ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! - Post-Op

First, I want to thank God for being with me, cuz I sure did need to know he was around those first few months when I was shut in.

As I look back, I'm reminded of so many things! My melancholy, the pain, and the small hurdles I overcame along the way. =o) 

A FEW HAPPY THINGS

• I use to have a corn on my third toe and now it's gone. ;o) 

• I also use to have thick calluses in the bottom front of my feet. They are gone too. I hope it stays that way.

• Another little thing is that before the surgery I was a size 9 to 9 1/2 shoe size; and now I'm a size 8 1/2 to 9. This is due to my Bunionectomies. Yay. 

• In case you're wondering, I do not feel the hardware in my foot.

OUTSTANDING PAIN ISSUES

(the red areas are further past muscle, closer to the bone if you will.) This Sciatic Pain pain keeps me from taking long walks or doing anything on my feet for hours. It's an annoying and sometimes miserable kind of pain. It's daily, and if I keep going I end up limping. I'm hoping it will diminish completely with time.

UPDATE The issue in this box WAS part of my outline when I started putting this entry together 4 few weeks ago. BUT something amazing happened. I won't go into the details, but I received complete healing in this area. This pain lasted 11 months and 2 weeks. I've been completely pain free for the past 2 weeks! So there are no outstanding pain issues!

TENDONS

Remember I spoke about this back in the "Didn't know" page? Back in the 11th post-op week? Anyway, when I wake up in the morning it feels as though my tendons have been in a ballerina position (pointed foot) for an ice age. 

So every morning I have to recline myself forward to make the tendons feel "released". It's weird.

NUMBNESS

RED are numb areas. YELLOW are areas of a tingling sensation when touched.

PINKIE TOE
As I mentioned in a previous post, I suspected my 5th toe might develop a bump or callus because it's now rubbing up against the inside of my shoes.

It never did that before because it lived under my 4th toe. (I placed it out from underneath my 4th toe for the B/W photo.)

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Well, the past year has been a sedentary one. If you remember, I tried walking at the track back at the 6.5 post-op-month mark. It didn't go well. This post explains the complication with the fourth toe.

At the 8th month mark I tried the treadmill for 2 weeks, but my whole leg was in pain. I had to stop.  

So now the question remains, "Will I forever have to wear a band-aid on my toe when doing intense physical activity to avoid a blister?"  I think I've avoided the gym because I don't want to test this. I don't want a painful blister under my toe! But at this annual point, I really have to. I'll be sure to post the results.



SCARS

The two in the center are from the Brachy surgery.

VIDEO

As promised, I made a video to summarize this past year's journey in case you've just joined the Blog. ;o)

INSOLES

In the past few months I've had to invest in this stuff.

It helped with the pain, but moving forward I will make this part of my shoe-drobe because I want better foot health.

I wore this lovely little number a few days ago for a 40th BD party.

Again, the higher the heel, the shorter my new fourth toe looks. ;o)








The "High Heel" insole is just a must for me now. They feel so good. I think this will help keep those calluses under the front part of my foot at bay. 

And these things even have arch support! Awesome.

FLEXING

This is how things look when I flex my toes upward.

RESULTS

My right foot looks gigantic! LOL

Obviously my left 4th toe isn't as long as my normal right one. 

This is more likely with the one-stage method vs the external fixator. I knew that going in. 

With all I've been through— I'm ok with it.

I'm more bothered by the results of my bunionectomies. Specifically, the first-metatarsal on my left foot. Seriously, I thought it would be better than that. But it's been a year of recovery and it's time to just move on.

HELP

As I had shared in this post, I'm looking for flip-flops that say "Puerto Rico" on the straps. Preferably in leather. If anyone knows where I can find them, please leave me a comment. ;o) Thanks.

QUESTIONS

Is there anything you'd like to know that I haven't covered?



Thanks for following!

11 MONTHS - Post-Op

Eleven months, I can hardly believe it. ;o) Let's get to some updates.

