Wednesday, December 16, 2009

E.R. Visit

Most of the time when someone talks about going to the E.R. everyone cringes, myself included. The pain associated with an Achilles Tendon injury is as bad as people say. It is a 12 on the scale of 1 - 10. I had only felt pain that bad one other time in my life (my finger got caught between the panels of a garage door when it closed). So here we are in the car driving to the E.R. with my wife driving and my 2 boys in the back not sure what to think. For the sake of my kids, I had to hold back the tears. Ben, my youngest, is deeply sensitive and I think he could see right through me. He is crying in the car for me. We get to the E.R. and immediately get to an admitting person who take our information. My wife's sister meets us there and takes the boys (although Ben really really wanted to stay with us because he wanted to help me). We get back to the actual E.R. or so I thought....just another waiting room. But it didn't last long. We have now been in the E.R. a total of 25 minutes and we are in a room, waiting for someone to come in. 5 minutes later we get to see him. A physician assistant is going to help us. He says there is a definite problem and sends us off for an X-ray. Well, I know I am not a doctor, but I have been around enough to know that an X-ray isn't going to show anything if it is a tendon injury. X-rays show bone, not soft tissue. I ask about that and he said I was right, but X-ray is always the first step and they can not do an MRI in the E.R. Ok, go get the X-ray and even the X-ray tech says that nothing is going to show up. Back to the room and they give me some pain medication and start a splint. They say I have to see an orthopedic specialist so they can order the MRI and find out what the true problem is.

So my trip to the E.R. was only 2 hrs and I got pain meds, a splint, crutches and a referral. Not bad on the time, but we got the bill a few weeks later (thank goodness for insurance) that was over $1400.00....may part was only $50.00. Whew!!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

OUCH!!!!

I have played baseball and softball almost my entire life and the only significant injury was a rupture ligament in my glove hand (left) the day before I turned 16. Never really a pulled muscle or strain anything. So I should have known something was up when I pulled my hamstring at the first game of the season. Sat out a few games played one then pulled it again. Never had this happened to me. Fast forward to the end of the season tournament. I am batting third and we are in the top of the first. I get to second base....batter behind me ropes a liner to left field and I take off for third and round it going home. Half way home and the left fielder hits me in the back of the ankle with his throw home...or so I thought. I hobbled across the plate not able to put much weight on my left foot and tumbled to the ground after I scored. I try to get up and need assistance from my teammates. They asked what happened and I tell them that the ball hit me in the ankle....they said no it didn't, the ball was never thrown home. UH, OH!!!
It hurts and I mean a lot. I get ice and put it on while sitting on the bench. I can't play in the field the first inning even though I am supposed to just pitch. I sit there, in pain while my team disposed of the other team. They come in and ask how it is. I try to get up and it shoots pain up my leg. But it is my turn to bat and if I miss my turn it is an automatic out the first time. I can't put pressure on it but I can stand on my other leg and not swing the bat. Maybe the pther pitcher will walk me. I go up the the plate with bat in hand. The opposing manager calls time-out and makes a deal with our manager. he can tell I am in a lot of pain. No out will be called if I don't bat....he doesn't want me to get hurt any worse than I already am.
I go sit down to wait for my wife to get to the game as she was coming to watch anyway. As soon as she gets there, I decide I have had enough...off to the ER.

My poor Achilles

3 weeks ago I ruptured my Achilles Tendon playing softball. Man, can you say PAIN!!! I am going to attempt to document my road to recovery, however long it may be. Original estimate put it around 6 month for day to day activity and about a year to resume the activities I was doing before. So....without further delay....my Achilles blog.