Podiatry

So, seeing that I will be home for the next 8 weeks, I have decided that I will start doing this blogging/journal thing as one of the ways to occupy myself!! I am not sure if I will keep up or get bored after a while. I will see how it goes.

Eight weeks home. I am kind of alarmed at the thought. Not as alarmed though as I was over the weekend when the podiatrist had told me I would require surgery, then have to wear a special shoe followed by therapy, all adding up to about 3 months home!

I've been having pain in my foot for a while now on and off. Went to the doctor on MLK day (Jan. 15^th) and the podiatrist was also there so he examined me right away. I had to do x-ray and MRI the next morning. When I went back to see him last Saturday (Jan. 20^th) about the results, he told me that basically I have a very badly torn tendon in my foot near my ankle. In addition the torn tendon seems to have caused “chronic altered bio-mechanics” so I have tendonitis etc in other tendons. This is what the MRI report says:

RIGHT ANKLE: Peroneus longus partial tear just proximal to cuboid tunnel with surrounding tenosynovitis. Calcaneocuboid atypical joint space narrowing, medial aspect, suggesting fibrous coalition. Tibialis anterior and posterior mild insertional tendinosis with tenosynovitis. Findings suggest chronic altered bio-mechanics. Insertional achilles paratenonitis.

RIGHT MID FOOT: Mild peroneus longus tenosynovitis. No evidence of lisfranc subluxation or fracture.

In other words, my foot seems to be royally *&(^%!!!!!!

It seems as if it was much worse that time in Barbados when I had hurt my foot (jammed it in a huge hole running for a ball on MTW’s crater filled field) and the stupid doctor said it was just inflamed, give me some pain killers and told me to bandage it when I was playing cricket. She should have sent me to do x-ray and MRI to make sure nothing was torn. So now instead of having a normal tear of a few millimetres like normal tears are, mine is just over a centimetre!!! I cringe every time I think about what I have been doing in the past 3 or so years and the damage I was doing to my foot. Only last week I was doing all manner of jumping and running at the gym. Some with weights on my ankles!!!!!!

I saw the doctor again today (Jan 24^th). He had to speak to the radiologist who did the MRI to find out if the tear is transverse or longitudinal. Luckily it is transverse which is not as bad. That means I don't have to do surgery at least not at this point. I will be in a cast for around 8 weeks and then if it hasn’t healed I will have to do the surgery. He put a soft cast on me today and I have to go back for a hard one on Monday. I am walking with crutches. I also have to go to an orthopaedist on Friday to make sure nothing is seriously wrong with my knee. Lots of pain in my knee also and podiatrist thinks the MRI results are serious enough to warrant further examination by orthopaedist. MRI report of my knee says:

RIGHT KNEE: Mild medial patellar tilt associated with subacute/ chronic sprain of inferomedial patellar retinaculum and mild patellar tendonitis. Findings are suggestive of a mild patellofemoral tracking disorder. No meniscal tear. Minimal interstitial degeneration in femoral attachment, posterior cruciate ligament.

In other words, my knee also seems to be royally *&(^%!!!!!!

I am trying to get all of this digested, its all happening so quickly! I have to figure out a way to shower, eat, shop etc as I can’t put any weight on the foot and have to use crutches. Steve has volunteered to take me shopping so I can buy a whole set of stuff. I will still have to figure out a way to get everyday perishable items like milk and bread etc. I will have to swallow my pride and ask someone for assistance. I am also fearful that 8 weeks home without activity will lead to significant regression in the gains I have made health and weight wise. I will have to try to stick to a very low fat and low calorie diet.