Dear Reader,
No, this is not a Chinese beef tendon stew recipe.
Thanks, Kathleen, for writing a guest post last week to cover my absence due to injury. What I’m more thankful for and love about Kathleen is that she dropped everything and flew to Canberra to help me. Thank you, Love
The injury
The Wednesday after Christmas, I was packing an old heavy food processor. As I was lifting it, a blade fell from the bowl and penetrated the medial dorsum of my left foot, lacerating the overlying skin and severing my extensor hallucis longus tendon. The bleeding was impressive. I got to the Canberra Hospital Emergency Department via an Uber. Did you know that kitchen paper towels and rubber bands work to staunch venous blood? I will buy a proper first aid kit.
After about six hours in the ED and being seen by an advanced practice nurse who had a cautious examination, an orthopædic registrar confirmed my suspicion about my EHL tendon. I was admitted to an orthopædic ward, put in a back slab, and had intravenous cephazolin started (in orthopædic doses).
The admitting registrar put me on an emergency surgical list, and the repair occurred on Thursday morning. The surgeon’s incision widened the skin laceration to explore the wound. After the trainee cleaned the wound and repaired the tendon, another back slab was applied. I’ve finished the oral cephalexin. The discharging resident prescribed cephalexin for me to prevent post-operative infection. He prescribed rivaroxaban for 42 days to avoid deep vein thrombosis.
My experience in the Canberra Hospital Emergency Department, Orthopædic ward, and Operating theatres has been excellent both times this year. All the personnel have been A1.
Yesterday, I attended the outpatient clinic and was fitted with a fibreglass cast. I’ll wear this for the next four weeks. Then, a CAM boot for six weeks. The first six weeks are non-weight-bearing on the foot.
I’ve elected not to share an intraoperative photograph. I was sent the photograph while I was in the recovery ward. It depicts the operative field with the wound widened and opened along with both ends of the tendon exposed ready for repair.
That’s two surgical procedures in four months, and I’ll be in some orthopædic support until April. I’m hoping everything heals.
What am I eating?
This injury is more difficult to live with compared with a fractured patella plus its ruptured retinaculum.
With the knee, I was in a straight leg brace and could bear weight on the leg. The tendon repair requires six weeks of not bearing weight through the foot.
I can cook simple meals but must be careful with every step to ensure I am steady and safe.
I’m getting essential food products delivered from my local supermarket.
The main items are butter, avocado, beef, lamb, and eggs (BABLE).
My choice of beef and lamb are thinly sliced scotch fillet steaks and lamb chops, respectively.
I’m scrambling eggs in butter for breakfast. Eating leftover meat for lunch, and then cooking meat in an air fryer for tea.
The most essential tool for me in my kitchen now is a stool. Kathleen looked on Facebook Marketplace, found two stools for a reasonable price, bought them and went to pick them up for me. I use the stool to hop around the kitchen by placing two hands on the seat, lifting and moving the stool, and then hopping on my right leg. When I get the stool positioned, I can sit. Moving objects involves the refrigerator and the bench tops in small movements. Everything takes a long time to complete.
Cooking and cleaning dishes while seated feels weird.
I’m not shooting photographs (with a proper camera) of anything now and probably won’t until I can start bearing weight on the injured leg. I’ll use the camera app in my smart device to capture images like the ones I’ve included in this post.
Lesson for the future
Wear steel-capped shoes inside.
Bad luck seems to be following you around lately and I’m very sorry to learn of your accident. Please be careful with the hopping on your right leg, you certainly don’t need any more things happening to you.
Hi Karen,
Thank you. I’m hoping 2024 will see my left leg redevelop and grow stronger. Once I’ve recovered from this injury, I’d like to have the rest of the year being able to walk steadily and without disability aids. Most of all, I want to start driving again.
Oh Gary that looks painful!! I’m glad that the hospital staff were good but definitely not what you want to happen. Wishing you a very speedy recovery and good food.
Hi Lorraine,
Thank you very much. Much appreciated.
Oh, no! I’m so sorry to hear about the injury. Thank goodness for Kathleen–she sounds amazing! I’m sending all my best wishes and positive vibes for you to heal quickly.
Hi Cecilia,
Thank you very much 😊
Brother, heal well and soon. What a way to start. Hope you have smoother roads, clearer skies, and calmer waters soon and beyond.
Hi Brother,
Thanks. I hope 2024 has no more injuries for me. I hope your 2024 is filled with smooth running too.
Oh my God! All of that, and you’re still cooking? You are amazing, Gary! Coincidentally, I just unpacked a new food processor. I’m very careful about reading directions, and there were plenty of warnings about how sharp the blades are … which of course compels me to run my fingers across them. Because I’m a guy. I’m guessing it must’ve gone in pointy-side-down. Anyway, your story definitely makes me want to be way more cautious!
Hi Jeff,
I hope you get a lot of enjoyment and no pain from your new food processor.
Yes, the pointed end of the blade pierced the skin and then the sharp edge sliced through the skin layers and the tendon. I’m fortunate it didn’t penetrate into bone. I’d then have to worry about osteomyelitis (infection of the bone).
Avoiding distractions and being focussed will need to be my new mantra.
I was not familiar with the phrase ‘will it blend.’ What a nasty accident. That’s really so soon after your fall & surgery to have another huge challenge. You’ve proven you can surmount challenges…wishing you all the best with this one.
Hi Alice,
Thank you very much. Much appreciated.
What bad, bad luck! Hoping you recover swiftly.
Hi Emma,
Thank you very much. I hope so too.
I wish you a speedy recovery, Gary!
Hi Jadi,
Thank you very much
Well, you may not believe it but, rather naturally I do understand every word, would have liked to see
the’ photo, can imagine awfully well what the next weeks will bring . . . and truly wish you the bf-ing best! Well, you know I am kind’of ‘different’ – my Zimmer frame was very steady whilst I did the ‘hopping bit’ and Lite n Easy took care of the food side! Yes, they actually have quite a number of high-protein meals ! Talk to the very friendly staff – they have prepped special meals for me!!! On a very much lighter note – did not know there were fibreglass casts – smart!!! Count the days down and behave 🙂 !!!
Hi Eha,
Thanks. I looked at a walking frame, however, I have stairs to manage and neither a walking frame nor a knee scooter seemed appropriate.
I had heard that “Lite n Easy” had a reasonable variety.
Yes, fibreglass casts have been available in Australia since the 1970s. My broken arms as a child weren’t eligible. I was jealous of friends who had their arms wrapped in fibreglass.
Had forgotten your stairs – I had/have enough problems with two steps to the outside and/or one into my study – point taken! I had Lite n Easy off-and-on during Covid already. Polite, accurate , very helpful. . . expensive compared to self-cooking but one can see where the money goes. Very, very fresh salads eg egg + avocado > red peppers and good green small-leaved salad + dressing would not go against your ‘religion’ even now! Packets of nuts almost daily, small tubs plain yoghurt also. It is just easy to open the fridge door and only have to reach for the one bag before a meal! Load down the info – take a 10-min look! Watch your vit D, Bs and C !!! Best !!!
Hi Eha,
Thanks for your advice about Lite n Easy. It’s useful and helpful to know. For now, I’m pretty content with the regimen I’ve adopted. If it gets too much or too difficult, it’s helpful to have a back up plan. Thank you.