12 years - Ankleversary!

Tuesday - September 24, 2024

12 years!

Another year goes by so quickly! 

My go to workout is still Turbo

Kick, online courses, walking, indoor cycling, and hiking. Safe, no contact, no jumping and weights for my arms and legs.

Picked up Pickle Ball as a new sport this year and having fun!

Another new thing is wearing wedged heels! No issues there and sticking to the 2 inch max heel height. I got these in tan, black, and even in a 1 inch heel! So comfortable and love the style!

I am still getting massages and the only thing I am afraid of is when the masseuse forgets that I told them where my ankle surgery scar is to avoid massaging the area because I still have my rod and 9 nails in it. And many times they forget, and it can get painful when they massage the ankle too rough by accident and I alert them hearing me in pain.

With hikes and walks, my limit is still about 21,000 steps before I start to feel tired and achy and will need to take a break. 

I'm still a weather detector, the arthritis hits when cold and rain comes. 

Still having painful accidental ankle bumping into things feels just like hitting the elbow. Painful tingle.

Scar looks the same, more easy on the ankle workouts continued.

Keeping it up! 

You'll get better! Hoping for fast recoveries for you all, you'll get there! Keep up with the physical therapy and exercises!

10 years 5 months - I feel the cold and rain!

 

Friday - February 24, 2023

Happy New Year! 5 months late haha! 

We're living through crazy weathers with rain, thunder, lightening, earthquakes, and now snow in the city! We're seeing historic snow fall this winter storm with snow capped mountains! 

I can feel it in my ankle, the cold and when it rains. Just that quick sharp achy pain. But manageable. How fun to have hardware in my ankle. 

https://abc7news.com/snow-in-bay-area-weather-california-storm/12873975/

Many friends and family have been sending their amazing photos while driving through the freeways close to places where there's snow! Within an hour drive of where I live there is snow! 

I last bought myself some snowboots for my New Years week trip in Reno to play in snow!

No crazy issues with my ankle. Still doing well and dealing with the random arthritis in this cold. I continue to shop for comfortable shoes, working out, still no running. I'm doing great!

Stay warm all! Hoping for your fast recovery!

 

8 years 3 months - Thankful for Virtual Workout Classes

Happy New Years Eve! 

What a year, living in a pandemic, and thankful for virtual workout classes. 

I’ve been taking virtual live and recorded YouTube and Zoom cardio classes. Mostly Turbo Kick, Zumba, HIIT type workouts. I still avoid full tuck jumps in Turbo Kick classes to avoid falling, twisting my ankle. Still feel cautious to this day with jumps. Too much pressure on the ankle when I land on the ankle, I feel. Better be safe then pay for it if I do fall wrong. With lockdown in place, this is the next best thing. Also out on walks, socially distanced safe walks to get my steps in. I miss going to the gym... my Fitbit stopped charging yesterday. Time to get a new one for the new year! 

All year, I’ve been online shopping for wedge shoes. The last pair I bought was from Cole Haan. I’m all about the cushioned or cloud foamed shoes. 

I also buy anything that sits below the ankle. Still avoiding boots. Also in love with comfortable slip on casual Van shoes! 

My scar tells my story. I’m not afraid to hide it. I think it’s pretty cool actually haha. I’ve seen some people have tattooed their scars, so many creative ideas such as fish bones with the head and tail at the ends of the scar. It appears I may have developed a Keloid. Keloids are scars that grow past the wound, which created what looks like a growth on the skin. It’s been itchy lately.

I learned my max amount of steps is about 23,000 while on my walks. I need in between breaks or I’ll start feeling achy. I am definitely tired in the ankle and almost to a limp. I now know my walking limits.

Happy New Year! On to a better and safer new year! Virtual workout classes continue! 

6 years 4 months - Snow!

Friday - January 4, 2019

Happy New Year! 

I went up to Reno for the weekend and went Snowmobiling!

Since I can't snowboard anymore, because I can't wear the boot and maneuver comfortably, I tried Snowmobiling! It was my first time too! I wore my own boots with a soft surface around my ankle and it felt fine. Just the cold gave me a bit of arthritis but other than that, I can walk fine, with no pain! I didn't have to use my foot for anything. Ankle in snow and cold weather was fine! It was so much fun! 

6 years 2 months - Winter is coming! Trying to find the right boots!

Wednesday - November 28, 2018

Winter is coming! The arthritis randomly kicks in when it's cold and when it rains. I finally found the right type of shoes, booties, that fit my comfortably. Now that ankle boots are popular, the open ankle boots happen to be my favorite kind of boots! Extra thick heels, low inches, comfortable support! The thing I love most is the open ankle slit which does not rub against or lay on my incision scar area. I use to have ankle boots and hiking boots that is full ankle coverage but was uncomfortable because it rubbed against my ankle. I still have metal in there so the added pressure against it is very uncomfortable. Just the reason why I have quit snowboarding. Anything that is tightly snug against my ankle is not good. I feel pain, discomfort, and am unable to walk comfortably. Open ankle boots all the way! Now I have to shop for more styles! I'm noticing also, with large wedged heels, I can wear higher than 2 inches! But I'll stick to my 2 inch heels. That's the magic height. Time to go shopping! Definitely taking advantage of Black Friday sales! I've already bought 2 pairs of shoes! 

