Any Peroneal Nerve recovery stories?

[mom444]

Where has everyone been?

Do any of you have updates on your healing?      

[Max Pwr]

Hi Mom,  I've just been eavesdropping so to speak.  No real change on this end, although I managed to break the hinges on my AFO again.  I was plugging away on the treadmill, I heard a snap and my foot got heavy.  I'm still waiting for surgery on the 21st so I don't expect too much until then, I had a dream last night that I woke up and had dorsi-flexion.  Of course it had to be a dream as when I woke I thought I would try it and no go.   The dragon showed up last night too, I thought he'd gone for awhile but he sure bit me hard.  All's good today. 

How about you, still researching the hell out of these things?  I still do occaisionally, but I think I've read everything I could and each study was the same.  "Good chance of recovery, no guarentees, no time limit"...  So I'm just praying it recovers to a point I don't have to wear the AFO any longer.  I think that's the goal of everyone.  I do want to run and get back to SWAT again, but it's going to be awhile, escpecially considering the surgery is going to put me back a few months again.

I think about you everyday and ask the He'll help you out.  There are lots of people with this affliction that lead long and very normal lives so it's not that tragic but it does consume every thought of everyday... "If only I could do this, or do that"  "Geez, I wish I could turn back time and start this over" etc... but alas, there are no time machines yet.   I hope this note finds you, and everyone else doing well and further hoping you are having a good weekend with no dragons.

[mom444]

Thanks Max

We've been exhausted from so many doctors' appointments this past week.  We were a little miffed by how blase' the neurosurgeon was in regard to not answering any of our questions. 

The plastic surgeon was a bit more of a serious communicator.  He says my daughter's scar is "hypertrophic" and that we likely did not have to rush into any surgery to repair it.  He also, as I said before, recommended the Scar Gel treatment patch.  This guy even seemed a little perturbed by how blase' the neurosurgeon was about giving us follow up information.

It turns out that the gel filled scar treament patch is made right here in Upstate New York in Niagara Falls.  The plastic surgeon said that he is familiar with the company and that they are even currently doing a clinical trial on them.

So far the patch has in fact worked very well in softening up the scar.  We also do gentle scar massage daily.

Our new physical therapist has been working well also.   He has extensive experience treating peroneal nerve injuries.  He has been doing massage as well as ultrasound massage and acupressure.  And get this, the DRAGON came back two nights in a row after he did some of his treatment.  Maybe it's just a coincidence but it makes you almost want to believe that the guy "channeled some kind of energy."     My daughter was fascinated the other day in the rehab room seeing so many people doing PT exercises and I told her "eveyone in here hurt part of their body and they are doing exercises to fix what they hurt."  We even met a nurse who also had to wear an AFO, she hurt her spine lifiting a patient.  She said she gets "the dragon" too! 

We are in the US so we have to deal with a lot of red tape with our health insurance.  We are trying to get approval so that we can get an EMS unit for home.  We call the electrodes "tickle stickers."  Our new PT noticed that while she is not dorsiflexing yet there is at least some contraction of the anterior tib muscles which means they did not totally atrophy.

We think of Max the Mountie all the time and hope and pray you are doing well and on your way to recovering.

To Andre, Jacky, Stasco, Hamish, Davey and the rest of the gang...  We hope you all are well too.

[amdre]

HEY ALL,

sorry i have been away so long....i have been training for the pro -camps that are coming up next weekend from march 9th-11th.
i was actually going to drop out of the combine beause i was losing confidence and faith in myself ..that i would be able to keep up with healthy players. so my therapists decided to give me a pre test to see exactly where i am at. we did the test and not only did i do well i beat some of my pervious numbers and running faster then most of the guys in the combine. this lifted up my confidence immensly as i thought i was going to bomb the test. i have posted the pre test results and videos on the site and will be going all out for this testing even though i am only 5 months post-op. things have been pretty staggered with recovery and no real changes ...which kind of has me worried that i have hit the climax in recovery. maybe my mind is just very occupied with this test so i havent noticed..who knows rally but once it is over i think i will go back to rehab to try and make the foot stronger.hope everyone is alright and not feeling dicouraged about here recovery.if there are or have been no changes that you can notice it doesnt mean your recovery has stopped or taken a break.i will be on and off for his next week as i will be training for this event next weekend ..please wish me luck and i hope all of you the best.

