Thanks for asking, Evan. I have been bootless for a several weeks, and I'm now discharged by the ortho doc and PT, and back to doing most activities. It will take a few months before that weakened leg is back to "normal", but I am working on it. Strength and endurance are slowly improving. And balance too. It has taken a while to have any confidence in that leg being able to actually hold me up. It was less about strength of the calf muscles and tendon and more about believing that it would work when called upon. The biggest challenge now is getting back to a fully normal and relaxed walking gait - don't favor the injured leg or limp just out of habit.
It was shocking to learn that recovery without surgery was even possible, but I'm certainly pleased to report that a total Achilles tear can rehab acceptably without the knife. That was totally new information to me, but proved to be true. I walked up 1½ flights of stairs to attend my final PT appointment two weeks ago. Now it is up to me..... Let's leave the old guy "organ recital" mode -- a joke some jam friends make. [When we all get together to play, it becomes a moaning list of all of our medical issues for a while - now jokingly dubbed the organ recital. At 61, I am the youngest of the bunch].
Getting back to carbon fiber guitars..... I played my X20 at two successive backyard jam sessions for four hours total yesterday afternoon in the sun at 58°. My fretting hand is sure sore today. But I fear the outdoor jams are likely done for the year as the temps get colder and the days get shorter.
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