Have you taken your ankle injury to a sports clinic? Sometimes (perhaps frequently? :-P ) doctors are prone to go overboard with rest, supports, and extra garbage to restrict motion following injuries. After some tendonitis in my shoulder during my senior year of high school swimming, I was initially told by my doctor that I would need to take ridiculous amounts of Motrin and rest my shoulder entirely for 2 weeks. On the advice of friends and my coach, I went to a sports clinic, where they put ice and electrodes on my shoulder muscles, then gave me some surgical tubing to work out my rotator cuff muscles at home. They said within 2 or 3 days I should be able to try some light swimming with the team. Easily within a week I was back to swimming as normal, no problems (ever again really). Long story I know, but hey, maybe your ankle (and February 1st) has hope!