Ooooooouch! *!#*!@#^&*! My Calf!

[JSE]

So I sustained a "Complete Rupture/Tear of the gastrocnemius (calf) muscle in my left leg last evening. My wife and I were jogging last night and I actually heard and felt it snap, dropped to the ground in intense pain, rolled around on the ground in pain for a bit longer and then started cursing like a sailor. Sounded like a bubble in a sheet of bubblewrap being popped. The wife jog back to the house, got the truck and hauled me home.

Saw the Doc today and was told 4 to 6 weeks of rest. He said it was a Grade 3/4 tear/rupture but surgery is probably not needed provided I rest the leg. I go tomorrow to an ortho to make sure. It's a high tear and the calf muscle did not actually tear away from the Achilles tendon. He said that would have really hurt! I said screw you Doc! (I have known him for years.) Since I can barely walk right now, I asked him for some crutches. He said quit being a wuss and told me walking will actually help. However, he did give me a pair for the next few days while shaking his head as if he was disappointed in my manhood. I don't care, it freaking hurts like bloody hell! No Tennis for at least 6 to 8 weeks. WTF? That's going to be hard to handle.

So anyway, just thought I would relay my wonderful Tuesday night to everyone. If I seem a bit "snappy" in the days to come, that's why. Pain, inactivity, no tennis, etc.

Anyone ever had a severe calf tear before? How long did it take to heal?

JSE

[GMichael]

No wonder you are so heated today. I hope you feel better soon.
Did they give you any meds?

[ForeverAutumn]

I can't even imagine what that must feel like. I once had a calf injury that I thought might be a tear but it turned out to be something else. It was the second most amount of pain that I've ever been in (the first being when I threw my back out). I couldn't walk. Like you, my doctor told me that walking on it was good for it. Bastard! I had pain killers but couldn't take them because they made me really sick.

It took about four or five weeks for the inflamation to go down and for it to clear up enough so that I could walk normally. I know it's not the same as your injury. I just wanted to let you know that I empathize with you.

[kexodusc]

Ha ha ha ha JSE.

If it makes you feel any better I tore a rotator cuff (shoulder) shoveling snow last weekend.

So I tell my wife the doc says I'm not allowed to shovel the impending snow storm, what's she do? Punches me in the shoulder.

A guy can't win.

Anyway, yours sounds way worse than mine, I just can't play hockey for 6 weeks and have to lay off the military presses. I guess I'm still shoveling though.

Hope you make a full recovery, bro.

[JohnMichael]

I am glad you are following up with an orthopedic surgeon and you are using crutches. Damn it sounds painful.

I did have a visual image of your avatar running down the street and then dropping in pain, sorry.

[JSE]

Thanks guys for the thoughts.

On top of that, before the injury yesterday, my dentist told me I needed three crowns to replace old fillings from 15 to 20 years ago. Who knew fillings did not last forever? So that's $2k down the drain after insurance in the next few weeks.
Oh, and I can out from Home Depot earlier yesterday to find out some MF hit my truck with what appears to be a pipe, 2x4 or something. Nice little dent and scrap accross the tailgate. No note was left. Figures. That's actually the second time that has happened to me. Last time at Lowes. So.....Tuesday sucked big time!

Kex, Rotator Cuff injuries suck. I had a partial tear back in highschool. I was a catcher and probably could have gone to some little po-dunk school on scholarship but that injury ended that. Not that I would have gone anyway. Great at Baseball, hated it. Not so good at Basketball, loved it. Go figure again.

John,

Ok that was the first time I laughed today. Imagine Cartman pulling up lame and then imagine the verbal assault Cartman would have unleashed! Thanks for the laugh, I needed it.

FA, Yeah painkillers don't sit real well with me either. Just popping advil right now and lots of ice. It's actually gotten somewhat bearable throughout the day. As long as I don't flex (pull the foot/toes back), I can deal with it. Flex and my head starts to spin with pain.

Thanks again guys.

JSE

[bobsticks]

Sorry to read 'bout it, JSE. That's no good. Hate to see a man cut down in the prime of tennis season.

