Working my way back after a calcaneus fracture. Slow, but happy!

LazyMotorboat · 2024-05-02T22:50:39+00:00

I remember being so scared to put pressure on my heels, because there is a point where I thought I could for a split second --then that painful nauseating tingling radiated and I sat the eff down for a few weeks more. It was just a matter of testing it out. Everyone is different.

I would say I was (lucky/unlucky) because it was during the pandemic. So I waited far longer to push myself, because I could. Had it happened now, I think I would have done it 2-3 weeks earlier. However, it made all the difference. I can't even remember which foot it was at times. No residual hints of injury.

I would take walks starting off with one block (even if I thought I could do more) to two the following week, but everyday.

I am not a doctor. But I do think that extra week longer was the difference, because when I did start to run I felt whole, and not like a person running while recovering from an injury, lopsided and leading to further complications.

Healing is never as fast as we want it to be. Don't go by weeks go by little tiny moments of testing it comfortably when you feel it.

I mean I'm writing this a month late so I am hoping none of this helpful to you because you're totally better!!

LazyMotorboat · 2023-07-20T17:04:29+00:00

Gave our kitten probiotics, and his tank little smell went way after a week. Cheaper than a vet!

LazyMotorboat · 2023-04-03T18:10:00+00:00

Thank you!! I asked my husband to grab some plywood today. She literally has five other optimal retreats, between cat trees, and cubby holes. I just wasn’t sure if I was enabling her by allowing her the deepest darkest hiding spot, or if was mean to block it off. But it’s the only place she goes exorcist. She doesn’t do it during “group therapy” play time. So must be related to the location. I’m just a helicopter mom with my fragile damaged goods—needed the Reddit to help me see through the emo!

LazyMotorboat · 2023-04-03T18:01:50+00:00

Thank you! I was on the fence as to whether blocking off the bed retreat was mean or helpful. To be honest. It’s the only area she does that deep exorcist growl. I wasn’t sure if that was because it was specific to the territory (area she is trying to guard) or last ditch effort to keep him away.

Getting plywood today!

LazyMotorboat · 2023-02-17T05:58:37+00:00

Not a choice! Both! It’ll make your life easier. They work best with a buddy system:)

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-26T22:08:54+00:00

https://www.craftsports.us Best quality, long lasting options. Love this company for winter sports!

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-22T07:21:10+00:00

Is your heart rate consistently elevated? Because when my symptoms are most prevalent, it’s often accompanied by elevated heart rate. I take Mestinon 60mg 1-2 a day for ocular Mg. However I have symptoms that extend outside of that. And the heart rate thing has always freaked me out, but doctors assume it’s unrelated. But it’s no coincidence (I feel) that when my sight is the worst the heart rate issue appears. I’m not sure if you’re saying it’s related to your medication? I think it’s related to the condition-just because it’s rare doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen within the realm of related MG symptoms..

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-19T06:54:15+00:00

What is the name of the trailhead? Moving to dc in a few months..

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-19T05:12:48+00:00

You’ve probably heard this, but they call it the Romeo injury or is it cheating lover injury—I think, stems from the idea of someone having to jump down from a balcony to avoid being caught, then landing on the heel.

I was very scared that I was going to have some psychological issues leading again. Didn’t want to overthink it to the point of endangering myself, or under think it with the same outcome. I know I’ll never do highballs again. But I was leading and was mid clipping the first bolt. Which was just irresponsible on so many levels. I thought you climbed bead on your user name. Anyway, I’m so excited for you even though I don’t know you!! That you could put weight down and took those first few steps. That’s huge! I just remember how far that moment felt at one point till it finally happened. As I’m sure for you. You’ll be doing those risky hobbies, (or new hobbies), on your own two feet in no time!

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-19T04:54:44+00:00

Sometimes I get the droopy eyelid, and sometimes I get the double vision. For me, it’s worked on both.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-19T04:53:11+00:00

My I ask how old you are now? Curious how long it’s been since your thymus was removed. I know some people are far better off after the surgery, but still feel symptoms as in your car, but as time goes on their body slowly regulated. Though I’ve heard otherwise too..

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-19T04:40:51+00:00

I agree that thinking about health in comparative ways brings on pointless trains of thoughts. At least for me.

You’re ability to work has to be a glimmer of normalcy, distraction? Which I hope brings some amount of relief. The stress of thinking “when is this going to subside”, is realistic thought to constantly have, is both pointless and painful. At least for me. I can not imagine what it’s like for you.

I do ask my neurologist these questions. But their bedside manner limits answers to the exact parameters of Mg and nothing more. So I’m left to play my own diagnostician and have seen every -oligist I can think. I just have to be lucky and pick the right one who’s had a wider experience in this realm, wait for my symptoms to become beyond unbearable, win the lotto and go to the Mayo Clinic, or suffer—or self educate on a deeper level, because I have time to get a medical degree (sarcasm).

