Question:
Thanks, Kathy! I got a chair from some friends. It was their mother’s. I read the information the ortho gave me about the recuperation and it says to avoid chairs. I’m not supposed to be upright for more than 20 minutes at a time. I have to lie flat with my feet elevated. I don’t want to get a lecture about how I shouldn’t be up moving around. LOL I just cannot use that darn walker with my hands and wrists the way they are. My RD understands this stuff, but I’m not sure the foot/ankle surgeon will, so I decided to get the chair on my own. Now, I have to hope that I can wheel it around on my carpeting. UGH! I may end up crawling on the floor! LOL Carol – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> When Dale broke both of his achilles I got him a wheelchair at a medical > supply place before I could get him in to see the Dr. they gave me the chair > and said to bring in the script. For 3 months the chair was paid totally by > ins. Get the script for the chair and don’t forget the request for handicap > parking if you don;t have one already. > Kathy > Your local red cross will probably get you a chair and all they ask is > that > you make a donation when you are finished. > Bruce > > I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems I’ve been having for a > > few months. The ortho who I had been seeing had recommended surgery, > > but was unable to do the surgery because of health problems. > > Well, after having an MRI on Dec.2nd which the written report stated > > that nothing showed up and a mix up at the ortho’s office, I finally > > saw the orthosurgeon who I was referred to. I thought some of you, > > who responded to my last post where I asked if synovial > > fluid/inflamation always showed up on an MRI, would be interested to > > know what I found out. > > The ortho laughed when he saw the written report. After looking at > > the MRI films, he said that there is definite inflamation around the > > tendon. In fact, there’s quite a bit. He said that the radiologists > > who read these MRI’s do not know what they’re looking for and they > > tend to skim over the slides because there are so many of them. He > > also said that he has seen MRI’s that look great and when he’s gone in > > surgically, the tendon looks like "crabmeat" (YUCK!). (I hope I > > don’t remember that the next time I eat crab!) LOL He’s also seen > > MRI’s that look like there’s no tendon left and he’s surprised to see > > that things are not nearly that bad. > > I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th. He will go in and clean > > up the inflamation, stitch up the tears in the posterior tibial tendon > > IF he is able to make the repairs. If the tendon is in too bad of > > shape, then he will do a tendon graft using a tendon on the other side > > of my foot (the one that works the small toes). My tendon is still > > functioning, but is very weak. He’s not sure what he will find when > > he goes in…it could go either way. Plus, he said that he can’t > > guarantee that the inflamation won’t come right back, but I have to > > have the surgery or guaranteed I will end up with a flat foot with > > limited functioning. > > It will be 8 weeks recuperation….2 weeks totally nonweightbearing > > and then a boot for the next 6 weeks. I can go back to work after a > > couple of weeks IF I can guarantee him that I will sit most of the day > > with my foot elevated. If I cannot do that then he wants me off work > > for the entire 8 weeks. He said that depending on how things go, if > > things are going well, he will leave it up to me as to how long I want > > to take off. Well, I teach a roomful of first graders. Everyone has > > been telling me that I need to take the 8 weeks because there’s no way > > I will be able to stay off my feet and keep the foot elevated all day. > > I decided to think about it and then yesterday, one the kids stepped > > right on my bad foot. Crunch! OW! I think I am going to take the 8 > > weeks. I have 200 sick days built up, so I have the time. > > The biggest problems I’m going to have is not going stir crazy and how > > I’m going to get around during those first two weeks. They gave me a > > walker to use, but my hands and wrists are weak, plus my other foot > > and ankle aren’t very good either. Also, I live alone and will have > > some help for a few days, but after that I’m on my own. So, I’ve > > decided to look into a wheelchair to use in the house. > > Do any of you know if I should contact the doctor’s office to see if > > they can write a script for wheelchair rental? Or are there places > > where I can rent a chair for a reasonable price? I went to a local > > med supply store today and they rent them for $75 a month. I thought > > that was kind of high. Does that sound reasonable? > > I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! > > Carol
Response:
i’m pretty sure that most doctor’s can write a ’script’ for almost anything, carol. and i think insurance companies will cover the costs of a rental chair, if prescribed. line up, in advance of jan 29th, lots of good movies, books and things you love to do that you know you can do while in a wheelchair, at a table you can scoot the chair under, with the leg lifts extended. will be keeping you in my prayerful and healing thoughts, carol. kate
I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems I’ve been having for a few months. The ortho who I had been seeing had recommended surgery, but was unable to do the surgery because of health problems. Well, after having an MRI on Dec.2nd which the written report stated that nothing showed up and a mix up at the ortho’s office, I finally saw the orthosurgeon who I was referred to. I thought some of you, who responded to my last post where I asked if synovial fluid/inflamation always showed up on an MRI, would be interested to know what I found out. The ortho laughed when he saw the written report. After looking at the MRI films, he said that there is definite inflamation around the tendon. In fact, there’s quite a bit. He said that the radiologists who read these MRI’s do not know what they’re looking for and they tend to skim over the slides because there are so many of them. He also said that he has seen MRI’s that look great and when he’s gone in surgically, the tendon looks like "crabmeat" (YUCK!). (I hope I don’t remember that the next time I eat crab!) LOL He’s also seen MRI’s that look like there’s no tendon left and he’s surprised to see that things are not nearly that bad. I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th. He will go in and clean up the inflamation, stitch up the tears in the posterior tibial tendon IF he is able to make the repairs. If the tendon is in too bad of shape, then he will do a tendon graft using a tendon on the other side of my foot (the one that works the small toes). My tendon is still functioning, but is very weak. He’s not sure what he will find when he goes in…it could go either way. Plus, he said that he can’t guarantee that the inflamation won’t come right back, but I have to have the surgery or guaranteed I will end up with a flat foot with limited functioning. It will be 8 weeks recuperation….2 weeks totally nonweightbearing and then a boot for the next 6 weeks. I can go back to work after a couple of weeks IF I can guarantee him that I will sit most of the day with my foot elevated. If I cannot do that then he wants me off work for the entire 8 weeks. He said that depending on how things go, if things are going well, he will leave it up to me as to how long I want to take off. Well, I teach a roomful of first graders. Everyone has been telling me that I need to take the 8 weeks because there’s no way I will be able to stay off my feet and keep the foot elevated all day. I decided to think about it and then yesterday, one the kids stepped right on my bad foot. Crunch! OW! I think I am going to take the 8 weeks. I have 200 sick days built up, so I have the time. The biggest problems I’m going to have is not going stir crazy and how I’m going to get around during those first two weeks. They gave me a walker to use, but my hands and wrists are weak, plus my other foot and ankle aren’t very good either. Also, I live alone and will have some help for a few days, but after that I’m on my own. So, I’ve decided to look into a wheelchair to use in the house. Do any of you know if I should contact the doctor’s office to see if they can write a script for wheelchair rental? Or are there places where I can rent a chair for a reasonable price? I went to a local med supply store today and they rent them for $75 a month. I thought that was kind of high. Does that sound reasonable? I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! Carol
Response:
When Dale broke both of his achilles I got him a wheelchair at a medical supply place before I could get him in to see the Dr. they gave me the chair and said to bring in the script. For 3 months the chair was paid totally by ins. Get the script for the chair and don’t forget the request for handicap parking if you don;t have one already. Kathy
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Your local red cross will probably get you a chair and all they ask is that > you make a donation when you are finished. > Bruce > I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems I’ve been having for a > few months. The ortho who I had been seeing had recommended surgery, > but was unable to do the surgery because of health problems. > Well, after having an MRI on Dec.2nd which the written report stated > that nothing showed up and a mix up at the ortho’s office, I finally > saw the orthosurgeon who I was referred to. I thought some of you, > who responded to my last post where I asked if synovial > fluid/inflamation always showed up on an MRI, would be interested to > know what I found out. > The ortho laughed when he saw the written report. After looking at > the MRI films, he said that there is definite inflamation around the > tendon. In fact, there’s quite a bit. He said that the radiologists > who read these MRI’s do not know what they’re looking for and