What I Feel When I Walk

Walking on the floor with bare feet is too painful at this point. I use nice cushy open shoes in the house, and my new sneaks outside. (with ace bandage around my ankle.)

While these plates do not exist in my foot, this is what it feels like if I walk barefoot on the floor. It feels as though I have these two platelets under my soles. It hurts as if there isn't enough 'meat' under my soles to cushion them. They feel sharp and it hurts.
__________________________________________________

This is a visual representation of the hardware actually in my foot. 7 screws, (there is a narrow plate used with the 6 screws) for the bone graph.

Bunion Comparison

Surgery on Left foot only here.

This picture IS worth a thousand words, no? ;o)

Hey remember, there is a ton of information in the right column. Check it all out! 


If you're looking for a particular subject and don't want to go through the Archive list, try the Label list!


Ciao!

LET'S HEAR IT FOR MY RIGHT FOOT!!!

I just want to take my hat off to my right foot, and leg! It has worked serious overtime in the past 15 weeks. And it still bears more weight than it should as I'm still not fully vested in my left side.

So take a bow! You deserve it! ;o)

Week 15 — Post-Op Highlights

Howdy.
A picture is worth a thousand words right? I'm definitely visually adept, but there is more going on than this photo can tell. So I'll tell you. ;o)

IN A SNEAKER!

Saw Dr. Yes last week. I've graduated into sneakers. Went out and got a good pair. I choose a men's (I need the extra width) Nike Air Max Run Lite +2. They were the most comfortable to me out of the selection. I also choose them because I would be able to add some comfort insoles in them without a problem. I needed a sneaker that would have enough space top-to-bottom (vertically) in the front.

I got 2 kinds of insoles. One for Heel pain relief and the other for the Sole.

I wanted them both in a men's size for the extra width, but was only able to find one. ;o(

Nothing seems to take the pain I feel away, but this is better then just the insole that came in the sneaker from the manufacturer. ;o)

Because the ace bandage would be too bulky, in a sneaker my Doc gave me this snazzy TIGHT sock. It does my scars good. (Remember the post I made about pressure being the best thing for scars?) 

My ankle and foot need the support (especially while driving my stick shift) so the sock is a good thing. But I do find that my foot starts to ache after about 5 hours. It's too snug after that time.


But I still wear my ace on top of that for ankle support.

PAIN
Let me be clear, while I am now out of my boot and off crutches, I'm walking with a great deal of pain and discomfort.

There are three things going on in the pain department:

    1. Both front and back of the sole of my foot
        are quite painful when I walk. It feels as though have metal         plates there, right under the skin of my soles.

     2. The Achilles tendon (Heel cord) is very tight

     3. My sciatic nerve

I had complained of this pain maaaany weeks ago and after describing it again to Dr. Yes this past week, he simply told me what it was. GO FIGURE! He gave me stretches to do.

The exercise was to stand arms-length away from a wall. Place palm of hands flat on wall, lean into wall by bending elbows... bringing the body toward the wall while heels remain on the floor. I found that this addressed the Achilles tendon, but not my sciatic nerve pain. 

I knew nothing about the sciatic nerve so I looked it up. I found this stretch was the best one so far:


For me however, I need more than this stretch. (The pain is persistent.) I have sent an email (because it's the weekend) to both of my doctors explaining the pain even though I am doing all the stretches, and requesting actual physical therapy. I'll let you know what they say. (In the meantime I've started taking Advil for the Ibuprofen. I'm hoping it relives the inflammation.)


WALKING

Stretching the Achilles tendon (heel cord) is Soooo necessary. With effort, I am able to go up stairs one foot in front of the other like normal (need bandage on).

But going down stairs is a totally different story. There is no limberness in that tendon. Until this happens to you, you never realize how it actually helps you go down the stairs.

I'm working daily to stretch this out. While I do not have permanent improvement in my sciatic nerve, I do experience permanent improvement in this tendon with my stretches. ;o)

There are stretches on YouTube for this tendon, but I find they aren't the best for those of us who have had Brachy surgery because we can not fully put weight on the foot yet. This is what I came up with that works best for me:

SLEEPING

I'm now enjoying full sleep through the night! YAY! ;oD

CONGESTION
This is improving also. (See: STRANGE)

NUMBNESS

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

Week 13 & 14 — First Steps!

Howdy! I thought I'd start off with something funny. Check out my toes! The toes on my left foot try real hard, but I can't spread 'um. ;o)

Last 2 weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind for me personally, but things are progressing. (videos below)

Let me get right down to it. Normally your doctor will give you instruction as to how to start walking. Each person is different, it also depends on the method of correction. My doctor kept me on crutches and my boot for week No.13— partial weight bearing. For week No.14 I could try ditching the crutches only in the house.

