I tore my achilles tendon on Leap Day this year. Still to this day, I don't understand how it happened. I was in the last 5 minutes of a kick boxing class (I injured my knee 3 years ago in a different kick boxing class) doing an exercise that I call "step ups". I do this exercise 3 days at week at the gym at my job...what made this day soo different? Well, we were supposed to do 30 each leg, the left leg in the chair went well, and I knew the right leg would be even better because it's my strong leg. On number 24 of 30, I heard a loud pop as my foot hit the floor. I feel down into the chair and was wondering who hit me in the ankle with a football. But wait, that makes no sense....I am in kickboxing class - there are no footballs around!!!

I hobbled home and made an appointment with my primary care physician the next afternoon. While performing the standard "achilles tendon rupture test", my doctor says..."Oh no, that's not good!". I reply..."What? You are not supposed to tell a patient that!" He said..."You tore your achilles tendon, and if it's not completely torn, it hanging on by a thread!" I vaguely remember the next few sentences. All I heard was "...up to a year to fully recover..." and "...not able to wear heels for a long time!" As I was coming to, he was on the phone trying to get me in to the Jewitt Orthopedic Center.

I left the doctor's office and headed to Jewitt. There is was confirmed by x-ray...an 80% tear and surgery is suggested in the next few days. Surgery...next few days...I need time to mentally prepare!

Exactly one week after my injury, I met with the surgeon. He discussed the pros and cons of both surgical and non-surgical repair and left the choice up to me. Although I am terrified of needles, anesthesia, and pain in general, I opted for surgery. Surgery was scheduled 2 days later. Wow...talk about fast...I felt like professional athlete!

Since the evening of my injury, I had many sleepless nights leading up to my surgery, and the day finally came. I was so nervous. Every time a hospital staff member approached me, my eyes started to water. YES...I am a big baby. I've never broken, fractured, or sprained anything and I hate needles...that's why I only have one child. AND, I had my son by natural childbirth no medication because of my fear of needles... Ok, back to the topic at hand. The nurse sprayed numbing spray on my hand and stuck me with a tiny needle in order to get the IV started. I thought to myself...you have to stick me with a needle to prepare me for the needle...something doesn't seem right. Anyway...needle goes in and then so does the cocktail...at least that's what they call it.

So here I lie almost 40 years old and I now know what getting drunk or feeling high is like...the anesthesia worked. I wasn't half awake like those stories I've seen on TV, nor did I not wake up...hence the reason why I am here to type this blog.

My wonderful boyfriend was by my side as I came too. He explained that the doctor told him that the tear was worse than what the x-ray showed. My tendon was completely shredded! With that being said...I had a nerve block in my leg which made my leg completely numb at the surgical site, therefore; I didn't have any pain once I was fully awake. I was sent home with instructions to take Ibuprofen and Tylenol every 6 hours and to alternate. By the time Sunday came around (I had the surgery on Friday, March 9th), it was time for me to take the real stuff...Dilaudid! the nerve block had worn off and the over the counter stuff just wasn't cutting it. It felt like my foot was on fire. It was burning, stinging, throbbing, tingling...you name it. I couldn't do anything but lie there and keep my foot elevated!

Lie there...it's now 2 weeks after my surgery, and I am still just lying here. I had my stitches removed on Monday, and I CRIED like a baby. Ok we won't go there, but I will tell you...it wasn't really painful at all...just suffering from major anxiety. I've been working out religiously since 1/1/12 on my road to Fab @ 40, and for the last 2 weeks, I've done nothing but alternate between lying on my back and sitting up with my legs in the air. My lower back, tailbone and neck has started hurting along with my foot and ankle. My injury from my last blog 5.23.08 has amplified...it seems like I am going down heel (get it heel instead of hill) from here!

If nothing else, at least I still have a sense of humor!