Elliot's been faithfully wearing the Robo-Boot by day and wrapping by night (not to be confused with rapping because the dance that has to go along with that might put too much pressure on his leg). He finally bruised yesterday and it's a little swollen, but even I'm surprised at how little. He's been using the cane (not sure he's using it right) and I've told him to practice just using his left leg for everything because he will be ABSOLUTELY NON-WEIGHT BEARING for 4 weeks!Surgery went well. We just got home around 6:30 because they were 2 hours behind on their surgery schedule and Elliot's 45 minute surgery actually took 90 minutes because he ripped it up good.
It was actually kind of nice to sit in the pre-op room and talk to him uninterrupted and full-attention for 2 hours and me and my monotone talking didn't even put him to sleep (at least not completely asleep). So they finally took him back for surgery at 3:00 p.m. and I played Bubble Popper on his phone until the surgeon came out and told me everything went well and showed me pictures of the surgery. It was awesome. I really hope we get those pictures because it was fascinating.
This was just right before surgery. I was going to take a picture of his fantastic calf muscle, but he probably wouldn't have been able to flex it.So this is how I understood it from Dr. Hansen. When you rupture the Achilles tendon, I guess it sort of just tears in half, leaving spaghetti-like noodles of tendon hanging about in a mess. Imagine those trying to just grow back together properly by themselves . . . seriously, surgery was our ONLY option.
The Achilles tendon is the tendon that is hooked to the calf muscles and allows you to point your toes, stand on your toes, and basically walk. The surgeon said that he would just braid the ends of ruptured tendons back together to make it super strong and graft in a little human heart for good measure.
Well, Elliot didn't tear his Achilles in half, it busted away from the actual calf muscle which made the surgery a little more difficult since you can't sew into the muscle without seriously damaging or even killing it. Once again, the pictures . . . awesome. Shaved leg . . . sexy.He did braid the tendons, but then he had to use the human tissue graft to hook it all back up to the calf muscle. He said that everything is secured and fixed properly, but with the nature of his rupture (totally complete rupture . . . none of this "near rupture" crap like the MRI said), his recovery will be a little more sensitive and they'll probably watch it a little closer. And since the rest of his leg muscles are Greek-God like, he should heal up just dandy.
The nurse finally came to get me to help him wake up the rest of the way. He had a rough time waking up and just kept saying "sleepy" and puckering his lips to ask for water. He also asked me how everything went . . . at least 6 times at the surgery center and then so far at home he's asked twice. I'm personally fond of the nurses because they said, "Are you going to be ok with him at home because he's pretty big and you're kind of small." They are my new favorite people.
We got him in the car even though I think he should have stayed for a little bit longer (we were the last one's there and they wanted to go home). He did fine on the way home, but about 5 feet into the house he ended his 14-year non-barfing streak (he hasn't barfed since January of 1997 in the Dominican Republic). He also commented after he was done yacking, "See how quiet that was?" referring to the scream-barfer that I am.
(looking like he wants to barf, but waited until we were home since I'm a sympathy barfer)Thankfully Elliot brother Adam was able to come get Stella to spend the night at her cousins house so we can avoid the inevitable climbing on Daddy and general constant chatter. We have the funeral tomorrow of one of our ward members, but we have a back-up conductor in case Elliot can't make it.
He's quietly resting on the recliner right now and is kind of groggy. He took some pain meds and ate a little bit. I gave him a little neck rub and made him sleep while I started typing this. I just went out there and he had been trying to respond to an email on his phone for quite some time, so I got to finish that for him. When I asked him if he needed anything, he just said, "I'm just happy and I love the world." Looney bin.
He seems to think he'll be back to normal really quickly, but I kind of hope he gets the sleep his body has been craving for the last 6 years. Not that I'm going to lace his juice with Percocet or anything, but he'll be taking it easy if I have anything to do with it. Maybe I'll put on all of the Lord of the Rings movies and a BBC Pride & Prejudice chaser with a little sprinkle of the Jason Bourne movies on top. That'll keep him occupied for a while.
9 comments:
Ugh! Achilles injuries are no fun at all! I severed mine when a trailer hitch landed on my ankle, and have had 2 surgeries on it - not fun at all.
I'm glad things went well in the surgery and that he is being well taken care of!
I hope he feels better soon!
Poor Elliot! That is really crazy that he did that, though, because one of our current bishopric members did the same thing a couple months ago (maybe not the same rupture place, but tore the tendon and had to have surgery--also playing basketball).
He had to have one of those little knee scooter thingies because he wasn't supposed to put any weight on it at all, and was also supposed to wear the boot all the time. But, about four and a half weeks into his 6 week no-weight-bearing recovery, he wasn't wearing his boot and started falling and "caught" himself with his injured leg and re-tore it. He had to have another surgery and start the whole process over. So you should tell that to Elliot to scare him into making sure he wears the book like he's supposed to!
Tell him good luck for us! Also, who died?
Oh, poor Elliot is right! Is it wrong that I giggled through your posts? I do that when people get hurt, but you chronicle it so humorously. I hope he gets better fast and doesn't have any relapses.
Also, I'm with Amy. Who died?
ouch, ouch, ouch! it all sounds so painful! i'm glad the surgery went well and that he can get some rest.
I have to third that question- who died?
Pictures of the procedure please!
Jeannette Gurney from the Evergreen Ward passed away . . . she sat in the front row of the overflow in her wheelchair with her daughter Karen during sacrament meeting and she's the one with the "magic" leg (prosthetic). She was a remarkable woman.
Amy, I told Elliot the story of your bishopric member . . . he has been officially scolded and scared into following the rules completely. :)
Adam, wait for it.
Heal, Elliott, heel!
Get well Bishop!
I hope your HEEL will FEEL REAL better soon! Get that tenden mendin!
Hope he's feeling better soon! What a crazy thing to go through! I've always had a fear of having this injury. Is that weird?
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