Something of a setback?

I haven’t posted for awhile because I’ve been off living my life

I haven’t really had any setbacks… until now. We spent a really hard week at a friend’s house helping her get it ready for her to move in. This involved lots of climbing ladders, squatting, running up and down weirdly spaced basement steps, and hours upon hours of standing on a hard concrete basement floor (painting kitchen cabinet doors). Followed of course by moving her stuff from a 3 story townhouse. By the last day I had dug my heel wedges out and put them in my shoes.

I’ve had a lot of bottom of foot pain, which I expected – the type you get when you’re on your feet all day. However I also developed some burning and throbbing in the achilles (repaired side), probably about mid tendon, way superior to the repair and anchors. I know my calves and tendons are tight and have been stretching and making sure I wear shoes in the house, but it’s still there – albeit getting a little better every day.

I’m trying to walk a fine line between stretching to keep it all flexible and actually aggravating the pain more (which is what it feels like when I’m stretching). The good news, I guess, is that I’m not having the retrocalcaneal pain or sensitivity that preceded the development of the Haglund’s deformity and led to surgery. Been stretching, resting, using minimal ibuprofen when it gets bad. I guess I’m trying to figure out if this would be better treated with just everyday walking and the usual stuff I was doing in physical therapy, or if that would aggravate it more and I should just rest for a few days. Or call my surgeon. I guess I’ll give it a few days…

 

About 17 months out

I finished a 4 mile walk today profoundly grateful for being able to take a walk, climb steps, even break into a sprint if I want to – and still be able to walk the next day. 18 months ago, this was not possible.

Daily life today:

• 10000 steps a day, minimum. My hip flexors and psoas on both sides may need deep tissue release every other day, but my Achilles is rock solid. Even a couple months ago, I still needed to stretch the Achilles frequently. Not so much the case today. Though, I probably should make it more of a habit.
• No pain or stiffness walking uphill. No twinges or sudden tearing pain if I break into a sprint.
• No swelling, no more twinges, no issues with any of my shoes.
• Wellbutrin was an absolute life saver for s.a.d. – I may wean off for spring and summer, as I’m feeling like me again, but if I do, I’ll be starting it the last week of September again.
• The dog is happier.
• I am happier.
• No regrets. Well, maybe one. Not doing the surgery sooner.