probably fiberglass, but it's surrounded by bandages. It's not bad. The bandages move with swelling and my foot feels secure. I have no pain due to the amount of drugs that are on board. I had the choice of going home or staying the night. I stayed overnight. Good choice.

I was loaded up with pain medications and thoughts of running with both legs. Looking under the blanket at my ankle brought be back to reality. I was in excellent hands at Summit Medical Center in Frisco, CO. The only thing I had problems with--peeing in the urinal they gave me. When I had previous surgeries, I encountered the same situation. With shoulder surgery, I had to try the whole thing with one hand, so I peed allover myself....total humiliation, with a pinch of humor thrown in. So, understandably, I was a bit apprehensive on my first attempt. I could not go....until I was threatened with a catheter being inserted to "make me pee." I peed. I Showed the nurse my half full urinal with a smile.

Day One Post Op

Food...food...food. I was obsessed with food. I had not eaten anything but a donut and cofee at 8:30 am on rupture day. Give me food! I ordered breakfast from the room service menu and chowed down way too fast. Here's a tip: take it slow when you get that first chance to eat. I must of looked like one of the contestants of Survivor on day 28 when they won a food reward challenge.

I was still loaded up on morphine, vallium, tordal...basically a cocktail of drugs, so I had no pain. I felt like it was a bad dream and I could walk out at anytime using both feet. It's still a bad dream. I was discharged around 1pm for my ride back home. My wife stayed the night with me on a pull-out bed. I think reality was starting to set in for her having with having to take care of 2 children now instead of one. But, her love and support have been amazing.

Day 3 post op

Pain! Ouch! It felt like the bones on my ankle were rubbing against the splint. My wife and I were able to remove the bandaging and hard parts of the splint. We kept the bandages on underneath, but the relief I felt was tremendous! We tried putting in padding, but I awoke again with pain. I soon realized that my three days of percocet were wearing off, and the pain was coming from the suture and the Achilles area. Ouch! I tried to ween myself off the fog of oxycotinin and percocet, but I wanted the fog again! Bring it on! I took the padding out, tightened up the bandaging around the splint and drifted off to dreams of running a 1/2 marathon again.

Day 4 post op

I'm getting off the drugs man. I told my wife to hide the percocet and ocycotinin and just give me the 800mg of ibuprofen. I'm a bit sick from the withdrawls, but it's worth it having a clear head. It's only day 4, but how to people deal with the mental aspect of such a long recovery process? It's beginning to sink in as I read other blogs, discussion boards and websites regarding the recovery and rehab process. Hopefully I can return to work in December, but working as a fire fighter is similar to an athlete; you have to be 100% back on your game to be successful. But, successful in the fire fighting world is much different then the sports world; it could mean the difference between life and death.

Worker's comp called. My adjuster asked several questions about my injury, how we workout during the day, our workout records, do I workout on my days off, why do you play football during your downtime, etc. As a firefighter, we spend our day running emergent and non-emrgent calls, cleaning, inspecting, etc. We're required to workout 1-hour a day, and train 1 to 2 hours a day. During downtime or for a workout, we might choose to play basketball, ping pong, or throw a ball around. Our human resources director called and said that Worker's comp is going to deny the claim. Swell. It's off to short term disability, co-pays, and deductibles. I wish I could rewind time.

Day 5 post op

I'm off the drugs and my head is clear. Ibuprofen is now my drug of choice for awhile as it takes away the pain during the night and day. I find myself sweating more...drugs?....mental? Not sure. I'm focusing on keeping my leg elevated and resting so the repair is successful. I'm very lucky though. I have my wife and a tremendous support group helping me through this. My wife has been incredible taking care of a crazy two-year-old and a depressed 43-year-old. Check them out over at coscovils.blogspot.com.

How can I be depressed. I'm going to get better. What about those who are in a hospital for over a year, or for the rest of their lives. wow. My life is good. At then end of this experience, I think I might volunteer to help those in my situation or worse. I'm already empathetic with my patients on the job, but this drives home what their long term care situation might be. I've received several phone calls of support from my brothers at work and friends. I'm a lucky dude.

Day 7 post op

The crutches are a pain in my ribs! There has to a better way...and there is! We rented a "Roll-a-Bout." It's basically a scooter that supports the weight of my bad leg and I push myself around the house. Awesome! My hands are free! I can roll with my daughter to the park! If you find yourself in my situation, buy or rent one of these things. There are several different varieties out there. We found mine on our local Craig's List and rented it from a private dealer. You can rent them directly from the websites as well for about the same cost. We just cut out the delivery time to get one right away.

Day 8 post op

My dad arrived from Illinois to spend a few days with us. When he booked the trip, I was healthy and running around. We had plans to see a Rockies game tomorrow, but that came to a rupturing halt last Friday. They spend some time at our house as I recover and we catch up on life, etc.

My wife showed some signs of frustration as the workload and managing our daughter is starting to sink in. Her Swedish nature keeps her calm and collected though. She had to mow the lawn for the first time in a long time yesterday. God I miss mowing the lawn!

I still check blogs and discussion boards about others experiences. Here's an excellent blog full of information: Achilles Tendon Rupture Blog. I have this glimpse of hope that I will be up and walking about in a few weeks. Nope! Your in for the long haul brother! I spend my days focusing on keeping the leg elevated and resting over the first few weeks. I played a few rounds of golf at the TPC in Scottsdale, Arizona the other day. Ok...it was Tiger Woods 2004 on Playstation, but it occupied a bit of time.