Kex mentioned hockey, back when I played a bit I kept developing problems...down there. I'd heard people discussing "arches" but I never put it together that maybe you shouldn't be able to roll medium-sized Hot Wheels between your heel and toe like a tunnel. A trip to the podiatrist resolved that but not before I got to experience a few season's worth of weekly groin pulls.

I used tequila as a pain killer but, in retrospect, that may have had some unacceptable side effects.

Hope you feel better soon.

--sticks

[kexodusc]

Kex mentioned hockey, back when I played a bit I kept developing problems...down there. I'd heard people discussing "arches" but I never put it together that maybe you shouldn't be able to roll medium-sized Hot Wheels between your heel and toe like a tunnel. A trip to the podiatrist resolved that but not before I got to experience a few season's worth of weekly groin pulls.

I used tequila as a pain killer but, in retrospect, that may have had some unacceptable side effects.

Hope you feel better soon.

--sticks

Yikes...never had the groin pull injury, I've gotta be the only hockey player to dodge that one. Worst I had was a hip flexor from squatting without stretching properly. I'm not the most flexible person. It was bad enough hurting on the outer thigh.
Took a few pucks down there...word of advice...don't use A535...down there.

[L.J.]

JSE, I feel your pain. I was in a motorcycle accident in 2001 and broke 8 bones and left lung collasped. Worst pain I think I'll ever feel in my life.....I hope. But what hurt even more was being laid up in bed for all that time. I HATED IT!!!!

Didn't mind the morphine too much though

Hope you feel better soon.

[Rich-n-Texas]

At first I thought you were talking about wonna your favorite farm animals.

[JSE]

JSE, I feel your pain. I was in a motorcycle accident in 2001 and broke 8 bones and left lung collasped. Worst pain I think I'll ever feel in my life.....I hope. But what hurt even more was being laid up in bed for all that time. I HATED IT!!!!

Didn't mind the morphine too much though

Hope you feel better soon.

That's why you should not ride a motorcycle!

A collasped lung is serious business.

I have broken probably 12 to 15 bones and many other various other injuries. But by far the worst pain I have ever felt was when I Joe Theisman'ed my left tib & fib. Actually he pulled a JSE since I did mine first. About 6 to 7 inches below my left knee, my leg took a sharp 90 degree left turn. My foot was going the wrong way! Both the tib and the fib bones were sticking out of the skin. Blood everywhere. But, the actual break was not the worst part. It was when the Doc pulled the bones apart and cranked my lower leg/foot back in line with the rest of my leg that really hurt. Worst pain I have ever felt. Until......... About 2 days later while still in the Hospital an a-hole new doc came in and lectured me about how I needed to start moving my leg around. I was not in a cast yet due to the swelling and stiches so it was just wrapped up. The doc put his hand below my knee and lifted up to show me how to start moving my leg. The problem was, the bones had not set. The knee and the 6 or 7 inches below my knee came up but my foot stayed on the bed! That was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life by far. I punched the doc in the stomach and he just sat there with a blank horrified look on his face. That led to another surgery to repair the damage he did and to set pins.

Anyway, the calf is feeling much better today and I am getting around without the crutches so far, albeit slowly. If I push/flex it to far, I still get waves of pain so I know it's still there. Much better today though.

JSE

[kexodusc]

That's why you should not ride a motorcycle!

A collasped lung is serious business.

I have broken probably 12 to 15 bones and many other various other injuries. But by far the worst pain I have ever felt was when I Joe Theisman'ed my left tib & fib. Actually he pulled a JSE since I did mine first. About 6 to 7 inches below my left knee, my leg took a sharp 90 degree left turn. My foot was going the wrong way! Both the tib and the fib bones were sticking out of the skin. Blood everywhere. But, the actual break was not the worst part. It was when the Doc pulled the bones apart and cranked my lower leg/foot back in line with the rest of my leg that really hurt. Worst pain I have ever felt. Until......... About 2 days later while still in the Hospital an a-hole new doc came in and lectured me about how I needed to start moving my leg around. I was not in a cast yet due to the swelling and stiches so it was just wrapped up. The doc put his hand below my knee and lifted up to show me how to start moving my leg. The problem was, the bones had not set. The knee and the 6 or 7 inches below my knee came up but my foot stayed on the bed! That was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life by far. I punched the doc in the stomach and he just sat there with a blank horrified look on his face. That led to another surgery to repair the damage he did and to set pins.

