Achilles' Tendon Surgery

        Surgery on tendon was Wednesday, June 11. A little background on how I got to this point. When it was time to go to college many years ago, I chose Limestone College in Gaffney, SC so that I could play volleyball and softball. The first week into volleyball practice I had a terrible sprain that the doctor thought might have included a small tear to my Achilles tendon. That ended my collegiate athletic career as I spent several months in BIG plaster casts.

         Over the years, I have had pain and discomfort in that area.

         Fast forward – soreness, discomfort, and some sharp pain in my Achilles tendon sent me to an orthopedist specializing in feet and ankles. We started with a conservative approach with wearing a boot for 5 weeks. I got out of the boot in time to go to Nicaragua (with his permission) and with an anti-inflammatory medication. Sadly, I came back with more pain than I had had before the boot. At my next visit, the doctor told me that he had wanted to try the boot and medication to make sure that the pain was not related to the inflammation.

         So, surgery was scheduled at the Orthopedic Specialists Hospital in Shreveport. There is a lot of scarring around my Achilles tendon so the doctor cannot tell how much tearing there actually is. It seems that a tendon going to my big toe will be transferred to my Achilles to use in the repair.

         I am facing up to 8 weeks in a non-weight bearing cast followed by several weeks in a boot. I have purchased a “knee scooter” to use instead of crutches. So, that is how I will be getting around for a couple of months.

       We have named my knee scooter Geoffrey after a giraffe riding toy that Alison had and was passed along to Katherine and Rachel. I don't know if Alison named it Geoffrey or if we did as Geoffrey was poplar at Toys r Us.