Thursday, July 2, 2009

ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE



Achilles Tendon


Hi folks! Well nearly 5 weeks after I injured my Achilles Tendon during the Unitary Election camapaign, a scan revealed that in fact the Tendon is ruptured. Today I was fitted with a black Wallia boot on my right leg, similar to the one above, in the Bedford Hospital Fracture Clinic and now have to wear this for 8 weeks to help the Achilles Tendon to repair itself. Also I have to do isometric calf exercises.

Apparently it is usually non active middled aged men who rupture their Achilles tendons while playing sports with their kids, so I am just the exception as usual!

The Orthopaedic Consultant does not want to do surgery, as I am a mature woman and my tendon is apparently "squishy" and would be difficult to repair surgically without shortening the tendon. I am not allowed to drive or move about too much, so it looks as if I will have to do a lot of reading. At least I can still get up and down stairs, but I will have to rely on friends and relatives to shop for me.

Unfortunately, this injury is not helping me to bounce back from my Election defeat, but I am trying to be positive - after all I still have two legs. It is such a relief to find out what is wrong with my leg and to start the healing process.

In order to speed up the diagnosis I paid for a private scan, but everything else has been done on the good old NHS. You have to battle over some of the waiting periods - 6 week wait for physio, 6 week waits for scans etc. but when you do get the appointment, the standard of medical expertise is second to none.

Will let you know how I get on.

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