Week 4: Staples Removed & A New Boot

Today, I got my staples removed and got a new boot. It's incredible to think that a 4-inch incision was held together with 16 staples! My surgeon said that the wound healed very well and that I was on my way towards full recovery! I was a little nervous to see my calf and foot because I was afraid of the atrophy and the site of the incision.

Tammy, Dr. Galloway's assistant, removed my splint. My leg looked like a shriveled brown raisin; I think I got a preview of how my skin would look in 40 years. When the splint was removed, the orange bromine-iodine that was used to sterilize my skin during the surgery remained. I didn't realize how accustomed I became to my original boot that when it was removed, it was hard for me to recognize my own left foot.

It is difficult to look at my calf without imagining how the surgeon used a scalpel to cut open my skin and see the depths of my body that will forever remain a mystery to me. I am grateful for the chance to walk and run again, but it is strange to know that I will forever carry a scar on my left ankle. I feel like the innocence of a healthy body constructed by complex signaling processes and framed by the work of a higher being has been tainted. I am not immortal. I will have to learn to walk, run, and move in the way life naturally flowed through me.

Week 3: Maintaining Balance

December 28, 2008
A little cast will not stop socializing with friends, especially over Greater's Ice Cream. Samip, on his trek to Alabama visited me from Chicago, and was able to meet up with a great friend, Veena, and her younger cousin, Sheaker. We disagreed over how much ice cream to get and what kind ice cream to eat. I asked for the equivalent of one scoop but with 2 flavors. I thought I was going light...

Week 2: Post-op

I ruptured my tendon nearly 2 weeks ago and had surgery 11 days ago. My pain level is minimal, and I am getting used to walking around on crutches. I think the hardest part of the process is being patient with your current level of activity. Typically people who have this injury live active and independent lives, so it is challenging to go from playing sports to hobbling around on crutches for physical activity.

I recommend carrying a small bag to hold books, magazines and your computer so that you can change your scenery independently. I have also started doing some crunches to keep my abdominal muscles in shape. I also try to walk short distances on my crutches for cardio; apparently walking on crutches for an hour can burn nearly 350 calories. I have yet to walk a full hour and at this stage in my recovery, I need to keep my foot elevated as much as possible.

Week 1: From injury to surgery.

I decided to blog about my experiences of a ruptured achilles tendon in hopes of helping other people, who have this injury, realize that they are not alone on this road to recovery.

December 12, 2008, 7:40pm:
I bolted onto the soccer field to "sub-in" for a fellow teammate. I typically do not play defense, but I was eager to get on the field and RUN! Perhaps that eagerness shortened my warm-up time and created an illusion that I was the next Mia Hamm. Needless to say, I lasted about 15 minutes on the field before I heard a loud popping sound and felt my left leg buckle. I had just stolen the ball from the opposing team, made a solid pass, and was trying to make a run when I heard something pop. I looked backed confused and somewhat angered by the thought of someone kicking me in the back of my leg. I glanced back and I could only see the yellow and black striped shirt of the referee. I asked myself what ref kicks its players? At the point, I knew I had ruptured something.

I managed to get the emergency room, and luckily I only had to wait 15 minutes before I was triaged. The orthopedic tech and his assistant examined my injured leg by performing the Thompson test. I turned on my stomach, raised my leg, and the orthopedic tech squeezed my calf muscle. If there was not a rupture, by squeezing the calf muscle, the achilles tendon is pulled which causes the foot to move up. I failed the Thompson test, so it was clear that I had a ruptured achilles tendon.

A podiatric surgeon examined me as well and concluded that I needed surgery to repair my ruptured tendon. He told me that surgery reduces the risk of re-rupture to about 2%. Non-surgical treatment has a re-repture percentage of nearly 20%. I plan on staying active, so I opted for surgery.

December 13, 2008
I am fortunate that my family immediately came to my rescue. My sister and brother-in-law drove to Sac-town to help me hobble up a flight of stairs to my apartment and manage on crutches. Despite my limited mobility, we managed to eat at a Cajun restaurant and sample Sacramento's local frozen yogurt place, Mochi.

December 14, 2008
My mom and brother flew to California to take care of me and be with me during my surgery. We spent the evenings cooking (well my mom cooked), watching movies, and just sharing a small 1.5 bedroom apartment together. I would have liked my mom and brother to visit when I am healthy, but it felt so good to have them in my apartment.

December 16, 2008
Today I successfully had my first surgery. The surgeons said the procedure went well, and that I would remain in a half-cast for about 3 weeks until my staples are removed. I will not be able to do any weight-bearing exercises like walking for at least 8 weeks post-op.


Family affair
he pictures below are of my mom and brother-in-law, Nimesh. My mom was trying to relax in my cozy apartment! Nimesh looks famished as he waits for his amazing chicken curry from a Celestin's, a small cajun place in Sac-town.