2 Years on

30.04.14


I can't believe it's been two years, in a way it's gone fast and slow.
Fast because it only seems like last year I had my accident, and slow because I'm impatient
and still sorting out my original prosthetic leg.

I've spent today at Seacroft getting my leg tweaked and sorted out, it took 2 hrs then another
2hrs waiting for transport to take me home. I'm so tired now. But on the good side I've been
 kept occupied and not had to think on things.

I think the fit is more comfortable now, it's still tender around where my recent operation scars
are but that will fade.

I also got weighed today as well, I'm 10 Stone! well 58kg but still, hopefully I should loose the weight now I've got my leg back and can start to be more mobile again, and independent!!!
No more being pushed in my pram!

My goal is that in 5 years time I will be walking confidently with a good prosthetic leg.
That's the general time I've got from meeting other people. I know I have had operations
which has knocked me back but if all goes well and there are no more stones in my stumpy
I should be back to new normal in 2017!.

Return of the leg

23.04 14


Hi all

Well after nearly 4 months of recovering I finally got my leg back today.
I had to go for the usual socket refit, then wait 2 weeks then go back and sit for 4hrs whilst they tweak it.
Putting the rubber liner back on after so long was very constricting to start off with. It felt like my thigh was being stuffed into a small bag.
As for putting the leg back on. I'm still at the wobbly, it hurts on the end stage, and it still doesn't feel right, like I'm not totally in it and its going to fall off.
But I've been told to take it home and try for 4 weeks, and if there are any more tweaks that need doing to book an appointment. Soooo let's see how I go.
Also I got fed up with the long wait times to see the NHS Prosthatist so I've booked an appointment to see PACE. a private Prosthetic firm in May. Lets see what they come up with.

As for everything else I'm still not missing working :)
The builders are still finishing off the renovations on my bungalow. Hopefully looking to move out in August.
I haven't socialised (apart from face book) since my Ben Nevis trip last June. I'm going to wait until I'm totally confident on my leg, then might start going out again. I guess I've just got so used to my own company. (apart from living with my parents) That I'm really nervous about meeting friends again. So we will see, if theres one thing I've learned its to be very very patient.
Also I've put together an exercise routine I can do with out my leg on. So i'm giving that ago, as these last 4 months I've been cultivating my ass :)

Talk later. x

A weighty problem

17.02.14

Hi all

Just being honest with you that i still have down days. Today is one of them, the topic of today's blues is my weight. Since my accident i have put on a stone, and have gone up a dress size from 10 to 12 to 14 depending on the item of clothing. I know it's down to going from being very active and fit to hardly moving, and my mums cooking.

Once i finally move out i will be able to get control of my diet again. But the other thing thats got me down is waiting for yet another operation, then months of recovery then sorting out my old leg again. Which still isn't right it's still too long and does a really annoying thing (which belt legs do) which is you get it in the right position then you sit down and when you stand back up its twisted round and the foots turned in. I find this annoying with just one leg i feel really sorry for those who are missing two.

When i am finally healed enough to get that sorted i will mention this to the prosthatist there has to be something.

And whilst I'm having a moan i keep getting stabbing pains where i had my carpel tunnel, and my wrist is really weak. I know its only been 6 weeks since my op and pushing myself around in my chair doesn't help. So that's my moans, i know i have to be grateful that i only lost my leg and not my arms or damaged my face or senses. But as you will know some days are really hard. X

The Revenge of Bradford Road

6.02.14


Hi all

Well I've not been getting much sleep due to a throbbing pain under the top part of my stumpy. After only wearing my old leg for 2 days I started to get a sharp pain. To the point where I can't even put my rubber liner on.

 

On closer inspection today the red lump now has a black dot in it about 1cm across. At first I was panicking thinking it was black dying skin. But on closer inspection (with the aid of a magnifying mirror it looks like another piece of stone from Bradford Road!

 

So I've called up my doctor and made an appointment to see him to have it cut out. This will mean stitches and my leg wrapped up for 6 weeks :(

 

I've already put on a bit of weight over Christmas, I can feel my ass growing as we speak :)

 

But better out than in and hopefully this will be the last operation. Then I can get on with sorting out the fitting of my old leg (which is currently two long). Whilst also supervising  works on my new house.

 

Also it was my birthday on the 4th I'm now 35! They say that after 5 years you should be sorted with a leg and walking confidently. So 3 more years of tweaking to go. :)

New Year New Start?