Take care
Andre

[amdre]

hey mom444,

good to hear treatment is going well...does this mean she will not have to go under the knife again? i wish you and your family the best and healthy recovery ....and sorry i have been away so long.

Andre

[mom444]

Hey All,

We are hoping for more dragons or at least something to prove she is healing.

We will have another EMG in two months.

I forgot to mention that the new PT said that increasing blood flow to the leg will help with recovery.  Has anyone else heard this?

And Andre, if you are still having problems with scarring-- especially keloids-- look into the silicone scar patches or the gel patches.  They have done numerous clinical studies on them and they do seem to work, even on older scars. The plastic surgeon who we just had a consult with seems to believe in them.   Do a Google search...

[j_smi001]

I am sorry I have also not been around for a while but I have some very very good news I wish to share with you..............
Like most of you here, you research and will try anything to see if it makes any improvement.  The fact is my foot has never ceased to continue to improve, even if extremely slowly.  I have tried Reike (relaxing but not sure I beleive in it), horse riding (because horses are intuative and can be very good therapy), praying and of course all the conventional hard work of physio and hydrotherapy.  Well not sure what or which combination or whether it is just the time of mother nature, but I CAN DORSIFLEX AND HOLD.  Not fully up and the party trick is watch closely because you'll miss it and it gets tired very quickly and so doesn't always perform.  The stinging on the outside of my leg and the ache in my ankle can be quite intense but I don't care.  I now don't wear my splint in the house but still do outside and for work as I am still a trip hazard.  This has not happened over night either and has taken time to came back - I just wanted to make sure it was consistant before announcing.  Mom I am so glad there is tib ant contraction because tis was my first sign of recovery.  My foot has become stiff from hanging about for so long so need to really get that moving.  Bless you all and keep that recovery going.  Andre, you are awsome, beating the other guys, what an inspiration.  Max - you'll get back there, I never thought any different and have been given a conditional offer on an operational post - you'll do it.  Hamish - hope you are doing OK.

  :

[mom444]

I am sorry I have also not been around for a while but I have some very very good news I wish to share with you..............
Like most of you here, you research and will try anything to see if it makes any improvement.  The fact is my foot has never ceased to continue to improve, even if extremely slowly.  I have tried Reike (relaxing but not sure I beleive in it), horse riding (because horses are intuative and can be very good therapy), praying and of course all the conventional hard work of physio and hydrotherapy.  Well not sure what or which combination or whether it is just the time of mother nature, but I CAN DORSIFLEX AND HOLD.  Not fully up and the party trick is watch closely because you'll miss it and it gets tired very quickly and so doesn't always perform.  The stinging on the outside of my leg and the ache in my ankle can be quite intense but I don't care.  I now don't wear my splint in the house but still do outside and for work as I am still a trip hazard.  This has not happened over night either and has taken time to came back - I just wanted to make sure it was consistant before announcing.  Mom I am so glad there is tib ant contraction because tis was my first sign of recovery.  My foot has become stiff from hanging about for so long so need to really get that moving.  Bless you all and keep that recovery going.  Andre, you are awsome, beating the other guys, what an inspiration.  Max - you'll get back there, I never thought any different and have been given a conditional offer on an operational post - you'll do it.  Hamish - hope you are doing OK.

  :

Jacky,

Congrats on the dorsiflexion!    

Just like you we too have been taking "alternative therapies" into account...  Who knows, they may work!  The PT we are seeing also has a Doctor or Naturopathy, which I guess is natural and spiritual healing...  After the first session with him my daughter got the dragon back promptly thereafter...  As I said, maybe he "channeled some energy."  Anything is possible. 