they > tend to skim over the slides because there are so many of them. He > also said that he has seen MRI’s that look great and when he’s gone in > surgically, the tendon looks like "crabmeat" (YUCK!). (I hope I > don’t remember that the next time I eat crab!) LOL He’s also seen > MRI’s that look like there’s no tendon left and he’s surprised to see > that things are not nearly that bad. > I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th. He will go in and clean > up the inflamation, stitch up the tears in the posterior tibial tendon > IF he is able to make the repairs. If the tendon is in too bad of > shape, then he will do a tendon graft using a tendon on the other side > of my foot (the one that works the small toes). My tendon is still > functioning, but is very weak. He’s not sure what he will find when > he goes in…it could go either way. Plus, he said that he can’t > guarantee that the inflamation won’t come right back, but I have to > have the surgery or guaranteed I will end up with a flat foot with > limited functioning. > It will be 8 weeks recuperation….2 weeks totally nonweightbearing > and then a boot for the next 6 weeks. I can go back to work after a > couple of weeks IF I can guarantee him that I will sit most of the day > with my foot elevated. If I cannot do that then he wants me off work > for the entire 8 weeks. He said that depending on how things go, if > things are going well, he will leave it up to me as to how long I want > to take off. Well, I teach a roomful of first graders. Everyone has > been telling me that I need to take the 8 weeks because there’s no way > I will be able to stay off my feet and keep the foot elevated all day. > I decided to think about it and then yesterday, one the kids stepped > right on my bad foot. Crunch! OW! I think I am going to take the 8 > weeks. I have 200 sick days built up, so I have the time. > The biggest problems I’m going to have is not going stir crazy and how > I’m going to get around during those first two weeks. They gave me a > walker to use, but my hands and wrists are weak, plus my other foot > and ankle aren’t very good either. Also, I live alone and will have > some help for a few days, but after that I’m on my own. So, I’ve > decided to look into a wheelchair to use in the house. > Do any of you know if I should contact the doctor’s office to see if > they can write a script for wheelchair rental? Or are there places > where I can rent a chair for a reasonable price? I went to a local > med supply store today and they rent them for $75 a month. I thought > that was kind of high. Does that sound reasonable? > I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! > Carol
Response:
Years ago when I did some accounting work for Easter Seals they had a large loan out closet of durable medical equipment such as walkers and wheel chairs. (No low income requirement, but a donation would be nice if you can afford it.) Another organization that might depending on where you are would be the Veterans of Foreign Wars. My biggest problem after my (abdominal) surgery was getting up off the toilet. We put a good portable grab bar on the tub in the main bathroom where it worked to pull up off the toilet too, but I forgot and got stuck in the smaller bathroom by my bedroom a couple of times. There will be a proper grab bar in there as soon as the holidays are over. If I can just figure out where to attach it. The most useful help was a small bath chair thing that fit in the tub. No way could I stand long enough for a proper shower, or get up from a bath. I already had a handheld type showerhead. My knees make it hard to get up from a sofa etc anyway and adding 18" of stitches in my chest didn’t help at all. I still use my office chair or a dining room chair a lot of the time as both have arms and wheels. Just notice the things you do around home the next couple of weeks and figure where you will need help. And figure how you will summon help if you get in a jam. — Jo Firey "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Your local red cross will probably get you a chair and all they ask is that > you make a donation when you are finished. > Bruce > I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems I’ve been having for a > few months. The ortho who I had been seeing had recommended surgery, > but was unable to do the surgery because of health problems. > Well, after having an MRI on Dec.2nd which the written report stated > that nothing showed up and a mix up at the ortho’s office, I finally > saw the orthosurgeon who I was referred to. I thought some of you, > who responded to my last post where I asked if synovial > fluid/inflamation always showed up on an MRI, would be interested to > know what I found out. > The ortho laughed when he saw the written report. After looking at > the MRI films, he said that there is definite inflamation around the > tendon. In fact, there’s quite a bit. He said that the radiologists > who read these MRI’s do not know what they’re looking for and they > tend to skim over the slides