After Ice and Elevating it for 4 hours:
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Week Twelve and Thirteen - Doing more and more!
One of the most frequently asked questions is, "Are you still having pain?" Answer: Yes - in varying degrees.
Since my last post, I have been through Physical Therapy which helped tremendously. I did foot exercises with the bands, balanced on one foot, did circles on the floor with a circular disc and apparently I've gone just about as far as PT can take me. I have two more visits this month and I'm pretty sure I will graduate from PT if I'm still progressing. I'm walking without a limp now, and the rest of the healing, decrease in swelling and pain will just take time.
In the morning, my foot and ankle are very stiff. It takes awhile to loosen it up. By the time I get to work at 9:00, it's getting more flexible. I prop my foot up underneath my desk the entire time I'm at work (unless I'm walking, or in a meeting) and by noon or 1:00 it is starting to swell and hurt. By swelling, I mean it is two or three times the size it was when I woke up. That is painful. With my reduced hours, I leave work at 1:00 and go home.
Once home, I elevate it high on 3 or 4 pillows and ice it on and off all afternoon. It helps the swelling and pain. I go back to Dr. Royer on September 2nd and he will re-evaluate me for how the STAR device is holding up and decide if he thinks I can tolerate full time hours at work. Hopefully, in September I can be back full time. My bank account certainly needs it and my Team at work needs me.
I went to a couple of stores with my daughter and granddaughters yesterday and held up okay, though there was pain, I tolerated it and didn't need a pain pill, but couldn't wait to ice and elevate it for several hours afterwards. So that's where I am right now. I'm definitely more active, I don't use a cane any longer, I'm doing more and going more places, but there's a price to pay for that increased activity. Hopefully - in time, this will get better.
The upside is that I'm doing more and staying up on my foot longer. The downside is that it swells and hurts. The good thing is ICE and ELEVATING it. Feels so good!!! Like an ice cold beer on a really hot day. :)
Would I do it all again if given the choice? Definitely.
Thank you Dr. Royer!!! You have given me my life back.
Since my last post, I have been through Physical Therapy which helped tremendously. I did foot exercises with the bands, balanced on one foot, did circles on the floor with a circular disc and apparently I've gone just about as far as PT can take me. I have two more visits this month and I'm pretty sure I will graduate from PT if I'm still progressing. I'm walking without a limp now, and the rest of the healing, decrease in swelling and pain will just take time.
In the morning, my foot and ankle are very stiff. It takes awhile to loosen it up. By the time I get to work at 9:00, it's getting more flexible. I prop my foot up underneath my desk the entire time I'm at work (unless I'm walking, or in a meeting) and by noon or 1:00 it is starting to swell and hurt. By swelling, I mean it is two or three times the size it was when I woke up. That is painful. With my reduced hours, I leave work at 1:00 and go home.
Once home, I elevate it high on 3 or 4 pillows and ice it on and off all afternoon. It helps the swelling and pain. I go back to Dr. Royer on September 2nd and he will re-evaluate me for how the STAR device is holding up and decide if he thinks I can tolerate full time hours at work. Hopefully, in September I can be back full time. My bank account certainly needs it and my Team at work needs me.
I went to a couple of stores with my daughter and granddaughters yesterday and held up okay, though there was pain, I tolerated it and didn't need a pain pill, but couldn't wait to ice and elevate it for several hours afterwards. So that's where I am right now. I'm definitely more active, I don't use a cane any longer, I'm doing more and going more places, but there's a price to pay for that increased activity. Hopefully - in time, this will get better.
The upside is that I'm doing more and staying up on my foot longer. The downside is that it swells and hurts. The good thing is ICE and ELEVATING it. Feels so good!!! Like an ice cold beer on a really hot day. :)
Would I do it all again if given the choice? Definitely.
Thank you Dr. Royer!!! You have given me my life back.
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