July 14, 1991
It was the summer before my sophomore year of college. I was an art student and cross-country and track runner at a NCAA Division II college in mid-Missouri. While enjoying an afternoon of horse riding, my horse slid while running. My left ankle was in the stirrup that cut a huge gouge into my horse's side while wrenching my ankle and crushing bones in my ankle and foot.
August, 1991
I returned to school on crutches, red-shirted and determined to get back on course.
The rest of the year was painful. I lost my competitive edge and running scholarship. I directed my attention to art and finished my degree all while my running mates managed to qualify as a team for Nationals. This is where athletes earn All-American status.
Fast Forward...
2011, due to an increase in pain and loss of range of motion I sought advise from two orthopedic surgeons, the first recommended another reconstructive surgery (much the same as the surgery 20 years prior) in order to prepare for a “more perfect” fusion, which I wanted to avoid, much less reconstruction.
The second orthopedist suggested arthroscopy...
I returned to work as a server in less than a week and wore a boot. I received viscosuplementation injections, aka rooster comb therapy, the last of which brought a very sudden and painful arthrocentesis (basically removing the same fluid that was administered) due to hemarthrosis. I returned to work in a few days.
Unable to take pain medications, I received painful cortisone injections that would last for about a month. I did this when weather would cause increased pain. Acupuncture helped put an end to cortisone shots.
I have very limited range of motion, tendinitis, planar fasciitis, neuropathy and visible muscle atrophy as well as a limp. I have chronic pain and stiffness. I work on my feet and think of my work as therapy. I faithfully believe that my body is still trying to heal.
Medical doctors refer me to Orthopedic Surgeons who all claim fusion as my most viable option because I'm too young for replacement, as replacements usually need replaced. Thank God for the advancement of Stem Cell Therapy.
#ankle#arthroscopy#stemcell#reconstruction#regenerative
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