Physical Balance

I've heard many Brachyins speak about balancing issues. I don't recall ever having any with my Brachy. Now, after my surgery, I do have balancing mishaps (while getting dressed mostly), but that's different. It's due to having bone in places I'm not accustomed to. But I'll get use to it and my balance will be fine. I'm no doctor, but at 11 months, bone union is probably done but still stabilizing?

Closed Shoes

I recently wore entirely closed pumps for a short period of time. It was great. I couldn't fit into these before because of my bunions. But I did notice something. My pinkie toe on my x-brachy foot felt some serious pressure compared to my right. Which is odd because my brachy foot is narrower than the non-brachy foot, so you would think it would fit better in a shoe.

Well it does fit better in a shoe, it just doesn't feel that way right now because that picky toe lived its life under my fourth toe, remember. Now that I have a normal fourth toe, the picky is farther out then its ever been. It's not use to being up against the inside of the shoe. I feel with time it will get use to it. I've even gotten mild blisters because of it.

www.midedocorto.wordpress.com

IN FACT, now that I recall, Anita (the girl is Spain I've spoken to you about) had a similar problem. But she chose to have surgery for her pinkie toe. (Her 5th toe began to develop what she calls a corn, or a permanent blister, on the bottom of it because of the way it was so snug to her new 4th toe. So she had surgery done on the front side of her toe to remedy this.)

My 5th toe isn't as plump as hers, so I think I'll be fine as-is.

Speaking of Shoes

I'm pretty much eating my words now. I've been saying all along that I'm not going back to really high heels. Well a few things have happened to make me turn on myself.  

1. At the stores, there are a poor supply of 1.5" heels 

compared to very high heels. It's frustrating even. I spend way too much time searching for the needle in a hay stack. And it's winter, so small heels are coming in not so feminine looking styles... which my closet is full of. (I'm sure it will get better once warmer weather hits.)

2. Something unexpected happened. I saw a pair I really loved, but they looked much to high. I kept coming back to them though so I tried them on. As I walked the store with them I had to hold back the tears because I've never felt like that in high heels before. There was no bunion pain! I don't know why but I had forgotten about the pain that use to shoot up my shin. (probably because I've been nursing my bunions with short heels for a couple years now.) Anyway, I was shocked at the comfort.

By bunions were in full swing when I was 14 years old. I don't know what it's like to wear high heels without pain. The joy I felt was indescribable. And if that wasn't the best thing ever, the shoes were 70% off! I took those puppies home for $30 instead of $100! 

I've never been so happy to eat my own words in the whole of my life. ;o) I want to hug my surgeon right about now!

Know what else I discovered? The higher the heel the shorter my fourth toe looks. I find this very funny and very cute. I love my new toe!

Another Highlight

My aunts 50th wedding anniversary! I was able to wear the kind of shoes I use to dream about wearing when I was a teen. It was a thrill to show up in these! 

Left Foot is Narrower

My left foot has always been narrower than my right because of the Brachy. My 5th toe on that foot never got the same wear and function as the right, so it remained narrower. And now after my surgeries, it still is.

If you have Brachy on just one foot, this may be the case with you as well. Below you can see how my left doesn't fill the width of the shoe like the right. And still, I love my toe! ;o)

Next month will be my one year anniversary of my Brachy one-stage corrective surgery. Be sure to come back and check that out. I'll be talking about any numbness that remains and I'll be presenting a video. Don't miss it!

Ciao! xoxoxoxo

A New Year Approaches

I've noticed more doctors popping up on the internet professing their expertise on Brachymetatarsia. Regardless of opinions on that subject, I'm hoping this means more open doors for people with Brachy, and more options.

I get to enter a new year with better feet. I'm grateful. Things worth having often comes with challenges and hurdles. I'm happy to be past mine in this area.

Life is too short to live with regrets or hating parts about yourself. Surgery isn't for everyone, but happiness is. Be happy. Shine where you are.

The big "D" word!