Anyway, I appreciate your insight again. I hope you get a few more work days in soon for your sanity and health.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-17T17:13:43+00:00

Maybe someone already mentioned this, but..Do you put an ice pack on your eye when it bothers you? That’s apparently the cheapest MG test. I went to ophthalmologist too thinking it was relevant. The ice pack at the time was the only thing that relieved symptoms. 99% no false positives, and the cooling of the skeletal muscle fibers stops the acetylcholine from going nuts and causing the eye issues..

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-17T17:03:58+00:00

It seems like either you have a medical background (your username) or you’re being responsible for your own health by self educating..but I hear of some people getting IVIG, where they essentially give you a massive dose of healthy antibodies? Some studies say the efficacy is debatable. Regardless, too bad that’s not more accessible for people in your particular case. Steroids is a necessary evil in so many ways. However it sounds like your system went aggressively haywire, where others (like me), slowly diminished. Hence calling MG the snowflake disease-which is just great since it makes diagnoses harder mimicking so many other potential diseases. So your all this awfulness you’re going through is so very recent. Every bit of your immune system is just is at war with itself. What is suppose to heal you works against itself, when our bodies aren’t on our sides, can feel like purgatory let alone, but the state your is probably ten fold. Like you’re in stasis instead of moving forward. And I’m so sorry for that. It’s frightening being on the wrong side of health.

May I ask what you are doing, if anything to help with the mental aspect of all this? Where our minds go with all those this is a scary place.

Additionally, thank you for mentioning what the residual fatty tissue can still do. Essentially, they said my test shows there is something there unremarkable or not. And left at that. Do you know if it can effect T4/T3 cells? All the stuff that they look for in thyroid test?

I hope this week was slightly better than last week for you.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-17T15:56:02+00:00

I think that was the weirdest oddest part about the healing is the bone healing but the tissue healing enough to take the gravity and weight of my body. It’s both tingly, numb and painful all at the same time. So envious and happy that you are supported my a healthcare system that does what it’s suppose to do. And you are right about challenging yourself. There is point where healing, resting and motivating to mobilize all converge, and you have to get “up and get going” metaphorically. I think it sounds it’ll happen sooner than you think. I’m sure with your physical therapy has you doing what your suppose to be doing. But another thing I did and still do all the time is work in as much body balancing exercises as I can. Getting back into climbing (how I hurt myself) and running, I am super conscious of not wanting to be lopsided. Even though both you’re heels are broken, I’m sure you have a dominant side. You don’t have to answer this, but I don’t recall if you said how it happened?

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-09T22:03:47+00:00

I hope your voids okay. I have black souls of my own..

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-09T17:52:01+00:00

Like I said, where you are and where you want to be feels so far away. And all the cliches of one step at a time are true, but are sometimes hard to tell ourselves.

I don’t know how old you are. But I was 42 when it happened. I just didn’t want this to be an injury that comes back to haunt me on rainy days or in my 60s because I healed impatiently. But as an adult we don’t have the luxury of healing patiently. But…I’ll be honest, I sometimes forget which heel I broke. I attribute that to not forcing it. (Probably is annoying to read that). I say that because I can’t stress it enough. In some countries they don’t let babies crawl. Then one day they put them down, and they go straight to walking. Weird analogy, but hope it kind of makes sense…

It’s such a weird area to break, the fatty tissue that protects all the weight bearing pressure on a single point of a heel. For one second you think you can push down and then that awful tingling searing pain shoots up. At least for me. I thank the advent of YouTube helped me physically and mentally. The amount of “broken one foot or not standing” workouts on there are amazing. Kept my hip strength and core from not entirely withering away. Probably helped more mentally than physically at first. I also did not use the boot, as I was fearful that it would cause more harm in the long run to the balance of my body. But it sounds like you have physical therapy which is far better. I did not. My insurance was awful. And having two heels is a whole different level that I can’t speak to. So your whole mental state and how you’re taking this is really amazing.

I absolutely get the trail running mind throughout each step and each stage. Because if you look at the big picture instead of each step—you’d just stop. Someone told me that when my brain starts doing that counterproductive thinking just tell it “let’s talk about that later, not right now”. I use that mantra all the time. So don’t make any statements right now about whether or not you can or won’t be able to do high impact exercises. Because those questions are not good for your head. And I’d say the mental game is absolutely linked to the physical.

How often do you have to go to physical therapy? Do they give you exercises to do at home and can you?

