Update on Achilles Injury

First, I want to apologize for taking so long to update this blog. I will endeavor to bring this current every couple of weeks.

The Achilles heel injury is healing nicely. About every two weeks, I go to see ortho. The surgeon is a Lieutenant Colonel, but he seems so young. And yet, there is a confidence about him that I would not trade for the world. When he comes through, he always seems to have an intern in tow. I don’t know this, but I think he is particularly proud of his work on my ankle. He shows them how well the five-inch incision is healing up now. And then he talks about reconstructing the shredded tendons, reattaching the tendons and calf muscle and tucking everything back inside the incision and closing up. Then he quizzes the interns on other options, such as non-surgical treatment, which has a very long recovery rate and a high rate of re-ruptures.

We’re working on an accelerated rehabilitation; I’m already a month ahead of schedule. I told Dr. Eslava even before surgery that my number one priority was getting on my feet and running as soon as possible. At this rate, it looks like I will be running about the beginning of the year.

I wear a “moon boot” cast—a Velcro adjustable boot that provides a rigid sole and two vertical rods on the side. Every two weeks or so, ortho would ratchet up the angle of the sole, to gradually stretch the tendons back into place. Earlier this week, the doc skipped the final angle and set my foot to neutral (90 degrees). That was good. I also started physical therapy the same day. That was bad.

Physical therapy, many people already know, is the realm of medical practice reserved for a special type of specialist. These people give every appearance of being just like you and I. They are courteous; they smile and open the door for you; they appear to be gentle, caring health care workers whose primary concern is the well-being of the patient.

Don’t believe it! Inside each of these gentle, pleasant charlatans is a heart as cold and dark as a Dakota coffin. Up until now, the experience has been relatively pain free. (Except for getting the IV block before surgery … see earlier blog.) Thanks to the good folks in Physical Therapy, the party is over. Of course, the joke about physical therapists is nothing new; I’ve fallen into a bit of stereotype bigotry. In truth, the health professionals at physical therapy do dish out pain. But with the understanding that it is the only path to healing.

Bottom line is, my Achilles tendon is healing as well as humanly possible. The doc said to me this week, “There are two things that determine how fast you will rehab: your motivation and your age.” After a brief pause, he added, “Well, I can see you’re motivated.”