Depression. Very controversial subject among people. Even further for Christians. Everyone has their own belief about what it is, the types there are, treatments, etc.

I'm not about to get into all that. I just wanted to share a little something I found. I've not known myself to be a depressed person. Like all teenagers I had my rough times. As an adult I just don't have time for it. My pity parties are short lived cuz there is just too much to do and it's not my cup of tea. 

Going through post-op offered a lot of down time and being in solitude magnified things. I found it difficult. I was not depressed, but too often felt sad. After the fact, when I was already walking, I looked for a natural supplement that would help with this state that seemed to linger.

After some prayer and a 'lil research I started St. John's Wart. I did begin to feel much better. And No, it wasn't a placebo effect because when I got it, I pretty much figured I had wasted my money.

I wanted to post my finding right away, but I've waited a few months to really see. It turns out that I find myself down and discover it's been a week since I've taken it. I take it daily. So you may want to try it, perhaps it may work for you if you find you need to "balance" your mood. That's what I use it for. Be sure get it with "Hypericin".

Tootles! 

UPDATE:  If you remove refined sugars (all sugars that are not from fresh fruits/veggies) you'll stabilize your emotions and not even need St. John's Wart!)

10 MONTHS! —Range of Motion Update!

Howdy. I took these 'before' shots 10 months ago waiting for this day to come. ;o) So here we go.

Not much to say with these because the pictures say it all. I will tell you that I'm flexing and tightening my grip like crazy in my after shots, just like in the before shots.

I was wearing my very old canvas shoes the other day (first time in a year), and I noticed something. There is a dark area right where my Brachy toe use to be, on the left. 

Hmmm, funny how we all know that it's raised up in there rubbing against the top of our shoes, but I'd really never seen the evidence of it on the outside like that. (I think it may be because I was always looking at the bulge my bunions were making instead. lol)

So that's the update. I feel fine. The sciatic pain is improving month by month, so I'm happy about that. Very happy! ;o)

I do hope if you are considering surgery you can find answers to some of your questions among these posts.

Tootles!

Bits and Bobs— 9.5mo Post-Op

While this Autumn has been a warm one, allowing me to continue to spoil myself with flip-flops, the cold weather will come and my feet will have to get use to closed shoes again.

I bought a pair of boots. Aren't they snazzy? A little higher heel than I would have wanted (2.25"), but I do like them a lot. I wore them for 7 hours. My foot hurt for the rest of the day. Mostly where the bone graph is. That bone area seems to get pressure whenever you wear any kind of a heel.

With my foot as it was, I would not have been able to wear these boots. My bunions wouldn't have allowed it. And the vertical room in the front of the boot wouldn't have allowed for my Brachy toe to fit.

Click for larger view.

Another thing I discovered while I shopped for shoes these past few months, is that I felt lost while shopping.

Not so much because I was in a weird in-between stage, where I wasn't in closed or dressy shoes yet, but because I just don't know how to shop for my new feet yet.

I found I kept going for shoes that I use to have to wear. It turns out that your style and taste for shoes has been greatly influenced by having Brachy. I would pick up a pair I liked... then frown cuz they were what my closet is full of.... square toe, with high vertical space in the front. 

I will not be buying the real popular sharp-pointed toe shoes because I don't want my bunions to return, but it's plain to see that I will have to develop a new taste in shoes for my new feet. I did not anticipate this lost feeling while shopping.

But I'm not worried at all, this will straighten itself out in time I'm sure. ;o) Lol.

Lastly, wearing flip-flops has allowed me to feel something I can't remember ever feeling.... the cool/warm air on my toes in the car! ;o) When this first happened on a hot day, I was pleasantly surprised at the feeling of the air conditioning on my exposed feet. It was so nice to feel that! 

I had to wait a few months to wear these. The straps are real snug. While I waited, I sewed on some small beads. ;o)

Where my toe would have been.