because there are so many of them. He > also said that he has seen MRI’s that look great and when he’s gone in > surgically, the tendon looks like "crabmeat" (YUCK!). (I hope I > don’t remember that the next time I eat crab!) LOL He’s also seen > MRI’s that look like there’s no tendon left and he’s surprised to see > that things are not nearly that bad. > I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th. He will go in and clean > up the inflamation, stitch up the tears in the posterior tibial tendon > IF he is able to make the repairs. If the tendon is in too bad of > shape, then he will do a tendon graft using a tendon on the other side > of my foot (the one that works the small toes). My tendon is still > functioning, but is very weak. He’s not sure what he will find when > he goes in…it could go either way. Plus, he said that he can’t > guarantee that the inflamation won’t come right back, but I have to > have the surgery or guaranteed I will end up with a flat foot with > limited functioning. > It will be 8 weeks recuperation….2 weeks totally nonweightbearing > and then a boot for the next 6 weeks. I can go back to work after a > couple of weeks IF I can guarantee him that I will sit most of the day > with my foot elevated. If I cannot do that then he wants me off work > for the entire 8 weeks. He said that depending on how things go, if > things are going well, he will leave it up to me as to how long I want > to take off. Well, I teach a roomful of first graders. Everyone has > been telling me that I need to take the 8 weeks because there’s no way > I will be able to stay off my feet and keep the foot elevated all day. > I decided to think about it and then yesterday, one the kids stepped > right on my bad foot. Crunch! OW! I think I am going to take the 8 > weeks. I have 200 sick days built up, so I have the time. > The biggest problems I’m going to have is not going stir crazy and how > I’m going to get around during those first two weeks. They gave me a > walker to use, but my hands and wrists are weak, plus my other foot > and ankle aren’t very good either. Also, I live alone and will have > some help for a few days, but after that I’m on my own. So, I’ve > decided to look into a wheelchair to use in the house. > Do any of you know if I should contact the doctor’s office to see if > they can write a script for wheelchair rental? Or are there places > where I can rent a chair for a reasonable price? I went to a local > med supply store today and they rent them for $75 a month. I thought > that was kind of high. Does that sound reasonable? > I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! > Carol
Response:
Carol, If you need a shower stool, I have one. No wheelchair though. Keep us posted! ~KJ Akron, Ohio http://arthritisinsight.com Knowledge is power…support is essential. Tina’s Togs http://tinastogs.com Quality Plus Size and Vintage Fashions Coming soon to a puter near you!
Response:
I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems I’ve been having for a few months. The ortho who I had been seeing had recommended surgery, but was unable to do the surgery because of health problems. Well, after having an MRI on Dec.2nd which the written report stated that nothing showed up and a mix up at the ortho’s office, I finally saw the orthosurgeon who I was referred to. I thought some of you, who responded to my last post where I asked if synovial fluid/inflamation always showed up on an MRI, would be interested to know what I found out. The ortho laughed when he saw the written report. After looking at the MRI films, he said that there is definite inflamation around the tendon. In fact, there’s quite a bit. He said that the radiologists who read these MRI’s do not know what they’re looking for and they tend to skim over the slides because there are so many of them. He also said that he has seen MRI’s that look great and when he’s gone in surgically, the tendon looks like "crabmeat" (YUCK!). (I hope I don’t remember that the next time I eat crab!) LOL He’s also seen MRI’s that look like there’s no tendon left and he’s surprised to see that things are not nearly that bad. I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th. He will go in and clean up the inflamation, stitch up the tears in the posterior tibial tendon IF he is able to make the repairs. If the tendon is in too bad of shape, then he will do a tendon graft using a tendon on the other side of my foot (the one that works the small toes). My tendon is still functioning, but is very weak. He’s not sure what he will find when he goes in…it could go either way. Plus, he said that he can’t guarantee that the inflamation won’t come right back, but I have to have the surgery or guaranteed I will end up with a flat foot with limited functioning. It will be 8 weeks recuperation….2 weeks totally nonweightbearing and then a boot for the next 6 weeks. I can go back to work after a couple of weeks IF I can guarantee him that I will sit most of the day with my foot elevated. If I cannot do that then he wants me off work for