But I really ended up not following doctor's orders and overdid it. I wish I could tell you how week 13 would be for you, but mine was really not normal. I made personal decisions that kept me on my foot waaaaay too often and let's just say it was more than partial weight. But those were "my" personal decisions I made to spend time with some family.

I do not recommend planning outings or entertaining during this time! So I don't know what it would feel like to ease into walking.


PAIN
So I went from having trickled down on the pain between wk 9-12 and now I'm back up again. The pain is different. It is very difficult to explain. You feel pressure in areas where you feel weakened. You feel like there is a bruise under your heel. Your foot aches and your ankle swells a bit too. And walking is short lived because of the discomfort— you'll prefer to sit. 

But I have just kept going. Living alone all this time makes me grateful that I can finally get up, get something, and carry it back in one of my hands (been using only one crutch, yay). I would love to be pain free after 12 weeks of great discomfort and trial, but I tell myself I've only been putting weight on it for two weeks.


I still can not sit upright with my leg up and be ok. My leg starts to hurt after about 30min. So I have to sit 'reclined' with my leg up. (I sound like a broken record with this! I wish walking-pain was all I had to deal with.)

But this is all passing. Just like the hard times during the 12 weeks passed, this will too! ;oD

Anywhooo let's get to the good stuff!!! 

Week 13—
This is what an bird's-eye-view photograph can not show you! ;o)

Week 14—
First Steps... Crutch Free!

Brachy Physical Therapy

I've been wanting to get this video out for a long time. This is my physical therapy for the Brachy toe after one-stage surgery.

I cut myself off at the end LOL. I'm no videographer! ;o) 

Here is another important thing to do:

I CAN BARELY RESIST!!!!!!!!

OY! In two days I will be in Dr. Yes' office WALKING! I can't stand it! I'm so tempted to just try it here at home.

But I know I can't take that chance. He will take xrays first. If all looks promising then I can probably take my very first steps (WITH CRUTCHES).

I'm not going to be running, or walking around at the track even, but its PROGRESS dog gone-it! ;o)

Some people reach this point only to have the doctor say, "you need another 2/4 weeks". That sure is disappointing, but I've heard them say, "Heck if I did 12 weeks I can do 2 more!" That's the best way to look at it I think.

I have a strange suspicion that Dr. Yes is simply going to follow Dr. West's automated instructions for this process. (He hasn't seen me during post op. We don't really have a choice. I have sent him pictures of my progress though.) Not that he'll let me walk if he sees something very odd. He is a conscientious doctor after all.

Having been homebound as much as I have I really feel like a different person. I feel very caged and am glad that I started working from home this week. It has served as a good distraction.

I don't know what I'll do once I'm decently mobile! I think I'll go everywhere! LOL. Oh yeah, I booked my vacation today. YAY FOR ME! I'M GOING ON A CRUISE! I so needed something to look forward to. In 7 months I'll be sailing... WITH flip flops!!!! 

I know for a fact that my foot will feel weird on the floor when weight is applied. It will feel as though something very hard has been placed where my 4th metatarsal is. I can feel that already when I'm laying down, feet on the bed, knees bent towards the ceiling.

I wonder if it will dissipate or if it will stay, and I'll just get use to it.

12th Wk — Post-Op Summary!!!!!!

Tadahhhh. I made it!

Take a good look as to where things use to be.
(double-click image for larger view)

This 12th week felt different for me. My leg and foot just felt better. (I wonder how much of that was due to the placebo affect ;o) In any case it felt wonderful to feel wonderful!!!!

This was my first week back to working from home too. It was tiring, but nice to have something to do to help pass the time. I do miss my coworkers greatly and will enjoy when I'm back in the office gain. (Hopefully sporting some great flip-flops ;o)

I saw Dr. Yes. He took xrays. All looked well and as instructed by Dr. West, I took my first steps! My first steps were with my boot on, and my crutches.

This next week (wk 13) I am transitioning out of NW (non-weight bearing) to PW, (partial-weight bearing). I will walk with my boot on, and crutches.

Then on wk 14, if I feel well, I can just use the boot without crutches— BUT just in my apartment. When I go out, I will still have to use both the boot, and crutches. Doctor's orders.

12 WEEK COMPARISON

(double-click image for larger view)

LENGTHENING

My measurements tell me I received 10 millimeters of lengthening!

Before My First Walk....

