Week 14: Fibula is Almost Healed!

YAYAYAYAYYAYAY!

I just got back from the doctors and my Fibula is almost completely healed! My tibia is healing a lot slower but my doctor said that is normal because it was an open fracture. 
No big deal, I'll take it. Check out the before and after:

Before

After

Week 12&13: Walking With A Limp

It has been 12 weeks since I broke my leg and I can now walk without my boot and crutches! I have a pretty bad limp and ankle seems like its collapsing in =/
My leg still seems more swollen at the ankle and foot. 

It has snowed twice this week and we are expecting another snow storm tomorrow. Which is making my leg hurt and ache like crazy. I'm hoping that as my leg heals it will hurt less and less with the storms and changing seasons. 

My PT sessions are down to once a week but I still go  there every other day to workout on the stationary bikes.

My next doctor appointment is next week, I'm hoping that my x-rays show actual bridging and that my pain is less.

12 weeks down. 

Week 11: Holy Snow, New England!

All week we've been seeing some serious snow. Monday we had snow, today we have a shit ton of snow and this weekend we are expecting even more snow. -_- 
So yea its been snowing A LOT. I know that we're not alone and a lot of people all over the country are battling this storm, I feel your pain. 

But, I have AMAZING NEWS! Monday this week I had PT and practiced walking unaided and I was able to do it! So now at home I don't use my crutch or boot. The only time I pick up my crutch is at the end of the night because I'm tired and my ankle hurts or because I'm heading outside. I'm still uncomfortable to head outside right now without my boot and crutch because of the snow and ice but as soon as it's all gone so it my boot and crutch.


I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture but my scars around my knee and the bruise around wound are starting to go down a bit. The scars from the screw insertion seem the same though.

Also, thanks to PT and some exercises I do at home like the one with the band in the picture I believe the atrophy of the muscles in my left leg have stopped and I am now even building back some muscle.


I feel amazing. I know that I still have about four more months until I am potentially fully recovered but in almost three I have come a long way. I mean I cannot believe that I am full weight bearing without my boot and crutch already. Part of me thought this day would never come. 

11 weeks down. 

Week 10: Time To Get Rid Of The Boot And Walk!

This past Monday, Jan 27 I had another follow-up appointment with my doctor and was told that I have increased calcification at my fraction site. There wasn't a lot of bone growth but the callous was more prominent this time.

My doctor has now cleared me to work on getting rid of my boot and my last crutch! When I heard the news I was ecstatic. For now I will only be wearing my boot when I'm outside my house. I'm still using my crutch but when I'm in the kitchen I can take little steps unaided. 

My goal is to be walking unaided in about three weeks. I'm hoping that with the aid of my physical therapy I'll be able to walk around Boston again. 

10 Weeks Down. 

Week 9: One Crutch Down, One To Go.

For the past few weeks I have been struggling with getting rid of my second crutch. I  was using only one crutch at home but then would automatically switch to two crutches if I had to leave the house. This week I've finally done it. I feel comfortable enough and strong enough to kick the second crutch for good. YAY!

Today I had physical therapy and was able to lift 4lb ankle weight during my exercises, woot! That is such a huge accomplishment for me especially since the first week where I could barely lift 1lb. 

As for problems, most of them now come from aching at my ankle and screws at the ankle area. I notice this mostly if I've been walking a lot like if I'm out with my fiancee grocery shopping. I'm hoping over time it won't be so achy. My second problem stems from having my knee bent for too long. I noticed that if I didn't straighten my leg every ten minutes that my knee would become very tight and is then painful to straighten. UGH. My last problem are the scars from surgery. Sometimes I have this deep itchy/ stinging sensation that nothing can remedy. After some Googling I learned that the feeling comes from nerves trying to repair themselves and you aren't suppose to scratch yourself. IT IS SO HARD! The only thing that stops me from scratching them is that they are so sensitive that even touching them makes me squirm. So I lotion, ice and try to ignore the itch.

This coming Monday, Jan 27, is my next doctor appointment. Hopefully he has some solutions for the itch and I get good news from him once I get another round of x-rays done too. Can't wait!

9 Weeks Down!

Week 8: The Road To Recovery Is A Long One

 Everyday I am noticing improvements in my mobility and strength, which is great after being unable to do basic things like showers on my own. 

My left leg is significantly smaller then my right leg, especially my calf. But I'm really pleased with my range of motion. Since my last appointment with my doctor two weeks ago I feel that I can bend my knee and flex my ankle way more. Walking with one crutch has become a little easier and I think that is all thanks to the Physical Therapy I've been doing the past two weeks. If it weren't for the strength I've been getting back I don't think I'd be able to let go of that second crutch. 

I've still been feeling some pain at my fracture site as well as aching in my ankle and some sharp pain in my knee, but overall I am feeling leaps and bounds better from day one post surgery. 

I am now even more determined to build up my strength and heal up with my fiancee's family reunion at Disney nine month away.  Hopefully I get good news when I go to the doctors in two weeks. 

8 weeks down.

Week 7: Physical Therapy Begins and I'm Back To Work, Kinda

Therapy Time

Electrotherapy Machine

I started my first round of physical therapy this week. My first session was this past Monday and my next one is today. During my first session my therapist only worked on soft tissue and gave me exercises to do at home. I am really exciting to start working on building muscles back up again. The first thing we did after filling out all the appropriate paperwork was this electrotherapy and ice pack around my calf as well heating pad on my knee. 

After 18 minutes of electrotherapy I got a calf massage and worked on some strengthening exercises then off to home I went. My knee was super sore from the work out but overall I felt really good.

So I'm kinda back to work, starting with just two days a week for about 4 hours. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be it was just really cold with this Winter Vortex thingy the whole country is stuck in. Check out how I stayed warm.


7 weeks down.