the entire 8 weeks. He said that depending on how things go, if things are going well, he will leave it up to me as to how long I want to take off. Well, I teach a roomful of first graders. Everyone has been telling me that I need to take the 8 weeks because there’s no way I will be able to stay off my feet and keep the foot elevated all day. I decided to think about it and then yesterday, one the kids stepped right on my bad foot. Crunch! OW! I think I am going to take the 8 weeks. I have 200 sick days built up, so I have the time. The biggest problems I’m going to have is not going stir crazy and how I’m going to get around during those first two weeks. They gave me a walker to use, but my hands and wrists are weak, plus my other foot and ankle aren’t very good either. Also, I live alone and will have some help for a few days, but after that I’m on my own. So, I’ve decided to look into a wheelchair to use in the house. Do any of you know if I should contact the doctor’s office to see if they can write a script for wheelchair rental? Or are there places where I can rent a chair for a reasonable price? I went to a local med supply store today and they rent them for $75 a month. I thought that was kind of high. Does that sound reasonable? I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! Carol
Response:
Your local red cross will probably get you a chair and all they ask is that you make a donation when you are finished. Bruce
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I posted a couple of weeks ago about problems I’ve been having for a > few months. The ortho who I had been seeing had recommended surgery, > but was unable to do the surgery because of health problems. > Well, after having an MRI on Dec.2nd which the written report stated > that nothing showed up and a mix up at the ortho’s office, I finally > saw the orthosurgeon who I was referred to. I thought some of you, > who responded to my last post where I asked if synovial > fluid/inflamation always showed up on an MRI, would be interested to > know what I found out. > The ortho laughed when he saw the written report. After looking at > the MRI films, he said that there is definite inflamation around the > tendon. In fact, there’s quite a bit. He said that the radiologists > who read these MRI’s do not know what they’re looking for and they > tend to skim over the slides because there are so many of them. He > also said that he has seen MRI’s that look great and when he’s gone in > surgically, the tendon looks like "crabmeat" (YUCK!). (I hope I > don’t remember that the next time I eat crab!) LOL He’s also seen > MRI’s that look like there’s no tendon left and he’s surprised to see > that things are not nearly that bad. > I am scheduled for surgery on January 29th. He will go in and clean > up the inflamation, stitch up the tears in the posterior tibial tendon > IF he is able to make the repairs. If the tendon is in too bad of > shape, then he will do a tendon graft using a tendon on the other side > of my foot (the one that works the small toes). My tendon is still > functioning, but is very weak. He’s not sure what he will find when > he goes in…it could go either way. Plus, he said that he can’t > guarantee that the inflamation won’t come right back, but I have to > have the surgery or guaranteed I will end up with a flat foot with > limited functioning. > It will be 8 weeks recuperation….2 weeks totally nonweightbearing > and then a boot for the next 6 weeks. I can go back to work after a > couple of weeks IF I can guarantee him that I will sit most of the day > with my foot elevated. If I cannot do that then he wants me off work > for the entire 8 weeks. He said that depending on how things go, if > things are going well, he will leave it up to me as to how long I want > to take off. Well, I teach a roomful of first graders. Everyone has > been telling me that I need to take the 8 weeks because there’s no way > I will be able to stay off my feet and keep the foot elevated all day. > I decided to think about it and then yesterday, one the kids stepped > right on my bad foot. Crunch! OW! I think I am going to take the 8 > weeks. I have 200 sick days built up, so I have the time. > The biggest problems I’m going to have is not going stir crazy and how > I’m going to get around during those first two weeks. They gave me a > walker to use, but my hands and wrists are weak, plus my other foot > and ankle aren’t very good either. Also, I live alone and will have > some help for a few days, but after that I’m on my own. So, I’ve > decided to look into a wheelchair to use in the house. > Do any of you know if I should contact the doctor’s office to see if > they can write a script for wheelchair rental? Or are there places > where I can rent a chair for a reasonable price? I went to a local > med supply store today and they rent them for $75 a month. I thought > that was kind of high. Does that sound reasonable? > I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! > Carol
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