Anyway, the calf is feeling much better today and I am getting around without the crutches so far, albeit slowly. If I push/flex it to far, I still get waves of pain so I know it's still there. Much better today though.

JSE

That doesn't sound pleasant at all.

I've broken an arm, leg, collarbone, shattered my knee skiing, and broke 2 of my fingers. Oh, my nose too.

By far the most painful to me was the breaking the 2 small fingers. Weird. Docs told me the hands have som pretty sensitive nerves and less threshold for pain, so despite the other injuries being worse, these minor ones can hurt like a SOB. The knee is still sore at times some 12 years later, but healed well. And I have a cool poly-something-or-other ceramic plate, but the fingers really ache in the cold.

Kidney stones were waaaay worse though... Not fun.

[L.J.]

That's why you should not ride a motorcycle!

Starting to sound like wife dude

A collasped lung is serious business.

Yeah it was interesting. My lung felt like it filled with fluid. I had a hard time breathing and actually thought I was gonna die for a second. When I got to the ER, they cut a hole in my chest and stuck a tube in there to drain everything out.

Funny part is, my wifer and I were watching Discovery Health a week before and saw a guy get the exact same procedure done. I said I would never wanna have to go through something like that. A week later, I'm laying down with a tube shoved in my freakin' chest

I have broken probably 12 to 15 bones and many other various other injuries. But by far the worst pain I have ever felt was when I Joe Theisman'ed my left tib & fib. Actually he pulled a JSE since I did mine first. About 6 to 7 inches below my left knee, my leg took a sharp 90 degree left turn. My foot was going the wrong way! Both the tib and the fib bones were sticking out of the skin. Blood everywhere. But, the actual break was not the worst part. It was when the Doc pulled the bones apart and cranked my lower leg/foot back in line with the rest of my leg that really hurt. Worst pain I have ever felt. Until......... About 2 days later while still in the Hospital an a-hole new doc came in and lectured me about how I needed to start moving my leg around. I was not in a cast yet due to the swelling and stiches so it was just wrapped up. The doc put his hand below my knee and lifted up to show me how to start moving my leg. The problem was, the bones had not set. The knee and the 6 or 7 inches below my knee came up but my foot stayed on the bed! That was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life by far. I punched the doc in the stomach and he just sat there with a blank horrified look on his face. That led to another surgery to repair the damage he did and to set pins.

Anyway, the calf is feeling much better today and I am getting around without the crutches so far, albeit slowly. If I push/flex it to far, I still get waves of pain so I know it's still there. Much better today though.

JSE

Dang that sounds pretty painful. I was lucky that no bones were sticking out of body....ouch

I broke 6 ribs, my humerus(upper arm) and shattered my femur(upper leg). I also had some nerve damage in my arm. I remember it took along time before I could give a thumps up or twist my wrist. I have a plate and 10 screws or something like that in my leg. I feel you on the cold weather thing Kex.

Glad to hear your feelin' better.

[ForeverAutumn]

I was once riding my bicycle and was clotheslined by a tree branch. It knocked my head right off my body. Blood was spurting out of my neck like a Monty Python sketch. I had to blindly feel around the ground for my head, which had rolled about 10 feet away and then was dragged under a bush by a squirrel who thought that my hair would make a nice nest. When my hands finally located my head, I had to hold it onto my neck and walk 20 miles up-hill to the hospital where my head was reattached to my body.

To this day, my nose is parallel with my left shoulder.

True story.

[JSE]

Starting to sound like wife dude

Sorry ................. But it's true!


OK, Just for fun. Who has the most/worst injuries.

Me:

Broken Leg - See Above
1 broken wrist, 2 broken toes, 3 broken collar bones, 2 broken noses, broken ankle, broken bone in foot (can't remember it's name), broken/cracked skull, broken bone below the right eye, broken tailbone and a couple broken ribs. I think that's it for breaks?