So I've been on crutches for 12 weeks. This is a milestone. ;o) Many of us looking into one-stage correction hear about the 12 week mark. I'm ecstatic, but under no illusion of actually walking normally at this stage. BUT STILL it's great to be at this point! ;o)

So I've been wondering some things....

Will it hurt when I start to put weight on it?

If so, will that pain go away within a reasonable amount of time?

Or will it be pain my surgeon will tell me I have to live with?

Will weight on my foot help this congestion issue I have?

This is when I try to bring my toes forward.
The 4th and 5th stay where they are.

My second and third toe have been trained most of their lives to go to the left to compensate for my 4th Brachy toe. Will they ever stop wanting to do that?

It is an absolute blessing that my new 4th toe can grip the ground a bit! Will walking help it stop having such a low profile?


And will my third toe ever stop domination my 4th?

NW - Non-weight bearing

WARNING - Don't Believe It!

This is simply not true. Not just from my experience, but from others who have had the one-stage method done. This doctor states several things that are not accurate. One of them being that the one-stage lengthening takes 6 weeks!

That's a flat out falsehood! People go into surgery believing that, then are very disappointing at the real length of time it takes. I would imagine this discrepancy would affect your working plans, your vacation plans, etc. 

Make sure you get the truth about the post-op length of time and exactly what physical capabilities you will and will not have. Be cautious of any doctor who whizes by these types of questions.

If this doctor "meant something else" when making that statement about process, and you've chosen him as your surgeon, ask him to define what he is saying. Get clear so you're not disappointed or disillusioned. 

(Let's be clear, this is an advertising video. This video is not from a real News broadcast. There is no network logo on it. It was created with a nightly-news format, to appear as such— but it isn't. Also, this practice has always had a certain name, just recently they changed it to a name that states their expertise in Brachy, but at the time of this posting they have not done hundreds. They also spent some money to make sure they come up first in google.)

Even the way the video stops and goes back to the announcer, "Now lets see about treatments". Weird— is all I'm saying. Be careful. 

And furthermore, the external fixator is not an 8 wk process as he states either. Claudia had an external fixator and she wore her first 2" chunky heels 15 weeks after surgery. And she only stood in them for a few hours. And it was a shoe without a back, the slide-in kind.

Anita had her fixator on for over 3 months! Approximately 5 months after surgery she was finally able to not use her surgical boot. Every case has the opportunity to be different.

So when a doctor says 6 or 8 weeks, be advised that he may be talking about some medical things happening in your foot. Certainly not how it registers in your brain, "Oh great I'll be completely my old self and be able to do things after 8 weeks." That's just not the case for the average person. 

You will heal. It will be wonderful. But it takes time. ;o)

11th Week — Post-Op Summary

I start work next week from home. My boss was a sweetheart and got me a laptop so I can work in a reclined position with my leg propped up. It will be nice to be busy again— I think.

So, one more week and I take my first steps. Wow. It feels like forever. The last time I put weight on this foot was Feb 18th!

Let's get to the summary... 

THERAPY

When I'm doing my toe exercises, it's uncomfortable because in this area of my toe.. it feels bony.

The bone here doesn't seem to have the meat around it that my other toes do. So when I push the toe forward with my finger it's uncomfortable.

Remember, this toe is stiff like a rod. I'm pushing against a toe that gives back resistance.

Also, when I asked my surgeon what exercises I should be doing, (to see if they were any different then my post-op doctor), he said: "You can start gently bending the fourth toe up. But holding it as far to the base of the toe as possible."

CONGESTION

I have less atrophy in my left leg than someone who would normally have had a cast on this whole time. But I still have some. 

The leg also appears darker due to congestion when the leg is not raised up (resting). With this blood flow issue comes discomfort, and it turns to pain the more time the leg is lowered.

I'm praying this will go away soon.

FLEXIBILITY

Pointing my toes looks like this when comparing both feet. It's difficult to allow the weight of my left leg to rest on the heel. It hurts. But I did it for this shot, it's not raised off the floor at all.

The heel surgery greatly affects your ankle and tendons.

Flexing my feet forward all the way looks like this.

and this. It will take some time for my left foot to catch back up to my right.

Note how the 4th toes does not move forward like the first three toes.

That's pretty much for this week. I have a sort of pain that goes through my hamstring, up into my buttock muscle. I hate it and wish it would go away. I put an inquiry into my surgeon about this (Dr. West). 

So far his reply is that perhaps I should stretch my leg out every 3 hours or so to get the blood flowing. (not much help)

PROGRESS 
I'm pretty happy with the improvement in appearance.(left)

Well, the fear of my 4th toe never being able to grip has been settled I think.