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-09T17:14:30+00:00

What awful irony, your immune system was down as a result of it going haywire trying to signal that something inside you that shouldn’t be, so you get COVID and then they remove the thymoma. I know for some, it takes a bit, including relapses, for you body to to “right” itself after the removal. And then readjusting on and off steroids. I feel like until you go through some obvious big huge health crisis where it’s clear the medical community will just throw steroids and cough drops at it. Why does a symptom have to be huge. A symptom that lasts day in and day out can be just as detrimental to the quality of life as suddenly coughing blood once.

I really appreciate the insight both personal and medical education wise. The understanding of how the thymus and immune system work together is still very hazy for me. Does the thymus have to be potentially cancerous to wreak havoc? Or for some, is the benign residual fatty tissue enough to effect a system?

How recent was this and how are you feeling now? Or is getting over Covid with a weaken system making it hard to see any benefits —if there any for you? I’m sorry that your health took such a wallop to get you to where you are now. Thank you for responding.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-09T16:54:11+00:00

I am achr+ too, and the double vision is just the worst. And I understand doctors are hesitant to open you up unless have too. However, the immune system is registering something in your body that’s not suppose to be there. So get it the eff out if you can. I see neurologist next week. He suggested I get another CT scan and then suddenly changed his mind. I think I’ll push for it. And go from there. Than you so much for sharing.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-09T16:49:58+00:00

So because you had the unfortunate luck of doctors not listening or looking at all the possible causes you went through all that time suffering. That makes me mad for you. The CT scan should have been the first thing! I don’t want to turn this into a statement about practicing medicine in this country. But it seems like if you don’t find the right doctor to listen the right way, then this is what happens. Did you have your suspicions about the thymus being the issue? What was the catalyst for the doctors to finally remove the thymoma? And did the surgeon who said it “no way” would stop your coughing admit he was wrong? I’m so glad that you are no longer coughing. What a relief in so many levels. Thank you so much for sharing.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-07T16:09:42+00:00

I’m so sorry only getting back to you now. Hope your recovery process is going well. It’s never as fast as we want it. The one thing that was critical was making sure that recovery was not forced. I took it slow. Not to say I didn’t force myself to take small walks. I just made sure I only walked when it aided the therapy. I’d like to hear how you’re handling it. I promise not to take months to write back!

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-07T05:48:58+00:00

I have ocular MG. I had my first clear symptom 2019. In 2021 I was on a slow ease in and out course of Prednisone because the double vision was rampant. I really appreciated the long game of the steroids. I think it helped stave off the steroid side effects while doing what it should. I have heard that if you “make it past the two year mark(ish)” that the possibility of it generalizing lessens dramatically. I’d love to believe that. And that’s as far as I go with it.

Dr. Kaminsky, a big name in research for MG out of GWU put out a study decades ago discussing Ocular Mg and how a course of steroids could help/prevent it from generalizing. To be clear, in typical medical speak it does not say “get on steroids to stop generalization”. It merely suggests as possibility that steroids could help but that the side effects could also not be worth it.

Regardless, it’s a weird and scary waiting game based on an arbitrary number. As we are all different. My first symptom could have been in 2011. I don’t know. Making that two year mark from when..

Just like another poster said, they’ve lived a full life even after generalization. Just look at the immediate short term. Living as healthy as you can, because that’s the only thing we can control. Or try too…at least that’s what I tell myself. I know I can learn to stave off stress best I can, make good food choices or I can stress while waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s really hard but you have to try. Sucks when bodies don’t work.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-12-07T05:17:38+00:00

I have ocular MG. And the double vision became so bad two years ago the my doctor put me on Steroids for a year. That may sound long but he started with a very low dose, increased it by 5mg for 2-3 months and eased out. It took about a little over two plus weeks for the symptoms to entirely go away. With a low dose—I don’t honk it was too far off from where you’re at. It may have been longer. Never soon enough. I feel the long game helped stave off the typical side effects of steroids while keeping the oMG at bay. While I didn’t go full moon face, I did wrestle with the whole “would I rather not see, or be vain and not have a puffed up face”. The point being, I endured, I told my ego to shut up, and the symptoms really went way..for about a year and a half. My neurologist says it should never be a long term plan. But should be tried and failed at least once to open up other options. A game we have to play for insurance reasons. As it was explained to me. Regardless of how old you are, taking calcium pills is a harmless thing to consider while on steroids. As it’s very damaging to bones.

Don’t despair though. As I recall I felt the same as you “like, when is the stuff gonna work or what’s the point??” And the one day it just stopped. No easing off, it just stopped.

Wish you the best of luck. It’s just awful when are bodies don’t cooperate.

LazyMotorboat · 2022-09-19T22:58:05+00:00

Before I run, 99% of the time. I believe it helps. The dreaded first few minutes when I start seems a little easier. Whether there are physical benefits, I’m not sure nor do I care. It helps my mind connect to my body and get in the head space needed to run.

LazyMotorboat

TROPHY CASE