Update on my ankle

[t_chelle16]

The original thread got wiped out but long story short, I fell down my basement stairs, sprained my ankle, and it was still hurting after a month. I went to see a foot & ankle specialist today (figured if we were going to pay for a doctor, it might as well be a specialist) and found out I have a peroneal tendon subluxation. Looks like this:

Basically, those two tendons fit in a little groove and the ligament normally goes across them and holds them in place. But the ligament got either stretched or torn so the tendons slip out of their groove and rub on the bone getting irritated (tendonitis). If we had caught it shortly after I fell, I would have been put in a cast and it probably would have healed just fine (most cases aren't caught early enough, though, because they're just dismissed as a sprain). But since I waited so long and because I have flat (pronated) feet, it was made worse. So for the time being, I have to wear a special brace and hope that helps. If it doesn't, then later down the line (when I have insurance) I'll probably need surgery to fix it.

The doctor was really nice, though, and took 25% off of the cost of the office visit and x-ray so the whole thing (including the brace) came to less than $200.

-Chelle

 

[skywalker]

That's pretty similar to the pain that Curt Schilling had through the ALCS and world series last year. Except his tendon was a full tear and they stitched it into place. Imagine that for a second.

 

[t_chelle16]

I've torn ligaments (not full tears, though) in my wrist before so I know all about that. And at the time I was driving Sadie (no power steering) so it took about 4 months to heal. I still have problems with it occasionally.

And when I was in high school, I tripped and twisted my ankle (other ankle) and basically did the same thing (tendon subluxation) but the tendon got caught between the bones in my ankle and kept getting pinched when I'd move my foot. It took 2 years to figure out exactly what was wrong and I finally had surgery to fix it. That ankle still aches and swells occasionally too.

And to top it all off, because of my pronated feet and loose ligaments on my knee caps, I also have knee pain.

I should have bought stock in Motrin.

-Chelle

 

[65stanger]

Not to mention that all that new-fangled swing dancin' (the Devil's work, I dare say!) ain't all that easy on the ankles, knees or hips!

 

[skywalker]

I've torn ligaments (not full tears, though) in my wrist before so I know all about that. And at the time I was driving Sadie (no power steering) so it took about 4 months to heal. I still have problems with it occasionally.

And when I was in high school, I tripped and twisted my ankle (other ankle) and basically did the same thing (tendon subluxation) but the tendon got caught between the bones in my ankle and kept getting pinched when I'd move my foot. It took 2 years to figure out exactly what was wrong and I finally had surgery to fix it. That ankle still aches and swells occasionally too.

And to top it all off, because of my pronated feet and loose ligaments on my knee caps, I also have knee pain.

I should have bought stock in Motrin.

-Chelle

I have flexible-arched flat feet. When I run I get shin splints like no other. I've consumed enough motrin for 10 lifetmes.

 

[2nd Mustang]

I had a cut tendon in my hand. The sewing and healing was the easy part. Those sadistic physical therapists was the bad part! Take it slow.

 

[StangDreamin']

Age 15: Tried to peel my right kneecap off with a claw hammer. Okay, I didn't try (Don't ask - it was something stupid my brother and I did him tossing tools up to me on the roof of a house we were working on ); but that's what my Dad kept saying as he was grousing about the deductible on the surgery to stitch up a tendon. Four months in an elastic brace. Ow.

Age 17: Blew out the same knee in grudge race against a sprinter (Cross-country guys hate low-life sprinters ). He fell down into my lane as I was passing him (sprinters have nothing left and pass out when they get close to one mile down ) and I twisted the shnizzle out of my knee. ACL repair, stitch up the remains of a couple ligaments. Two months in a rigid brace (basically a plastic "cast"), 7 months in a hinged brace, another 6 months in-and-out of the elastic brace. OWWWWWWW-WWWWW-WWWWW

Age 22: Jumped off a 40' radio tower as it was folding up and falling (THAT wasn't part of the plan) to the ground. At the time, jumping seemed a much better idea than riding it to the ground. It was - I landed 18' away from where the section I was climbing down landed, and the section above it landed on top of "my" section; so it's all good, right? Right! Sprained my left ankle; bruised the kneecap and pretty much pulverized the ligaments in guess which knee Six months in a new hinged brace with new crutches (the old ones were getting pretty worn), three months in the elastic brace. OMFG! This freakin' (edited for the audience) HURTTTTSSSS! (Insert George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words You'll Never Hear on Radio" here; Repeat many times)
Never had surgery that time or since - local orthopedic surgeon now says she can do wonders with surgical "Teflon" sheets. Says she can't understand why I'm still walking (and climbing towers and phone poles) - and I've made liars out of two other Doc's who said it was either sugery or I'd be wearing a prosthetic (or in a wheelchair) before I turned 40! I've backed off on the running quite a bit - nowadays the ol' right pin runs out of oomph about as fast as the average sprinter.