Sometimes my foot doesn't look right to me. It seems to me that my fourth toe doesn't belong. It's weird. Not use to seeing a toe where there is a toe now. Lol.

 Tootles!

9mo Post-Op —My Cruise

I'm back! My vacation was great. Was good to really get a change of scenery after so many months. I packed my prescription pain killers that I hadn't used in quite some time just in case. 

I had sciatic pain once I got onto the cruise (I suppose it was the travel)... But I discovered I hadn't packed them after all. 

I don't know why I had this pain nearly the entire trip, but I pretty much popped Aleve like it was candy. Perhaps it was the fact that I was constantly walking around taking pictures. (got a new lens) But I don't believe my sciatic pain is induced by walking. The pain goes up beside my hamstring and into my buttock. I just think I'm getting over some aggravation to it during surgery.

My feet did swell each night, Aleve helps with inflammation.

What kept me going was the photography! There were many christian entertainers on this cruise, so they became my subjects.

Oh, my Pedicure! My first evening on the cruise, I went up to the spa and booked an AM pedicure appointment for the following morning— my birthday, yay! It was a great experience! 

Preeeetty. ;o)

My quick recap is that I get better each month. And that I'm working on the range of movement of my big toe on my Brachy foot.

**I didn't realize this, but because I had Brachy on the same foot, my bunionectomy DID NOT get the post-op attention it needed to regain my mobility there. With Brachy you don't do anything with your foot for at least 3 months... this actually harmed the mobility in the joint of my big toe. Normally you'd be working on it about 3 weeks post-op. ;o/

So my left big toe is much stiffer than my right. But what's done is done and I just work at it as best I can now. ;o)

Not in heels yet. Not sure if I will ever go back to really high heels actually. It's been a warm Autumn, so I still do flip-flops! ;o)

Tootles!

8 Month Mark

          (34 weeks) 
Hello all. Autumn is here! Isn't it lovely?! ;o)


At this point I am pretty sure that the Sciatic nerve issue I've experienced is not usual. I really haven't heard anyone else who's had this surgery mention it. 

I also no longer think it was ONLY due to how I was sitting post-op. I think it's more than that. When you look at how this nerve runs all the way down your leg, and to your heel, I now believe that the heel surgery itself had something to do with this. I think it was aggravated somehow during surgery.

I had Brachy and Bunion surgery on my left, and only Bunion surgery on my right. The sciatic issues are only on my left. I really feel the "heel" surgery aggravated my nerve because if it were the sitting position I did months ago, it should really be gone now, and it's not.

I believe I will be well again and it will be gone at some point, but for now, after 8 and a half months it comes and goes.

I am now on the treadmill several days a week. I do a max on 4.0 speed and 7.0 incline. Only walking for an hour. Because the pain comes and goes so sporadically I still don't know if exercise helps or hurts it. I just started on the treadmill so time will tell. (update: I had to stop the gym, it got to be too painfull.)

It's still not freezing out so I'm mostly in flip-flops. And I work from home so the only closed shoes I am really wearing are sneakers. Because of my bunionectomies, wearing closed shoes will take a while. If it was only Brachy I'm sure I'd be wearing them already.

GOOD NEWS! Remember that trip I booked?! Well it's in 3 weeks!!!!! Wow it's been a long haul. Remember this? 

Well things do get better. I look back at my struggles and I'm very grateful to be past them. All I have now is the sciatic pain that comes and goes (it flows into my buttock and makes me limp), and my feet still swell a bit.

But now it's time to look forward to my trip! YAY! I'm planning to have my first ever professional pedicure on the Cruise, ON MY BIRTHDAY!

I will try to take snapshots of the event to post. lol. Next post will have foot pics for sure, I promise! ;o)

Tootles!

Pictures Don't Lie!

I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. ;o)       (8mo/32 wks)

(If there is a larger image available, you can view it by clicking it.)