So you think it's a good sign that her tib anterior muscles are contracting?  Good!  There is so much contradictory information and we are still getting over the shock of the rehab medicine doctor who gave us the EMG saying that the recovery was not good! 

She does have SOME recovery and regeneration and that should be a good sign, right?

Keep up the good work and keep us posted on your progress.

[Max Pwr]

Well congrats j_smi thats so great, isn't that the goal of everyone?  I think thats the biggest mountain, the holding it and walking AFO-less is soon to come with a little hard work.  I can't tell you how excited I am for you, I hope everyone posts the same header eventually.  Please let us know what goes on with the operational side of your work, as we're the same but different.  Keep up the great work and keep us posted, after all, the header of the whole  subject is "...recovery stories..." 

[Hamish9]

Hi Guys,

Well done Jackie, looks like you are top of the class. sorry I have not been on in a while but been having a really hard time after surgery 3 weeks ago. Had PT today and been told off. I have been over doing it and been on my feet far too much which has caused a lot of swelling and therefore movement and quad control has been inhibited. Infact at the moment my quad feels like someone has hit it with a hammer. Its RICE for me with a few basic exercises to try and move the swelling. No change for foot at the moment but the dragon is alive and kicking.

Good luck everyone.
Hamish

[mom444]

Hang in there everyone!

My daughter's dragon woke her up two nights ago, I hope that's a good sign.

We are dealing with red tape and runaround from differerent doctors and the insurance company again.

We are hoping to get that EMS unit as soon as possible.

Much good to say about the scar treatment patches.

Hamish, what is RICE?  Is it an abbreviation for a kind of therapy?

[Hamish9]

Hi Mom444

RICE Stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.

Good luck with the doctors and insurance.

Hamish

[mom444]

After much posturing and bargaining with the insurance company and about three doctors and therapists, we finally got the okay to get the EMS unit for home.  But we have to buy it from the approved medical distributor store.  It costs $395 US dollars and we need to pay for half of it!  I have seen cheaper ones online but...  who knows?

We also may need to push the insurance company to approve more PT appointments, they will originally on give eight.

I haven't even thought about the school sponsored PT, but I'm afraid that they may give us an inexperienced PT who does not know how to deal with this kind of injury.  The new therapist we are seeing is more experienced.

Fun with insurance in the good ole US of A! 

But I can't complain really, my husband does have a really good insurance plan.

I hope you are all doing well.  And thanks for clearing up the RICE abbreviation Hamish, I tought that maybe you were sitting around with some chopsticks and a bowl of basmati!   

[j_smi001]

Hello All,
I saw my GP on the 3rd January and she said she was going to refer me to a consultant neurologist as there was significant wasting in the operated leg.  I had not heard anything and so today contacted the surgery and it turns out that I have been referred to a consultant neurologist and also a seperate referral to a neurophysiologist - so anyone any ideas as to what is the difference and why seperate referrals for the same condition and also what to expect at either appointment?   

Had physio today and showed off lift and hold and walking without a splint.  She reckons 2 out of the 5 hamstring muscles are working but hey, you can't have it all...............  Hope you guys are Ok and any information on the above questions will be very much appreciated.

[mom444]

Good luck with your consultations Jacky.  I hope you get some answers.

We are still trudging along here.  We finally got the EMS unit yesterday but can't figure out how to use the little bugger!  I'm not sure if the unit came with the correct type of electrodes...  My husband is taking her to PT tomorrow because I have to work, we will need to have our daughter's PT look at the EMS unit and explain how to use it.  I tried to figure it out and got too frustrated 

No dragon for the past few nights, but I hope he returns.  I hope she does in fact get some more regeneration in the next months so that when we have her next EMG we can get some more encouraging news.

As for your questions, I don't have personal experience with either kind of doctor but if you type define: and a word into Google it will give you a list of definitions of a term.  I found:

 "Neurophysiology is a part of physiology as a science, which is concerned with the study of the nervous system. It is closely connected with psychology, neurology, clinical neurophysiology, electrophysiology, ethology, higher nervous activity and other sciences."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurophysiologist