It has been an interesting several months. Sept. 23 I got a moderately sprained ankle walking Eddie to school. I was almost healed a week later and then very severely injured the ankle. That time I went to the doctor and he ordered an X-ray, which turned out to be fine.
Month later (mid Oct), still not better, got referred to an orthopedist. Got a boot and was told to gradually wean myself from the boot as my foot feels better. Improved nicely until the Sat. before Thanksgiving, following doctors instructions, I was walking 15 feet from my dining room to my kitchen and I felt intense burning pain in my foot and ankle. Got an MRI on Tuesday which showed a bone bruise. This is basically like taking a hammer to the bone and you have lots of tiny fractures.
Orthopedist said it would take 6 weeks to heal and to then start PT. 6 weeks of PT for 3 days/week and Josie had more playdates and I imposed on more people than I'd care to think about. 5th week of PT, I asked a Therpist I'd never worked with prior to that if she thought I could visit Costco without having to use the wheelchair. She said as long as I used my boot.
Got to the back of the store and was in immense pain...and I had kind of been riding on the back of the cart. Ortho again...thinks I have an overuse issue. Says to stay off my foot and use crutches. Month later, in early March finally starting to feel better and can walk around my house almost the whole day. Pushed too hard and ended up with another MRI to rule out stress fracture.
Ortho convinced it is an endocrinologist issue, but neither of the doctors I see think this is the case, but I did get a blood draw just to be sure. Fast forward 3 weeks and I'm once again feeling better, but just walking around the house manage to overdo it and I"m back on crutches.
Had apt today with a foot/ankle specialist. Had another set of xrays, more extensive than the first time...about 6 different images. He was puzzled as everything looked fine on MRIs (bone bruise still present, but starting to heal and ligaments still torn). he thinks I have a stress fracture that just isn't showing up on the MRI. Said that he would try the boot again and then if in a couple weeks I don't see improvement, he would recommend a cast for 6 weeks and then PT after that (guessing for 6-8 weeks).
To be honest, I really don't think it will solve the issue because the real issue is that I keep being on the verge of being healed and then I push too hard too soon and something stupid like an overuse issue happens. I just don't see how wearing a boot for a couple weeks will do the trick because invariably i will just get back to where I seem to go over 4-6 weeks.
He said if after a cast and PT, I am still not well, then he'll refer me to pain management so they can try and isolate the pain and figure out ways for me to deal. The most depressing thing about that prognosis is that I never realized how active I liked to be and how much walking I enjoyed, nor how I just took it for granted.
I have an apt for another foot/ankle specialist in a couple weeks (made the apt over a month ago). He has a reputation for solving issues that previously have been mysteries, so hopefully he will be of help.
To say I'm at the end of my rope would be a gross understatement, yet I try and remain positive because there is just nothing else I can do. I follow doctors instructions. Part of me wonders if it is something else like cancer or something where I can't heal...couple friends have suggested lupus.
While I appreciate everyone who asks about how I am or what happened and I completely understand the motivation for doing so, I have grown tired of the sorrowful looks, the confident advice from people without an MD behind their name and having to repeat my story over and over. I have learned to use humor, to try and avoid answering the questions, etc. When I borrowed crutches from a neighbor over 6 months ago, I never dreamed I would still be using them.
At this point, I'm just hoping to be able to walk my kids to school next fall. It used to be I hoped for prior to the end of the year, but i keep having to revise my timeline.
