Hospital Operation - away for a while

[Moira]

Just to let people know that as of Tuesday, I will be in hospital having an operation to repair my ruptured achilles tendon which will need muscle grafting as the ends have contracted too much to be joined up again naturally. So I haven't abandoned this place, I just won't be around for at least a week. When I come out of hospital I'm going to spend time staying with my Dad as everyone here will be at work and I'll be fairly helpless for a while. It means being off work at least 3 months as I'll be in plaster for that length of time. (The first two weeks will be in a full leg plaster cast.) I've got a lot of muscle wastage in my left calf now, and this will be worse after several months of disuse, so I'll need intensive physio for a few months too.

Still, to look on the bright side - I can curl up and stay in a nice warm bed over the winter months, when it's cold and dark, instead of getting up when the alarm goes at some ungodly hour! Once I'm back here, I'll have even more time to spend on the computer and a good excuse not to hoover and dust the house instead

[Goitz]

Ah, Moira:

Consider it as just a low "hump" in an otherwise smooth road of life, huh?

Do, get well soon... it will render you sedentary for a while, perhaps. But then there are plenty of opportunity for exercises up ahead by then; more particularly on the cerebral side while you can't be up and about.

Cheers!

[Moira]

Absolutely ...... I've got a list of stuff I want to get done on the computers, and a pile of books to read I can get on with learning more visual studio whereas at the moment I just never seem to have time.

And thanks for your good wishes .... have some points

[morganlefay]

What I wouldnt give to have the time to chew through the pile of books beside my bed......

Oh and actually catch up in personal stuff on the computer...picture organization\backup...new music...Vista, share point, virtual servers\networking

Well Moira enjoy your time..and take care of yourself

Its sad when the only way to get that time is through surgery.

MLF

[Moira]

Thank you morganlefay (did I ever ask you if you were a fan of the group?). Yes, I'm looking forward to exactly the sort of stuff you say. Archiving the index page of my website, exploring Office 2007 more, having another go with a virtual machine and an install of Ubuntu on it, as well as plough on through a book on further Visual Studio programming.

And to have the time to read through a pile of good books .... what luxury! I'll also continue to watch the rugby world cup (though I would think I'll only get to see one more England match

It is sad that this only get sort of "me" time by being layed up in plaster in what will probably be a lot of pain!

It's only fair I give you some antipoints too

[nihil]

Good luck Moira, we shall pray for you

Hey, you will have lots of time to stir trouble on AO?

[JPnyc]

Here's hoping it comes off without a hitch. I know someone who's had this done. According to her, the operation is nothing, it's the physical therapy/stretching afterward that she disliked.

[morganlefay]

Didnt even know there was a group until someone else asked me the same question

I am so out of the loop.....

Name comes from one of my favorite books

Marion Zimmer Bradleys "The Mists of Avalon"

You know the sad thing is...I am here trying to figure out what I can have done to get laid up for a bit

MLF

[d00dz Attackin]

Being that I believe in prayer; I will be doing so for you.

Treatment without surgery, believe it or not, will leave you in a cast for about the same amount of time (ten weeks). But of course, complications may accrue during this process (without surgery). But I'd imagine you re-ruptured it, being that it cannot heal on its own?
Pain is a given, your foot will be placed in an abnormal position for about (dorsiflex: toes facing the floor) four weeks. After which you'll be able to have some motion in your foot and ankle.
I've seen cases in which this has kept them off their feet for five to six months.

Good luck . We're all here for you and ready to send you beautiful flowers (some may send roses, those red ones ).

P.S: I'm going into the field of Orthopod Hell ..... em .... Orthopedics.

[Moira]

Thank you all so much I'm really touched by your kindness. I've given antipoints where I can (it won't let me give them to some people) because I think it shows what thoughtful, wonderful people this forum has and I appreciate your prayers, because I do believe in the power of prayer.

Yes, without surgery there is a good chance that the instability of that foot would sooner or later cause another injury and in any case I'd never be able to run, stand on that tiptoe, or walk in the hills. I've got a lot of muscle wastage in my right calf, which would only get worse.

d00dz Attackin I don't think it had any chance of healing on its own - I have a 6cm gap where the ends have contracted, hence the need for muscle grafting. I only went over on my foot once, but prior to that I was recovering from a torn calf muscle, so that leg was stiff and would have had a fair amount of scar tissue, making it very inflexible. The other reason it happened was I'd been taking high doses of steroids for arthritis, when I was first started on methotrexate and was waiting several weeks for it to "kick in". Steroids tend to weaken tendons and it really is true that they're bad for you.

d00dz Attackin, are you really a doctor? Just looking at your title.