Saturday, November 17, 2012

4 Months with Lisfranc

Its been four months with my injury.  I will start by saying how thankful I am to have had such an amazing surgeon and physical therapist.  I made great improvements in my two month of therapy, but now that is over.  Both told me that the rest will just take time and no promises about anything.........

At this point I am a bit discouraged, I thought I would be able to do more than what I am.  I still feel pain with every step I take, it isn't physically debilitating but emotionally it is draining.  I can not lift on just my left foot, can't go up on my tip toes with just my left foot.  I still can not wear anything but sneakers, and in the mornings when pain is the worst, I have to wear a sneaker or the pain is too much.   I don't go super fast either.  UGH, I just feel down.  I expected to be so much further than what I am now.

BUT! I can crouch down on my toes (this was discovered just today), go up and down stairs with little difficulty, walk long distances, stand long times.  Normal life is resumed.  Well as much normal as it can be.  The limp is almost completely gone which is great, things are still improving, just at a much slower pace now.  There is more I can do then can't do which is something to be so thankful for! 

I wish, hope, and pray, that I am able to run again.  Oh how I loved running.  It was what I did in college to help with the stress of school work and such.  I took it for granted and made excuses for not running, oh how I wish I could take back those excuses.  But looking back will not help me continue to move forward.

I am able to do the bike and I will be trying the elliptical soon.  I can walk on the treadmill so I have to concentrate on what I can do. 

I was told that improvement will begin to slow and it will take 8 to 12 months for complete recovery, and even then, I will always deal with residual pain and such.  That scares me sometimes, espically now that progress is slowing.  I wonder about having the two screws removed and if I will need another surgery in the future.  I wonder just what I will and won't be able to do.....

I am proud of myself though.....I push through the pain....I keep going....I don't use it as an excuse...I just keep going.  I have in the past just shut down...not this time.  I have found a new strength in this injury, strength I didn't know I had inside.  I use the pain to motivate, to be  a better person, and to prove that I am strong and will deal with whatever challenge is placed in my way.  It dosent mean I don't have bad days, I have had a few good cry sessions, but then I pick myself up and move forward. 

I promised myself I would be a success story, and I am going to be!

3 comments:

  1. Hi - I think we may be about the same place in our recovery. My story isn't very exciting, just tripped on a curb after my morning walk. Had surgery on 8/31 and nwb for 12 weeks. Just got the clear to begin weight bearing and PT. I'm surprised, although I guess I shouldn't be, that it still hurts. No pain in the boot but foot is painful and doesn't feel stable w/o the boot support. Sounds like you are experiencing the same?

    I'm frustrated that I'm not further along, although I've come a long way! I'm looking to connect w/ someone that is about the same place in recovery to compare stories.

    Thanks and hope to hear back from you.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, sorry for not replying until now with all the holidays I haven't been blogging.

      First, I am so sorry to hear that you have a Lisfranc injury and I hope that your recovery is moving along smoothly.

      My story is not exciting either. I feel down two garage steps on July 16th. I had surgery Aug 1st and was non weight bearing for weeks, then slowly transitioned to two crutches with a boot, one crutch and boot, just the boot, and now 5 months after surgery am still in sneakers.

      I do not know what is normal or common. After all the reading I have done each injury and story is really very different. But for me, again 5 months later, I still have pain every day. When I first transitioned from the boot to sneakers it felt like my foot was going to snap in half it almost made me just want to stay in the boot. Even now I ave pain every single day. It varies with my activities and such but there is pain everyday. But, I also feel it getting stronger. The way it was explained to me was that I would have quick improvement when I first started walking, and then progress would continue but at a much slower rate. I was told 8 months to a year for "full" recovery. Whatever "full" recovery will be for my individual case. I have stopped physical therapy about a month ago and to be honest I have not kept up with the exercises recently with the holiday crazyness getting in the way. I am hoping to have more time in the new year to get back on track.

      I hope this is helpful and that you are doing well. Hang in there, it does get better!

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  2. Kim
    as you so rightly say
    finding positive news on Lisfranc can be tricky
    and the world at large can be very unsupportive of such a rare and misunderstood injury

    that's why the LISFRANC FRACTURE CLUB was formed on Facebook

    to provide a Mutual Help and Support group
    providing info exchange, real life experiences, empathy and HOPE!!

    CLUB members would love and appreciate your input
    @ https://www.facebook.com/LisfrancFractureClub

    ReplyDelete