6 years - Ankleversary!

Monday - September 24, 2018

It's my 6th year Ankleversary! 

I'm doing great! I just came back from a weekend spent in Napa. I went hiking on trails, wore my hiking trail shoes and did just fine. I get the occasional arthritis from the cold weather and rain still. Sometimes when I walk for too long, I do get tired and achy. 

My scar is the same. I haven't used any scar medication to cover it up. I wear it proudly. I don't swell up anymore. I do get tired after very very long walks. Long hikes meaning 3+ hours worth of walking. Sometimes I'll get a tiny itch at the very bottom of my scar, I guess the collagen there still gets inflamed every so often. I do feel the arthritis kick in during cold weather, rain and when rain is about to begin. Fun random spasms also still happen, not often. To this day, I still think about removing the hardware but won't dare to get surgery again if I don't need it or feel any pain. I can live without 3 inch stilettos. 2 inch heals are as high as I go unless I am wearing thick or wedged heels for that additional support. 

I continue to go to the gym to attend Cycle class, Body Combat class, Zumba Strong class, and use the elliptical machine. 

I debated this year on joining a 5k run but backed out. I know I can't run, it's uncomfortable for me. I still choose not to run to avoid any type of stress or injury. I also haven't joined any competitive sports since. I go to Costco to help my family buy rice and carrying a 25 lb. bag of rice up a flight of stairs is getting better. I'm still working on strengthening my ankle doing more walking and hiking. My Fitbit motivates me. I haven't had to wear a brace for a while now.

Maybe I'll be more brave this year and will try something new. Updates to come! 

5 years 11 months - Walked around Lake Merced, ~4.5 miles and sore ankle after

Friday - August 3, 2018

Happy Friday! 

I went for an after work walk with friends around Lake Merced. It was about 4.5 miles around the lake. Then entire trail around the lake was cement. After the walk, I did feel a little sore in the ankle. The last time I came here was when I tried running it and that was a bad idea. I've retired from running. Walking this lake going forward. No limping, success!

4 years - 4 Years Ankleversary!

Saturday - September 24, 2016

Today's my 4 years Ankleversary! I just got back from vacation, an 18 hour flight from Cambodia. It was my first vacation where I walked a lot in tours. First day there, I was probably on my feet walking from about 5am since landing till 11pm. After about a few more days of nonstop walking, I'm noticing my ankles swelling. I've got cankles haha! It was spilling over my shoes at one point, it got so bad! 

The 3rd day, I decided to wear a brace and it backfired. I got heat rash! It didn't help that it was hot, in the 90s and humid. I was also noticably limping with some pinching sudden pain that scared me a bit. I almost buckled a few times and had to stop. Then again I was carrying pretty heavy luggage and walking a good distance with that weight. Ankle was also hot. Ice packing and elevating it helped! 

Good thing I brought some Salonpas patches to wear overnight. I also elevated it on a pillow to bring down the swelling.

By the last few days with some rest, my swelling and heat rash went away! However, my scar is itchy. I guess the heat activated my collagen around the scar that caused inflamation. Now I know I can't do long walking tours and carrying heavy things for a long distance. I also probably need better shoes. I had the lightweight Nike running shoes which I thought was enough but wasn't. I probably need better cushioning. Time to shop for new shoes! I am back to normal and ready for the next vacation!

2 years 7 months - Alamere Falls Hike, came home with a sore ankle!

Saturday April 4, 2015

Alamere Falls was one of the most beautiful hike's I've ever done. Minus the poison oak along the trails. There were wide and narrow trails.

Towards the end of the trail, we had to do a bit of rock climbing down to the beach. There were also a few beautiful waterfalls! 

The final part down to the beach was almost a 90 degree climb down. There was a lot of loose rock too, so everyone had to becareful and wait for people to go up and down.

Down by the beach, there was this big waterfall where everyone went to take pictures.

This time I didn't wear my ankle brace or bring my hiking poles. Mostly because I misplaced the brace and forgot to bring the poles. It was a quick last minute rush decision to go this morning. I was definitely feeling tired by the time I got to the beach. We walked along soil, uneven paths, gravel, rocks, acorns, leaves, and sand! The entire hike was uneven pavement. It was a workout for sure for my ankle. Waterfall was our reward at the end, with a vietnamese sandwich for a late lunch.

By 3/4 of the way back, I was slowing down and starting to limp just a bit. The next time I come back, I should really wear my ankle brace because I slipped a few times. Luckily with my left foot. 

Once I got home, I put on a Icy Hot wrap. I realized I wore it inside out, as shown in the image below haha. Sore but happy! I'll be back and more prepared next time!

1 year 8 months - Hiked Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe!

Saturday, June 28, 2014

It's nice to be back in Lake Tahoe! I organized a summer cabin trip for 12 with friends for a weekend trip. So much fun! On Saturday, we went to Emerald Bay for a hike! It was a beautiful and perfect day!

We decided to take the Rubicon Trail.

