Loose = blisters, blister (esp on incision) + diabetes = very bad + very uncomfortable

OI VEY!!! THAT FLIPPIN' HURT!!!!!

Doc took the cast off, and took the stitches out (VERY PAINFUL), says my "flap" is healing up VERY well, esp for only 2 weeks out from surgery (he was gonna wait 3 weeks but they looked ready). Put a new cast on. I chose day glow orange this time in case I need to flag down any small aircraft with my foot.

Recovery is really going very well. Doc says 2 weeks in this cast, then 4 weeks back in the broken-toe-boot, with no weight on it. So in a total of 6 more weeks, I'll be walking again!

Apparently the heel bone is the easiest and fastest bone to heal.

Very glad to hear your recovery is going well, Spencer.

Quote:

Might even make John Holgate a little jealous

LOL, let's compare vids at the end of the month..... :D

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Loose = blisters, blister (esp on incision) + diabetes = very bad + very uncomfortable

So I don't mean to hijack the thread, but Type I by chance? I ask because I'm curious, if you use a waist harness, any issue with insulin pump sites and it? Any of my harnesses seem to love to attack those

Yes type 1,

The worst problem I have with infusion sets is them getting yanked out when getting out of the bug... either the tube snags on something or gets loose from sweat, then if the pump comes out of my pocket and I stand up, the weight of the pump pulls it out (like sweating off a band aid). In fact there was a whole thread about that issue about 2 years ago that I started. Hasn't been a problem lately but I used to go through 2-3 infusion sets a kite session. If I can find that thread, I'll post the link here.

On a side note, I see you said you use a waist harness; I use a seat harness and don't have any Harness vs pump sites issues... biggest issue I have with the Harness and the pump is where to PUT the pump cuz it usually covers my pockets. I had the belt clip of the pump hooked to my harness several sessions back and ended up breaking the belt clip on the pump... you'd think how much Medtronic charges for that stuff, it'd be a little more durable!!!

Nice to meet another Type 1 kiter! BEC is a type 1 too.

Ok volock, here's the thread on infusion sets and kiting... there's actually some interesting solutions recommended:

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=25350#pid24...

For those of you who have absolutely NO idea what we are talking about, an insulin pump is a piece of medical equipment that one of the best ways to treat insulin dependent type 1 Diabetes. It is essentially the size of a pager and acts somewhat like a portable IV system. The pump is filled with several mL of insulin. You program it with your doctor with an hourly rate (called a basal rate) and it feeds you a micro dose of insulin every 15 minutes.

more info here: http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/home

The infusion set is essentially the place where the tube goes under your skin and is usually worn on your stomach. The set comes with a needle covered in a very minute tube which is backed in a tape. You insert the needle and tube, stick down the tape backing, pull out the needle and the tube stays in. You have to change the set every 3 days to keep it from getting infected and to optimize insulin absorption. They can be a pain, but its better than taking 3 to 5 shots of insulin a day. Since the tape can loose its stickiness over the few days and there is a tube going from the infusion set to the pump that can get snagged on just about ANYTHING, they have a tendency to come out relatively easily.

Quote: Originally posted by bigE123

Well done Soliver on being so open with your situation and sharing, hope all goes well with your recovery and "new" way of thinking!

Thanks BigE, I appreciate that. I like to consider myself pretty transparent and I thought this might help a few guys out there.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Ok volock, here's the thread on infusion sets and kiting... there's actually some interesting solutions recommended: http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=25350#pid24...

Thanks, and that makes a lot of sense. I go pouch on my belt (Timbuk2 Shag Bag - small) which works in most situations, though my waist harness can put a bit too much pressure on it for comfort, so pump goes in my pocket. My real issue is sites on my back/stomach, if I go legs, no issue, but sweat = harness edge catching and off it comes.

The plastic clips are so outrageous I've given up using them outside of pajamas/things with no pockets or belt loops.