2 or 3 concusions, numerous stitches in numerous areas, calf injury, slightly torn achilles, so many ankle sprains I lost count, wrist sprain, thigh muscle tear, hamstring tear, tennis elbow, rotator cuff, roadrash (not from a motorcycle L.J.).

No life threatening injuries though. Just a lot of pain.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I was once riding my bicycle and was clotheslined by a tree branch. It knocked my head right off my body. Blood was spurting out of my neck like a Monty Python sketch. I had to blindly feel around the ground for my head, which had rolled about 10 feet away and then was dragged under a bush by a squirrel who thought that my hair would make a nice nest. When my hands finally located my head, I had to hold it onto my neck and walk 20 miles up-hill to the hospital where my head was reattached to my body.

To this day, my nose is parallel with my left shoulder.

True story.

I hope you're not right handed. You'll never know what you're signing!

[Rich-n-Texas]

Unlike most of you here, I can't share any broken bone, pulled groin muscle, collapsed lung experiences, so the best I can do is say Get Well Soon JSE!

(BTW, who's going to plant the corn this spring? )

[kexodusc]

I was once riding my bicycle and was clotheslined by a tree branch. It knocked my head right off my body. Blood was spurting out of my neck like a Monty Python sketch. I had to blindly feel around the ground for my head, which had rolled about 10 feet away and then was dragged under a bush by a squirrel who thought that my hair would make a nice nest. When my hands finally located my head, I had to hold it onto my neck and walk 20 miles up-hill to the hospital where my head was reattached to my body.

To this day, my nose is parallel with my left shoulder.

True story.

Ok, you win.

[JSE]

I was once riding my bicycle and was clotheslined by a tree branch. It knocked my head right off my body. Blood was spurting out of my neck like a Monty Python sketch. I had to blindly feel around the ground for my head, which had rolled about 10 feet away and then was dragged under a bush by a squirrel who thought that my hair would make a nice nest. When my hands finally located my head, I had to hold it onto my neck and walk 20 miles up-hill to the hospital where my head was reattached to my body.

To this day, my nose is parallel with my left shoulder.

True story.

I have a hard time believing you walked 20 miles, up hill. You would have bled to death by then. I don't buy it.

[JSE]

(BTW, who's going to plant the corn this spring? )

I don't know but that corn has to get planted so we can make the next batch of Moonshine. You said your taking your 40% cut, moonshine or not. I don't want to mess with the Dallas Mafia.

[ForeverAutumn]

I have a hard time believing you walked 20 miles, up hill. You would have bled to death by then. I don't buy it.

I used the squirrel as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding.

[Rich-n-Texas]

You better get your wifey on the ball! I'd prefer the moonshine that's of the same quality as Everclear please.

I have a hard time believing you walked 20 miles, up hill. You would have bled to death by then. I don't buy it.

Yeah but just imagine what you could get away with if the girl could only look to the left!

[ForeverAutumn]

Anyway, the calf is feeling much better today and I am getting around without the crutches so far, albeit slowly. If I push/flex it to far, I still get waves of pain so I know it's still there. Much better today though.

JSE

I hope that you live somplace that's only one story. Trying to manouver stairs with calf injury is complete agony.

[bobsticks]

I was once riding my bicycle and was clotheslined by a tree branch. It knocked my head right off my body. Blood was spurting out of my neck like a Monty Python sketch. I had to blindly feel around the ground for my head, which had rolled about 10 feet away and then was dragged under a bush by a squirrel who thought that my hair would make a nice nest. When my hands finally located my head, I had to hold it onto my neck and walk 20 miles up-hill to the hospital where my head was reattached to my body.

To this day, my nose is parallel with my left shoulder.

True story.

LOL...maaaaan, we had the menfolk sittin' around the fire, eating raw meat, tellin' war stories and you gotta come in and send the sarcasm meter off the charts. Glad you're feeling better though Fall Girl

I'm with Kex on the cold deal though...hands get all gnarled up and I feel like an old Creole man on a porch in the bayou..."It gawn beh snowin' somethin' fierce round dem parts ret shortly."

[L.J.]

Oh, I forgot to mention this really nasty paper cut I got last year. Man did it burn