Second Post-Op Appointment

My brain is still over-tired and on overload; on Monday I missed another PT appointment. This one was particularly important because I was supposed to be re-evaluated and have all my measurements taken again to show my progress since starting PT, and a report made to take to my latest surgical post-op appointment with Dr. Buchanan. I was so tired and so frustrated with myself that I forgot another appointment, and a really important one, that I burst into tears on the phone with the receptionist while driving. It was not pretty. But it was an important lesson in how tired I was and how I needed to get my life back in order and stop being a hot mess this month. I'm getting it together, I swear!

Tuesday morning I had my second post-op appointment. This one went a little better than the last one, but was honestly not all that informative. First, I got another x-ray taken and waited for Dr. Buchanan. He was again very pleased with the way things were going - he was happy with the way the incision looked and how the x-ray was showing my healing progress. He said that I could get back to normal activities such as swimming and biking, but that I should wait a few more months to run or to use the treadmill.

This time I got to look at the x-ray too, something I have rarely gotten to do and I always tell myself to make sure I ask to see it. Good thing I know what happened to my ankle because my x-ray looks cRaZy. There are two lines showing my bone in different stages of healing. Of course you can see the line where the screw was taken out a few weeks ago that used to be holding my heel in place. There is also another, bigger, darker, line that is where my bone was cut during my first surgery. Basically I now see what they mean by "Swiss cheese bone." My bone is a mess. No wonder it hurts! And Dr. Buchanan also said it's expected to feel achy through my heel/ankle right now. These are holes in my bone and these were major surgeries and changes to my bone structure, of course it's going to hurt. He also said it could be a year or so until it really fills in and feels "normal" again. Good to know. Finally some validation to my pain! It was really a relief to see the x-rays myself and talk about them.

And that was really all he had to say - he's happy, this is normal. I go back to see him in three months to make sure that I've gotten back to running and all normal activities. When he said that I felt a little nervous because that's what he told me after the first surgery, and of course making sure I got back to running and normal activities never happened last time. I am praying that it does happen this time and in January I can say, YES! Finally I have gotten back to normal activities including running without pain. We will see...

Lessons of the day:  Always ask to see your x-ray. It helps. Get enough rest. And stay patient, especially with yourself!