Edit: Truthfully I know a surfing rashguard makes a good solution, I'm just too lazy to always put one on. Though maybe a seat harness would fix the issue... Hmmm, I have wanted to try one on snow

Alrighty gang... so I visited my friendly podiatrist today to have my cast removed... so I went from this guy:



to this guy (who you may remember from a previous injury involving our local big orange box home improvement store):



I'm having to wear a compression sock to help with the swelling... looks weird.... my foot is still swollen, but my calf has atrophied significantly.



He took X-rays to see how the healing is going and seemed very pleased. Doc says there's a good chance that I may actually get to try walking in 2 weeks, instead of the 4 which I was expecting. That is given tat the X-ray looks good. For now I can try standing for shot periods and lifting my foot with the boot off to help build my calf back up. Given the extreme floppy-ness of my calf, I foresee walking being very difficult at first.

It's possible that it may be JIBE before I get to sit back down in the buggy seat.

Sounds like good news that you might be able to put weight on it sooner than planned.

Glad to hear that your recovery is going well!

glad your coming along soliver...i have avoided this thread thinking it would be depressing...kinda a lot going on here im learning plenty and it comes w/ pictures too

Good to hear you are coming along good and I'm glad I'm getting to see this because it totally brought me back into the right frame of mind to respect the kite at all times, use all safety gear properly, and practice using the safety devices at the start of each session. Hope you keep getting better, we are still praying for you.

Btw I got my new Hornet and I love it perfect in between kite for my beamer and my Twister.

Glad to hear it's healing. I hope for continued good luck!

Glad to hear it's healing well, and hope you get to walk soon, as I remember the hell of casts and walking boots too well to wish them on anyone.

So.... I took off the compression sock this evening and for the first time I really got to take a good look at my foot, the incision and its general state of disrepair... I had a moment of thinking "Dear God, what have I done to myself..."

Then I got over it... It's nasty lookin' so I'll spare you the pics.

Moving right along it sounds Spencer.

Visit with the podiatrist went well yesterday afternoon and he has me abandoning the scooter to put weight on both feet walking assisted by crutches... (Pain in the @55). There is a LOT of freedom in getting off the knee walker (scooter) and I am enjoying that, however I'm supposed to use the crutches by placing them far out in front of me to bear part of my body weight and meter how much weight I'm putting on the bum heel. It seems to have REALLY developed some strength fast because I've found this method to be so annoying that I've quit using 2 crutches and am using only one like a cane. Hopes are I'll be walking unassisted in a week or 2.

It feels good y'all.

sounds good Spencer but don't push it too much. i remember buddies with broken ankles etc that felt good enough to start kiteboarding to come in with swollen ankles and feet after a short session and needing a week for the swelling to go down and get back to where they were two weeks previous.

Thanks Mark, I'm kind of switching around between both crutches, one crutch, and still the scooter if I have a bunch of stuff to carry... Still doing s lot of sitting but enjoying the freedom of not being tied to the scooter.

Visit with the doc today and he was very pleased with the healing. I'm supposed to start to transition out of the boot and try a shoe. I was finally able to get up and snap a pic of my recent Xray:



you can see all that loverly hardware which now resides in my foot

OUCH!!!

Wow! That is a lot of hardware. Glad the healing is going well.

Yea, it's not particularly comfortable but healing well. All of the small fractures are healed, but the big one still has a little ways to go. (It's the dark line starting top right moving 45 degrees toward bottom left). It's great to be off the scooter and have the freedom to walk. I get tired relatively easy but growing stronger every day. Just gotta get swelling down enough to fit a shoe on my foot.

Thanks for the well wishes!

Great news on the healing! You'll be creeping towards 100% faster now that you are up and on it.

Can we change the title to "Surgery"?:embarrased::Ange09:

Thanks Bobby... Changed the title a little for you... Hope that satisfies?

The title has always been fine except for the spelling of "surgery". More importantly we get you rolling again soon.

OOOOOOPS... Now I feel really dumb... I NEVER Noticed and was wondering what you meant.

So here's some good news... Doc told me today that if all looks good at my next appointment (in 2 weeks) I can get back to normal activity... kites included. WHOOP WHOOP!!!!!

I asked him in text and we both lamented the fact that there is no kite emoticon... whats up with that?!?!?!?!?!