Received some pre-op images of my ankle!

[CybrSlydr]

When I got these yesterday, it was the first time I'd seen what my ankle looked like after the blast but before they fixed it.


First is a photo of the break from during the surgery I believe. Second is of the external fixator they attached in Afghanistan to hold it all in place until they could operate on it. Third is just another view of the break.

[Daveroo]

nasty stuff man...sure glad it was just yer ankle.....

[Jagdflieger]

How has your recovery progressed Cyber? I hope that it has gone well and that you're now fully mobile.

Did you ever make it over to London?

[Sascha66]

Best wishes for your continued recovery!:salute::salute::salute:

Sascha

[CybrSlydr]

How has your recovery progressed Cyber? I hope that it has gone well and that you're now fully mobile.

Did you ever make it over to London?

No, my brother couldn't swing the trip. It was pretty expensive to go from Korea. So, we're going to try some other time.

[SSI01]

Cybr - I'm curious about something - the dr treating my wife for a similar problem in her knee is a former Army doctor - he may still be in the Reserve, in fact - what have they told you about pain associated with your wound, and how to deal with it?

[CybrSlydr]

Cybr - I'm curious about something - the dr treating my wife for a similar problem in her knee is a former Army doctor - he may still be in the Reserve, in fact - what have they told you about pain associated with your wound, and how to deal with it?

Well... I'm not sure how to say this without coming off as some super-macho dude-man. lol

It hurts every day. Most when I first walk on it after sitting for a while or when I wake up in the morning. It's very stiff then. During the day it starts to fade to this semi-dull ache in the whole ankle-area. I tell folks it's like walking with a permanently sprained ankle as the swelling is about the same.

I don't take any medication for it - the pain or swelling. The incision doesn't hurt at all, so that's not an issue. Pretty much I just deal with it and Charlie Mike. As far as any medical provider is concerned, I have arthritis and you don't have pain management for arthritis, so no pain meds. Which is fine with me - I don't like how I feel on pain meds. Yeah, my ankle hurts, but I'm still me.

[SSI01]

That may go some way toward explaining what the dr had to say to my wife. During the lap. survery to repair the torn meniscus in her knee, he found arthritis in the joint. She's been in eyewatering pain due to the surgery, but the dr said "You've got arthritis in there, too, so just suck it up." She understands there's nothing that can really be done for arthritis pain (one of my aunts had RA, her hands were incredibly twisted by it, and painful with no treatment - but she was always smiling) - it seems the dr can't differentiate between pain from the surgery and pain from the arthritis.

I know you guys from the 10th Div - met some of you now and then in my previous life. Tough guys. :salute:

[txnetcop]

Cyber it sounds like you are well on your way to recovery Amigo! AWESOME!

[CybrSlydr]

That may go some way toward explaining what the dr had to say to my wife. During the lap. survery to repair the torn meniscus in her knee, he found arthritis in the joint. She's been in eyewatering pain due to the surgery, but the dr said "You've got arthritis in there, too, so just suck it up." She understands there's nothing that can really be done for arthritis pain (one of my aunts had RA, her hands were incredibly twisted by it, and painful with no treatment - but she was always smiling) - it seems the dr can't differentiate between pain from the surgery and pain from the arthritis.I know you guys from the 10th Div - met some of you now and then in my previous life. Tough guys. :salute:

Well, the Army says I have "Pain and stiffness associated with Degenerative Joint Disease post-op" - aka Arthritis. That's the only thing that's got me unfit for service. As your wife knows, these kinds of surgeries don't leave a whole lot of joint space afterwards so arthritis is a foregone conclusion. Severity differs by case. I've asked the Army docs about what kind of discomfort I should be expecting and this is all pretty much what they said. So, I'm just accepting it as it is and moving forward.txnetcop - That's the idea, onwards and upwards!