Tag: treatments

My next serial casting adventure

Today is Friday and I’m excited because today I’m starting some treatment that it’s hoped will loosen up my ankles and make the new splints that I will be having made very soon rub my feet less.

It’s a process called Serial Casting. I had it done a few times when I was a child to relieve some of the tightness in my ankles and it worked really well. I haven’t had it done since I was about 12, but we’ve been debating doing another round for a while.

Basically, what happens is, my lower legs and feet get put into some light-weight pots. Because they’re so light, I can still do all the things I would normally, I just have to be careful not to get them wet. After a week, the casts come off, the effectiveness so far gets tested, and then another set of casts go on. This process gets repeated for around three or four weeks, depending on how well it goes.

The difference is that this time, I’ll be getting cast for those new ankle splints and spring splints in between the penultimate set coming off me and the final set going on, while we can get my foot into a  (hopefully) improved position when the splints get made.

In the past, it’s fair to say that I’ve had a few problems with splints rubbing me and causing me blisters, but the idea is that making my ankle muscles less tight will help to combat this problem.

I’ve had this done before, and even though I know it’s nothing to be afraid of I’m still a bit nervous. Things should be much easier for me this time around now that we have a walk in shower at home, and I’ve invested in some waterproof cast covers too, neither of which I had as a kid. I haven’t used the latter before so let’s hope they work! I’m told that they work fine in the shower (but maybe I’ll get mum the first time) so I’m hoping that they will also mean that I can go out in light rain too.

Obviously, I’ll keep you all updated throughout the process.

My inner child is still hoping that they’ll let me choose what colour I want. They’ll most probably be getting scribbled on regardless…

Have a good weekend folks.

Surprise injections and more

So it turns out that the appointment that I had on Friday wasn’t so scary after all. In fact, I’d say it went rather well.

Quite a few things happened actually. We discussed maybe trying a new kind of splint as opposed to my callipers because they blister me so much, although I have to go for more appointments with a physio and someone who deals with splints to weigh up pros and cons first so I won’t go into details about that yet.

A few suggestions were made about things that might make my life in the kitchen a little bit easier. The occupation therapist who was there took my concerns on board and is going to do some research for me and try and get hold of some equipment for me to borrow to see how well it would work for me before I buy any. Again, I’ll let you know more when I do.

And, oh yeah, they gave me some more Botox in my left leg, which was an unexpected, (nice) surprise.

I’ve had this treatment done a few times as a kid, and once again last year as an adult and every time it has worked well for me. I mentioned to the doctor who was there (the same one who gave me the injections last year) that I thought it might be worth doing some more. She agreed that it would be.

“We can do it today, if you like” she said after giving it some thought.

“Er, yeah okay.” I said, a little shocked that that was an option.

And so we did.

I wasn’t expecting it but I wasn’t about to turn it down either.

“Bet you’re glad I came with you now,” Mum giggled as she helped me roll up my jean leg and gave me her hand to squeeze. Yes, I still like to do that. When I use to have them as a child, the would numb my legs  first with what they called “magic cream”. Now that I’m all grown up I don’t get that anymore, but I don’t think Mum minded me grasping onto her too much.

I personally don’t find that these injections hurt as such, it’s more like you’re being stung in my opinion, but it’s just nice to have someone there, you know?

Now that the deed has been done, it means that the intensive stretching has to start so that we can make the most out of it. So far, I think we’re doing pretty well at keeping on top of it, but it will be a couple of weeks before we’ll be able to tell what a difference it will make.

Let’s go, go, go!