Motrin and Ascriptin (aspirin coated with Maalox) are undeniably my best friends in a little bottle. Used to get Hydrocortisone shots every 2-3 years; but I've decided all they do is make me realize that my knee really didn't hurt all that much before I got the shot. Repeat "Seven Dirty Words" many times, add Al Pacino as "Scarface"; mix it up a bit and throw in some genuine tears - THAT'S a Cortisone injection in the knee joint.

Take care of that ankle, girl. Else you'll someday be old and crabby like me!

 

[t_chelle16]

Not to mention that all that new-fangled swing dancin' (the Devil's work, I dare say!) ain't all that easy on the ankles, knees or hips!

Unfortunately, the swing club died out shortly after I graduated (couldn't find a new president) so I haven't danced in over a year. And it looks like I'm not going to be able to go dancing again any time soon.

Used to get Hydrocortisone shots every 2-3 years; but I've decided all they do is make me realize that my knee really didn't hurt all that much before I got the shot.

Yup, got a few of those in my other ankle when I had the pinched tendon. For me, the numbing stuff actually hurt more than the shot itself. And the last one left a bruise that stayed there for several months until it was replaced by the 3" scar.

I actually auditioned for the college marching band sitting in a wheel chair with my foot in a cast/splint. It was just a playing audition, but the director gave me a lot of weird looks.

-Chelle

 

[rbohm]

chelle, i can feel your pain. i tore up the muscles in my right shoulder years ago playing handball, and they never healed properly(played tennis and basebal afterwards) and now the tissue hardens up sometimes and presses on a nerve and causes severe(at times) pain, and weakness along my entire arm. then earlier this year i learned that i have a bone spur AND a bad rotator cuff in my left shoulder, and i have lost about 40% of my normal range of motion, and often times get severe pain in the left shoulder when i move it.

 

[DarkBuddha]

Sorry to hear, but hopefully it'll get better with the brace.

 

[bnickel]

wow some of you guys make me feel not so bad, but i think i still have you all beat (except maybe 65stanger). i had been having back and neck pain for a couple years and they finally decided i had degenerative disc disease and i had 2 compressed discs in my neck, so they took those out and fused the c-5 to c-7 vertebrae, that was the first surgery, 5 years later i now have bone spurring in my left shoulder which is causing tendonitis and also some subluxation of the tendon in my shoulder, so they go in and remove the spur and part of my clavicle, second surgery that was this past summer. since then i have also been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and fibromayalgia. i have had so many cortizone/lidocaine injections they don't work very well any more, i just had i think number 18 or 19 last week, over for the last 7 years. i have had RFTC procedures which is where they go in actually burn the nerve with a needle and some very high frequency radio waves, i have had spinal nerve blocks, which they can actually do in the hospital room now with only a local anesthetic because i have had so many of them now. i have had botox injections which didn't help either. i can't tell you how many times i've been in physical therapy anymore. about the only thing they do anymore is just feed me a lot of drugs, they have me on 3 different painkillers, muscle relaxers, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories and 2 different pain patchs one of which i have to go into the doctors office to get a new DEA prescription written for. the moral of this story? take care of your body while you are young, and whatever you have to do to get it make sure you have some kind of insurance coverage. Chelle, just so you know, if you need to get the surgery done you should be able to claim the accident on your parents homeowners insurance, you may have to "technically" sue them or rather the insurance company but it should cover it, if they have a good policy you may not have to go through the lawsuit thing but it is a possibility. i'm sure uour parents will understand when it comes to your health, that i more important than their insurance premiums and they can always change carriers if it comes down to that, it's worth looking into at any rate. please guys take care of your bodies, and don't abuse them assuming you are either immortal or won't live long enough to have to worry about it, take it from experience. i used to race BMX bikes and i graduated to dirt bikes and three-wheelers after that and took some pretty bad spills, plus a few pretty bad car accidents (none were my fault) that i'm sure has contributed greatly to my current problems and if i could go back and not do some of the crazy thrill seeker stuff i did when i was younger i would in a heartbeat. the really sad thing? i'm not even close to being old yet. i'm only 35, got a long way to go and a lot of pain to live with for a really long time, so like i said please take care of your bodies

 

[65stanger]

My brother still calls me "Humpty Dumpty"......