12.5 mm gain in length

Amazing shift in bone structure

7.5 Months Post-Op Update

Feeling even better!                                                     (32 weeks) 

I took the risk and went on a very short photography hike. It was great! It was a very slow pace and it lasted two hours. When I got to my car to drive home my leg was starting to hurt (sciatic nerve), and my bone graph in my 4th metatarsal was actually aching. 

But again, once I rested things were fine. So I think it's all good.

Recently I did wear a wedge heel sandal. It had no cushion whatsoever. I could walk to where I was going and sit with them. But walking back to my car I noticed I was limping and favoring my right side. (So even though I had surgery only 3 months ago on my right foot, it still feels better than my Brachy foot surgery from 8mo ago.) But it's still progress. ;o)

There is less swelling in my left foot so it looks more defined now.

Nice to have the bunion reduced on my right too.

These socks actually press in areas that really accentuate my bunions. They sort of still look big don't they?  lol.  But I feel it's partly the socks. I think once I start taking photos of my new feet IN shoes, I'll appreciate my surgeries even more.

Sure, I wish I had a straight line for my 1st toe, but you can't have everything.

These are the very first flip-flops I purchased after my surgery. I LOVE them, they are so soft and comfy. I hope they last forever. 

Seven month scar update.
They are coming along.














Numbness 
My skin is still slightly numb in these areas. The areas use to bit a bit larger. Compare it to the 6th week here.

(FYI: the images used to show the numbness areas in this post are old images of my foot. Just the red sections are current status.)

6.5 Months Post-Op Update

  (28 weeks)

I'm doing better, thank God. It has been touch and go with trying to walk in sneakers at the track with a reasonable pace. As you would imagine it's difficult at the beginning, but if you keep at it, it gets better. It feels good to get out and move. 

I did have a little something I'm not happy about though. Because the fourth toe sits lower than it should, while walking, the entire bottom of it (its full length, not just the tip) rubs against the sole of a shoe with more force than a normal toe would. This caused it to blister. 

I didn't want this to derail me at the track so I would wrap it with a band-aid. The healing seemed slow no matter how much Neosporin I was using. One morning I got the the track and realized I had forgotten to bandage it, but I wasn't too worried because the blister had been drying out. I improvised and wrapped my toe with a piece of paper. That seemed to work fine until I got home.

I then realized that the paper prevented my 5th toe from moving properly and it now had a blister as well! Fun stuff huh?

PAIN

The pains I use to have in my heel are gone.

The congestion is also gone.

I'm working on the sciatic nerve pain that developed during this whole process. It has lessened, but very slowly, and I have to work at doing exercises to accomplish this. I'm happy that it's improving.

The past month has been a time of endurance. Going out to do a few errands and getting home with a leg that begins to ache. I rest it and then I'm fine again. So it's a matter of building up my endurance. I can't wait till I can go to a museum and walk through the art for a day and not be hurting by the end of it. The thought makes me smile. ;o)

So the platelette feeling on the bottom of my foot was temporary. At 7mo, it's gone.


So is the tendon pain, and need for prescription painkillers. Halleluyah!

What I have now is stiffness. In the morning, the tendons and joints (bunionectomies) are very stiff. I have to stretch it all out to get started.

I've been walking for 4 months now and I have yet to walk in closed dress shoes. I've spent my time in flip-flops, I was unable to fit into a pair because remember, I had the bunionectomies on my right foot just 8 weeks ago. It still gets swollen and the incisions are too sensitive for a hard closed shoe.

Winter is coming so maybe I'll spend the time in a comfy boot. Hard closed shoes may have to wait for the spring?

One of my biggest lessons is this blog. I love that I accomplished what I set out to do, which was to tell all of it in detail so those considering it will be able to plan and anticipate accordingly. But the negative side affect it had on me was just that, negative. It made me focus each week on what was not working, the pain, etc.

I believe this did not help my own healing process. It's a lesson learned for me. I always knew that staying positive can work wonders and now I have my own personal proof on that account.

So in your journey, get the info, compare notes, but feed yourself good thoughts DAILY! It will help a lot. ;o)