Hi all

Well below are pictures of updates on my middle toe top bone amputation.
It's a bit squashed at one side but at least they didn't take off as much as I thought they would, and it doesn't hurt anymore when I walk. The 4th toe likes to go purple but it's not throbbing or in pain. So it's just bad circulation which I will keep an eye on.

 

Also had my carpel tunnel operation on my right wrist. This picture is taken 12 days
after the operation so it's healing well. I thought it wouldn't hurt because the palms of
your hands are tough. But those numbing needles really hurt, apparently your hands
are one of the most sensitive parts of your body. Makes sense if you think about it.
And I wont know if it's worked for at least 3 years! But the constant tingling seems to
have gone so fingers crossed. But I'm not having the other one done.

Also my only leg is still getting a re-cast so at one point I was stuck in bed because I
had my arm in a sling and couldn't push myself around in my chair. Luckily I'm still living
with my parents so until I was able to move my hand with out pain I had a mum slave. :)

But it has been really frustrating just stuck not able to do much, even my computer mouse its a right handed track ball!

On 28th Jan I go for my first fitting of my old leg, to iron out any catching bits etc.
Then I will have to wait another 2 weeks to be called back in to adjust the height.
Then I should be able to take it home and walk again, hopefully in time for my Birthday
in February!

Of course because i'm not moving much i'm not making myself tired and find I've been staying up till passed midnight watching telly. Also the Christmas fat loves me too much to leave.

Also I've started trying to lower the medication i'm on. I'm down to just 300mg of Gabapentin once a night and 2x 10mg Amatriphtaline. So far the bad pins and needles feeling in my stump isn't getting any worse so we shall see how I go.

Hope you are doing well too.

Still waiting for the leg

02/12/13


Hi all


Just got back from a 4 hour session at the Prosthatists, only to be told the fitting still isn't right for my new hydraulic leg.

The suction socket is having problems with my cone shaped injury, and the tighter they make the socket to grip the suction pads its cutting off the circulation to the end of my stump, making it throb and go black, which is not good, and I can't have a belt system with a hydraulic leg because it's too heavy.

So they are going to try a different liner, one that is made of gel, hoping that this will relive the presser lower down. In the mean time I'm having my original socket (on a belt) made to fit me better and the tilting ankle put on it. So I should have one leg to be going on with by the end of January 2014. But that means I may be legless for Christmas (chance would be a fine thing!).

Hope you have a good one, and a happy new year xxx

Anyway keep plodding on!

Recovering

16/11/13

 

 

Hi all

 

Well I have finally had my middle toe top bone with toe nail amputated. I hope once this heals that I should be able to walk further without pain. But boy did it hurt having it done. Not the operation itself but the 6 numbing needles before hand.

The surgeon came into my room with what I can only describe as a horse needle and said this will be done before the op to ensure it is completely numb.

When I had my 4th toe done it was numbed during surgery so this was new.

He then proceeded to inject me on the top of my broken toe down my nail either side.

Then two more either side further down. These he had to push in deep and move around as he said' he had to get through scar tissue'. I was ok at first then when it got to these I nearly screamed and he said 'stop fighting me just relax your foot'!! I could had thumped him.

But after 5 agonising minutes it was over and within a further 10 it was completely numb.

The operation only took 10 minutes, in my last op I could feel the surgeon filing and pulling my skin stitching, but this time I didn't feel anything. Even when I got home there was no pain, which is good.

I'm now 5 days later and apart from it feeling sore like you know you have a cut, It's fine. Apart from the mass of bandage, and the fact that I cant walk on it for a week!

 

I am still waiting for my new suction leg (which I don't think it ever going to happen.) So maybe the rest will do me good, although I am so bored.

 

I also left my job last week, I was trying to get back to my normal routine, hoping it would go back to how it was. But I found as the months went on that it was just adding another stressful thing on my mind.

Worrying about the amount of time I was having off for operations and hospital appointments, and what people would be thinking of me, and panicking about travelling to work and having to sit at the front of the bus because I can't get up fast enough when I press the bell to stop.

Having to deal with employees at work who had returned from sick leave complaining about trivial little things, wanting me to scream at them 'you don't know how lucky you are!'.

So I gave my notice.

 

It still feels like I'm on sick leave with my foot bandaged up, and it's weird realising I don't have to plan for things on a weekend I can do them any day I want.

I'm not stressed anymore, and can finally take time to really heal.

I have my carpel tunnel surgery due in January 2014, and then I'm going to ask my plastic surgeon to file down the over grown bone on my stump. Then that should be it.

 

Time heals all things. x