It was a pretty easy hike. No hills, just a flat and rocky uneven trails. To the right is the pretty blue bay along the entire hike.

Our hike in was about an hour. We stopped at this point to take pictures before turning back.

It was about 2pm and we were all starting to starve. With just a bowl of cereal, grapes, and 1 energy bar to share between 4 people, all we wanted to do was head back to eat a buffet! 

I decided to not wear an ankle brace to see how I'd do. It wasn't good. Glad we found some walking sticks. I started with 1 going in. On my way back, I had to use 2! It really saved me and supported my walk back! I started to limp towards the end and was feeling exhausted. By the time I got back up to the last hill towards the car entrance, I had to take a few sitting breaks. My ankle felt swollen and definitely sore. We finally ended our hike around 4 and was starving. Great hike! But a sore ankle! I had to ice it when we got back to the cabin. Next hike, I'll be sure to wear a brace! Thought about buying a hiking stick. It really helped!

1 year 8 months - Got an MRI today

Thursday, June 5, 2014

I had an appointment for an MRI this morning at 8:40am. I went back to the same hospital where I got my ankle surgery on Friday September 28, 2012. I'll never forget that day. This time it brought back eerie memories. I was able to walk up the stairs this time to get to the entrance and not in crutches through the ramp and up the elevator. From my last posts, my visit to my surgeon Dr. Lundy wanted me to get an MRI to check out what kind of party my ankle's been having that's causing me to ache, limp, pinch, spasm, click, and get this hot/burning sensation inside my right ankle where the hardware is. 

After filling out my paper work, I was called in to remove all metal and clothes, and wear a gown. When I saw the machine, it brought me back memories of when I got I concussion from snowboarding back in 2008 and had to get an MRI then. Because I had some hardware in my ankle, the test would take a bit longer to process. The entire session took about 45 minutes of non movement. Luckily I had a choice to listen to music. They only had 2 options, Classical or Pop/Rock which I chose. A few times I almost fell asleep but the noise was so loud. I also was glad to have asked for a blanket that was heated prior. It wasn't bad at all, I did well and did not move one bit!

I came home and my ankle felt achy today. It did click, feel hot, and looks a bit swollen. I actually felt the inflammation on the and around the inside of my ankle. You can actually see the little bulge on the right in the picture below. It just made me tired. Next I'll have to make an appointment to get myself back into Physical Therapy! I'll be back with more updates. Sigh, felt like I'm going backwards... So sad. =(

1 year 7 months - First time back at Bikram Yoga!

Saturday, May 24, 2014

My first time back at Bikram Yoga! It's been about 7 years? It was a 10 a.m. 90 minute heated class and I felt like I just got beaten up haha. I came in with a mini migraine and the heat and heavy breathing during warm up helped make it go away. I was already sweating up a waterfall but it felt so good and relaxing. 

I have stopped doing regular yoga for a few weeks and already it feels like I've lost it all. I was doing so good going about 4 times a week now down to 2 times a week and on only weekends. Today, I absolutely lost all balance on my right ankle. These were all the poses I could not do. 

                           Balancing Stick                                     Standing Bow

                              

           Standing head to knee                                     Tree

I will strive to do more yoga and gain back balance to my right ankle. I only lasted about 60 minutes of the class and was in a rested laying down position for the final 3rd of the class. I may have been a bit dehydrated too as my headache slowly came back, also felt a bit dizzy. My ankle is fine. I'll be back for more and hopefully can last a bit longer in my next class. Or maybe just go back to regular yoga. 

1 year 7 months - First time taking Power Yoga class!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

It's my second day back in the gym! I decided to try out this Power Yoga class. It was extremely fast and I was working hard and dripping sweat. I am feeling the soreness in my entire body right now. My ankle is also a bit sore and tired. No pain! I'm feeling really good.

To my surprise, I was able to hold my half moon pose on my right ankle! However, I was not able to look up like the example image below. I had my gaze on my mat. I was shaky but was able to hold it up for most of that time. I'm so excited! I'm making progress in building my balance back. The teacher made sure I was doing okay. I felt stronger and comfortable since starting yoga about a month ago. I'm excited to do more yoga! 

1 year 7 months - First time back at the gym and took my first TRX Class!

Monday, May 5, 2014

It's my first time back at the gym! I am so happy! I did about 20 minutes on the elliptical machine before taking my first TRX class! It was an hour long of burning! I feel sore and so tired already. There were definitely some moves that got a bit uncomfortable for me. 

The first one was the Jump Squat, example below. I was able to do about 5 before I started feeling tired and some pressure in the ankle. 

Sadly, another move was the single leg squat I was not able to do. I got extremely nervous just trying to place my right foot into the strap and knew that I had no balance what so ever and stopped immediately to tell the teacher I was not able to do this exercise. 

The teacher gave me an alternative to do squats while the rest of the class continues the two exercises above. We did 3 sets of each exercise and more of other the other positions to do with arms and core work.

One exercise I was able to do with my feet in the straps was the plank! It didn't bother my ankle or foot at all. Just that this position made me sweat a ton! Well actually, I was sweating throughout the entire class. Great workout! It was fun and I feel like I got a great workout! I may be back for more!