I couldn’t wait to get my cast off. I only had it on for a couple of weeks, after the initial week in a splint, so I know it wasn’t long compared to breaking a leg or something, but I was ready to move to the boot. I somehow associated getting my cast off and getting into a boot with everything starting to get a little easier. In my head, that’s when I would turn a corner in my recovery. Imagine my surprise when that’s not really how things turned out.
The cast removal was interesting. I’ve broken fingers and toes before, but they require a splint or just tape when they’re healing. This is my first experience with a cast. As the medical assistant was cutting it off my leg with the little circular saw, I was thinking about how much it would have freaked me out if I was a little kid. Once the cast was removed, my dry, hairy, shriveled leg was revealed. It was downright embarrassing, not to mention gross. My calf muscle feels mushy, like an old man’s. Come to think of it, I guess that’s about right considering it looks like an old man’s calf too.
I’m in a boot now and it feels gargantuan. I’ve even described it as “Robocop-ish,” only without the metal, power, and firearms. It’s bulky and heavy and now I kind of think I liked the cast better. I can’t complain too much though. One great advantage to the boot is that I can take it off as long as I’m going to be sedentary for a while. This beast of a contraption takes a while to get on and off so once it comes off, I’m not moving. (I have to wear it whenever I’m mobile in case I fall or trip with my crutches.)
I still have to keep my foot propped up most of the time or it swells and I am supposed to be taking my boot off each day so that I can spend some time moving my foot back and forth to get the achilles moving. This isn’t like point your toes then try to bring your toes back toward you, major movement. This is very small movements. My foot isn’t even able to get into a 90 degree angle yet. I’ll get there though, just need to keep going with these exercises.
A quick follow up on the shower: Unfortunately, I still haven’t had a real shower. I can take my boot off and the sutures came out when the cast was removed, so I’m cleared for showers, as soon as I can put enough weight on my foot to allow me to stand in the shower and move around. I still can’t submerge the incision in a bath either so for now, I’m still stuck with my leg wrapped in a garbage bag and propped on the side of the tub with the rest of me in the bath. Awk-ward, but it’s better than sponge baths!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I feel for you. It wasn’t too long ago that I was wearing that thing…I even had to sleep with it on.
Seriously, do what you can with the foot movement. It will help to prevent things from tightening up. That happened to me. I thought I would get the boot off and I would be running right away. Yeah, didn’t happen like that.
So do what the docs say and if they say to move it, even if it’s just a little bit, definitely do it.
I hear you! I have to sleep with it on too. I might complain, but the thought of my husband accidentally kicking me in the achilles or my foot somehow getting wrapped in covers and tugged on in the middle of the night keeps me focused on why I need to wear it at night.
Thanks for the heads up on the foot movement. I will definitely keep moving. I definitely don’t want it to tighten up any more than it already is!