life pt 2
idk if this is a tw but js in case: mention of surgery
MA FOOT NEEDS TO STOP!!
okay so like... nvm can't explain this without a timeline so here you are:
April 2023
very ordinary day - i was out with ma childhood best friend in the park when my foot got caught in the swing and i twisted it...
i didn't think much of it at the time cause it didn't actually hurt too badly. i rested it for a few days and it seemed fine
May 2023
the pain starts to get worse so i go to the NHS A&E and get told it's a simple sprain.
i keep doing sports and resting - but i start to notice i keep rolling over my ankle.
June 2023
had an x-ray - nothing was broken. the pain was still there so i started to reduce the amount of sports i did - less running, less jumping etc. got even more rest.
July - August 2023
stopped sport entirely. the pain was awful and i rolled it almost every other day. rested for the summer holidays.
had another x-ray - still got told it was just a sprain and started physio.
now - another red flag...
PHYSIO HURT. it made almost every step unbearable and each time they said 'you're getting better'. it kept getting pushed back.
"next session in a week" "next session in 2 weeks" "next session in 3 weeks"
and eventually it became one session every six weeks.
September 2023
year 6. still wasn't doing sport, still rolling it very often, every step was still agony.
2 x-rays - both showed nothing. still a sprain. had to do sports.
October - December 2023
started physio again. same thing happened. the rolling kept getting much much worse.
went to a&e. went to the GP. still no answers.
January - August 2024
more x-rays. more "just a sprain." still minimal sport. kept going over it. more physio.
still no answers.
September 2024
yr 7.
finally got referred to an orthopaedic specialist. he said there was nothing he could do and advised more physio.
physio made it worse.
October 2024
started private physio. when that wasn't helping - we went back tot the specialist.
still nothing he could do.
November - December 2024
more and more physio - more often, more intense. Nothing. pain - still there. still rolling it.
but now you could notice my ankle getting progressively weaker.
after the physio did an examination - talks of possible surgery came into the picture.
January 2025
met with the specialist again. asked if surgery was realistic. he said no.
"you're not old enough" "you're still growing" "it's not safe."
we understood. he ordered for an MRI - just to rule out surgery.
February 2025
got the MRI date. it was in march. continued physio. nothing changed.
March 2025
had the MRI. but the consultation was in April.
April 2025
there were very clear problems with the ankle - but the specialist said surgery wouldn't be needed - so we took his word for it.
May - September 2025
yr 8.
more and more and more physio. didn't work. went back to the specialist - he still believed i didn't need surgery but referred me to a pediatric orthopaedic specialist surgeon.
got an appointment in October.
October 2025
had the appointment with the new doctor. he took one look at the scans and said that i'm going to need surgery.
we started to warm up to the idea - but still wanted another opinion.
travelled to india (we were going to go anyways). showed the doctors and physios there the scans and they all said i didn't need surgery and just needed more intense physio.
went back home and asked the surgeon if we could have some time to try that. he agreed and said that that would be best.
was also diagnosed with chronic ankle instability - that explained the constant rolling of the foot.
the surgery was mainly to fix that.
November 2025 - February 2026
zero sports. none. for a while actually. but still.
started intense physio - 2-3 sessions a week and saw some progress.
one flaw - the physio still hurt way more than it should.
February 2026
went back to the surgeon and he ordered a private MRI (this dude works at like 5 hospitals). we all decided private was better.
the MRI showed significant damage.
my atfl ligament was almost completely torn. there was a build up of fluid in the syndesmosis.
(all that means - a ligament is torn and there is inflammation, swelling, or joint effusion in the complex group of ligaments that were holding my lower leg bones (the tibia and fibula) together just above the ankle joint.)
i definitely needed surgery.
was given a boot to prevent further damage.
March 2026
surgery was confirmed. we didn't have a date yet - we just knew it was happening.
Easter holiday (late March to early April)
got two dates.
NHS: April 27th Private: May 20th
we chose private.
April 2026
signed the consent forms. got all the information needed.
May 2026
had the surgery. it was successful - zero complications... until.
June 2026
i was expected to be back at school - the pain was way too bad.
got the cast removed on the 3rd. the surgeon had to be called because the wound wasn't healing properly. got another appointment for the 15th.
tried to go back on the 8th - had to come home after a half day. couldn't go back for the rest of the week.
tried again on the 15th - had to come home after half a day (also because i had an appointment).
appointment went relatively well - the wound was healing much better but the ankle mobility was super restricted and the pain was unbearably high and concerning.
was advised to not to back to school until after our next appointment on July 1st.
July 2026
had the appointment on July 1st.
the scans looked fine - no visible damage. just severe swelling and bruising.
was told that i was developing signs of osteopenia (loss of bone density - can lead to osteoporosis) and CRPS.
started physio to try and avoid that - physio was hell ofc but it was showing improvement. started to bear weight.
went back to school (for the remaining 2 weeks).
had another appointment - July 20th. was told i was doing incredibly well and had really turned a corner for myself.
booked another appointment on September 7th (first day of year 9).
August 2026
was still doing lots of physio but was able to walk longer distances (still in a boot btw).
started going out more.
had a physio appointment - 5th August. was told i was doing incredibly well but i was starting to show signs of CRPS again.
trying to fix that now... but if the pain isn't gone or starting to fade before September 7th - it will be a massive cause for concern.