During a visit to my brother's in May '01 (while recovering from CA treatments AND on some major narc pain killers) I fell off of a rock wall and completely wiped out my left elbow (which I had also broken at age 9) completely dislocated the joint (i.e.: none of the articulating surfaces were anywhere near each other) along with the associated shredding of ligaments, tearing of tendons and the comminuted fracture (read: sh-sh-shattered) of the radial head.
It took two surgical repairs (first surgeon refused to do the "definitive" repair as he wouldn't be able to follow up w/ my care once I returned to NY), a titanium bolt for a radial head and 8 weeks wearing a hinged external fixator (pins thru the bones) followed by several more months of occupational therapy ( hate them too!) I now have about 95% function of the arm and hand with some permanent ulnar nerve damage.....better than the second surgeon had hoped for!

Here's a photo of me the day after the first surgery with the temporary splint

The worst was I could feel my elbow popping in and out in that splint! (thank GOD for 125mcg/hr Duragesic and Dilaudid 4mg every 4 hours....I was GORKED!)

 

[IMachU]

I brokie my radial head in the left elbow when crashing (read-FACE PLANT!) on a mountain bike. I did what I've been trained never to do....straight-arm the ground. But after 1 surgery to remove splinters, the ol' elbow is 95% as well. I know how you feel, BBFCM. But as a benefit, I can predict weather with a certain accuracy now!

And Motrin is my best friend in the whole world.

 

[StangDreamin']

I think Chelle is the HEALTHY one around here!

Wow, bunch of cripples around here! (including me)

bnickel: Lots of people (my whole generation of the family) has been told that osteoarthritis is hereditary - they dumped it in my lap at age 13. And there are all kinds of hypotheses on symptoms, indications and treatment of fibromyalgia. I'll have to hook you with my oldest brother; who's been fighting with it for about 10 years - he has quite a list of failed "remedies".
The cervical discs- aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHHhhhhh!!!!!!! I've been threatened with a couple of fusions in the lumbar area....unfortunately, just as with the knee, I have this abdominal problem that precludes that heavily invasive surgery - the abdominal problem is called "Lack of Guts"! I don't mind the hard knocks in life; but paying some dude (or lady) to cut me open and mess around in there just scares the {snot} out of me.

 

[65stanger]

............the abdominal problem is called "Lack of Guts"! I don't mind the hard knocks in life; but paying some dude (or lady) to cut me open and mess around in there just scares the {snot} out of me.

Not a problem! I'll do it for free!

 

[StangDreamin']

Not a problem! I'll do it for free!

Yeah, sure! And I'll forever have BLUE FUZZ floating around in my bloodstream

 

[t_chelle16]

Oh yeah, I just remembered he also found a possible bone spur in my ankle (could just be an artifact on the x-ray) and a knot on one of the tendons on top of my foot. It rubs across the bones and sort of pops when I move my foot. It's always done that and doesn't hurt, but now I know what it is.

But to date, I have never broken any bones.

-Chelle

 

[t_chelle16]

Oh, and I don't think I'm going to claim it on the house insurance (not sure if I could anyway since it's also my home). They have a $1000 deductible and it would likely jack up their insurance rate and they don't really want to change companies.

please guys take care of your bodies, and don't abuse them assuming you are either immortal or won't live long enough to have to worry about it,

Oh, I know I'm not imortal. I'm just a klutz.

-Chelle

 

[65stanger]

Yeah, sure! And I'll forever have BLUE FUZZ floating around in my bloodstream

hmmmm....how does that song go........[singing]The knee bone is connected to the leg bone, the leg bone is connected to the hip bone, the hip bone is connected to the backbone.......[/singing]

Oh, I know I'm not imortal. I'm just a klutz.

You're still EVIL OVERLORD to us! an' darn cute too!







hehehehehehehe, I just called The Evil Overlord "cute"!

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

Oh my gosh, you guys are messed up!

Sorry to hear about the gimpyness Chelle. Hope the recovery isn't too bad (or too expensive).