3+ Months Update!

I'm Still Alive (Not kickin' but still breathin' at least)!

'pologize.  It's been pretty hectic.  I hate saying that especially after reading this NY Times Op Ed piece, but it's true.  I've been handling the prep. before my move to Portland and I've been studying for an accelerated A&P II class (8 weeks compressed into 5).  Final exams this week and then I start Physics II for Summer II.  I also shadowed Dr. Mary Surkein, D.C. in Plano.  (The Graston technique is fascinating.)  I also found an apt. that's pretty sweet with his/her saunas, heated pool, rec. room, and within walking distance of the uni.  Now I just need a roommate 'cuz they're out of 1 bedroom apts.


It's been a little more than 3 months since my achilles surgery and boy is it night and day!  I feel pretty great.  So great that I asked if I could use my Groupon for these boxing lessons I have.  He gave me that typical look of you are a complete idiot!  And then said slowly that boxing has you on your toes the entire time and it's ridiculous to even consider.  He also said that I can get my face punched in easily without boxing... I had to have a comeback, so I said, "like getting skin cancer?" (Dr. Hanssen had basal cell carcinoma).  Perhaps a low blow but we're way beyond that line by this point.  (The nicknames he's given me have gotten progressively more insulting.  It started out as "Hey Superman!" on the day of surgery.  Then "Hey cowboy!" in subsequent check-ups.   And the last few times, it's regressed to "Hey crazy!") 

Doc said I can get rid of the boot now and even go ahead and start running "in-line."  Though when I told his wife, Kelly, a physical therapist, that she gave me a look and said hold off on running for another 3 weeks hah!  I teased him saying he did really well for himself and that she's got to be half his age.


Anyways, she was a sweetheart and gave me a bunch of physical therapy exercises to do at home.  I'll share them with you below.  Oh she also said that she tried CrossFit once at CrossFit Deep Ellum and never again.  She said she discovered muscles she never knew she had and was so sore the next morning.  However, she said they kept pushing her and she finally told them that she is a therapist and KNOWS that some of these movements are NOT safe, especially since she's had knee surgery before.  I guess that was the final straw for her. 


(Disclaimer:  Do not try any of the following PT exercises without approval first from an MD or a physical therapist.  If you have just had surgery do NOT try these out as it may provoke a re-rupture.  Err on the side of caution.  That's one thing I've learned from all this mess.  Plus, don't be like me.  Support your chiropractors, physical therapists, and orthopedic surgeons!  They paid a lot for their education and training and deserve just compensation!  Being at home is one thing.  Results are much better if you get worked on by an expert.  Plus, these exercises were specifically tailored for my injury and status quo.)


Before I give you the goods.  Here's a photo of what my "wicked scar" looks like today.  It's a little bit raised but hey chicks dig scars, right?

Current scar as of July 3, 2012:

In any case, it's a helluva lot better than it looked 3 months ago!

PT Exercises to do at home (courtesy to Kelly Hanssen, PT):

1. Calf stretch 3 sets of 30 sec. reps
- leg extended out straight to stretch the gastrocnemius
- leg bent 30 degrees to stretch the soleus muscle

2. Hamstring stretch (or as Kelly wrote it "hamstretch [sic] stretch" hah)
-in 3 different directions to stretch out all three heads of the hamstring, again 3 x 30 sec.

3. Single leg balance
- eyes open: 3 x 15 sec. (or longer with improvement)
- eyes closed: 3 x 15 sec.

4. Seated calf raises 
-bearing no weight
-standing calf raises in a pool

*Self-massage the achilles tendon for 5 min. with lotion to work out the scar tissue.  (When I told the doc that it was still "lumpy" he said it'll stay that way since the suturing will never go away.  I said I thought with PT the scar tissue would fade away.  He replied, "Don't think. It's not your strong suit.")

After 3 weeks of the above, Kelly said I could try these warm-up exercises before running "in-line" as the surgeon suggested I do now...SMH.

* Single leg balance 3 x 30 sec. on a trampoline
* Jogging/prancing (alternating single legs) 3 x 30 sec.
* Standing squat to calf raise (start out in an air squat on the tramp. and come up to the balls of your feet.) 2 x 10 reps
* Squat jumps on trampoline

Then go out and jog in-line.  (He made fun of me when I didn't get what he meant by that.  He meant don't make rapid cuts, but gentle turns are OK.)

Dr. Hanssen

I wanted to get a photo with the jerk that fixed my achilles just so y'all can see his wicked scar on his face.  Only he didn't let me take a photo last time when he looked like shite.  (He held a grudge for me telling him that too.)  So Samantha took the photo and I said don't flatter yourself it's to show people your nasty scar and Kelly's eyes bugged out.  I quickly explained that he has the biggest ego in the world so you can't even give him an inch or he'll take a mile.

Next time I'm getting a photo with Kelly.  For reasons that are obvious once you see the photo.  When he said she married him for his hot body.  I said more like your money.  Then he said he has even younger girlfriends...So there you got a touch of his chauvinistic humor and megalomania. :-p

Seriously though, he's one of my favorite doctors of all time.  I almost became an orthopedic surgeon 'cuz of him.


If you're in the DFW area, especially in Plano and have an orthopedic surgery.  Definitely look him up!  The Cole Clinic.  You'll get fixed up and you'll have a big belly laugh.  All the staff are amazing too, the ladies there make up for his douchebaggery (especially Samantha and Kelly).  ;-)

Kelly is an awesome PT!  I warned her about my nasty eczema on my big toe from wearing the boot (not breathable and the neoprene just has the sweat stagnate on your skin), but she said it doesn't matter...she's used to seeing maggots and rotting wounds. ;-p

Oh and for some reason I didn't get charged anything today.  That was nice.  I guess it was just a check-up though and he didn't do anything but insult me.  However, Kelly the PT did give me a lot of great exercises to do at home.

Thank You To My Readers!

P.S.: A big shout-out and thank you to Nicole Rogers!  First, for giving me a reason to continue updating this blog after all this time.  (I probably wouldn't have even made this post if it were for your prodding.)

Secondly, for the Chipotle vouchers!  Probably my favorite fast food restaurant hands-down.  I've told people before that if I had to eat something everyday for the rest of my life, I wouldn't mind it if were Chipotle.  I went all out and got guac and steak too.  I also got to try the barbacoa for the first time and my goodness was it a revelation.  Dat sh*t is off the chain!  It blows the steak out of the water, not even a contest.  The steak is like eating sandpaper in comparison to the moist morsels of barbacoa.  Wikipedia states that barbacoa is made from "cow head."  Not sure if that's true...ignorance is bliss.  Erica told me that authentic tamales are made from pig heads (she found her grandmother cooking and she took off the lid and saw a pig snout sticking out from the giant pot and knew it was tamale night...)  I said I've never had authentic Mexican tamales then.