You can see that here. As I grip my toes into the carpet, the tip of that toe is able to grip a bit, turning the tip of it yellow like the other toes. Pretty cool. ;o)

GLOOMY DISPOSITION

I was just talking to my cousin about some things. "Where did I go to?", "What has happened to me?" I said. I explained how my thoughts where way out of alignment, how I had become negative— so much so, that I was nauseating myself.

While I am fully aware that I did have an influence in my childhood that taught me how to be negative and pessimistic, I'm of age now. And knowing what I know about what 'outlook' can do— I should not be feeling like I have been. Where is my MOJO? ;o)

Well, I finally got to the bottom of it. It was frustrating me. I realized that it's this Blog. Isn't that crazy?!  I set out to make sure to post the realities of this surgery. I really minded finding very few journals online and most of them, at the time, were just birds-eye-view, before and after pics. Just one or two stories that didn't tell anything about the process, or actual flexibility of the toe after surgery.

I really want those looking into this surgery to know how it might be for them. While I am achieving that goal, it comes at a price. Having to give weekly accounts of all of the realities each week makes me mostly focus on the difficulties and challenges. THAT is affecting my thoughts greatly. And those has lead me to a gloomy disposition. Additionally, I don't have a daily network of persons to dialogue with in a positive way.

I will continue to post the realities and challenges. But now I know I also have to, in my personal life, combat that with the old positive me. A 'better' positive me even!

I know it will be challenging because I'm stuck inside, but that won't be for too much longer I think. (It's been 11 weeks of not being able to get out on my own.) I have two more weeks to go before taking my first steps. My hopes are that I will be able to walk freely before either of my doctors think I will.

And even though my ankle may swell tonight, I just may go drive to a park bench and get some sun rays. (I've been avoiding this also because I feel guilty that I would go out and Missy can not. If I took her just out to the stoop, she's so outdoor deprived that she will only want to walk. She won't understand why we aren't going.) But perhaps I'll just do it anyway and see how it goes! ;o)

This all proves what I had anticipated when building this blog initially: You have to stay joyful while you're recuperating. That's why I put some positive tools on the right side of this Blog. USE THEM!

Surround yourself with family and friends who will speak to you daily about the positive side of your recovery.

Tootles!

--Guess What?!---

I walked Missy on my crutches for a small bit. And I was so excited that I was gonna drive to get some lunch when lo and behold... the car won't start. Battery dead, go figure.

Cheering Up

I've decided I need something to look forward to. I'm going to try and book a Caribbean cruise for OCT. All I need now is a cabin mate. ;o)

10th Week — Post-Op Summary

Normal left foot placement
on the clutch pedal

DRIVING
I tried driving again. I went downstairs with my boot on. Once in the car I switched to a big sneaker. (Ace bandage on, of course) With much effort I drove a few miles to my favorite bagel place and back again. (Not before sitting and having a YUMMY bagel!)

Can only use this section of my foot.

The problem is that I have to be sure not to apply pressure to the 4th metatarsal bones. This leaves me with the first three to use. Doing this, places my foot more to the left, BUT there is a bit of a wall that doesn't allow me to go much more left than you see here in the photo.... 

With the sneaker, my foot placement on
the pedal puts too much pressure near the
4th metatarsal bones.

And with a big sneaker on, it takes up much more room than a naked foot as in the photo above.

So when pressing down my foot bumps into the left wall, and it forces my foot to the right, causing me to put pressure on my 4th metatarsal bones.

While trying to drive like this, let me assure you that the clutch pedal gives a lot more resistance than the accelerator pedal (all the way to the right). I can feel pressure under my bunionectomy incision and intensely in my ankle. That night my ankle swelled up. I won't be driving again for a while.

FELL
I didn't have my boot on. I had a little slip in the kitchen. I was able to stop the fall, but my heal hit the floor and bore weight. Yup, I had to take a pain killer and ice it all night.

PAIN
Outside of the pain induced by the fall, pain was bearable this week. It's an underlying constant aching. It sometimes goes up through my hamstring to my buttocks, and stays a while.

SLEEPING
This is getting better, thank God. I wake up a lot, but am able to at least go back to sleep. 

EMOTIONS
This was not such a good week. I can't stress enough how I do not recommend doing this post-op alone**. It's a struggle sometimes to not have a pity-party. The effort it takes to do things and the loneliness at times is too much to bear.

THERAPY 

Before surgery                             Post-Op

It does seem as though the bending backward of my toes is improving with my exercises.

         The way it is.                 The way it should be.

But the range of motion when bending my toes forward is limited by the Bunionectomy I had. See the difference? This will dictate the height of heels I can wear in the future.

This is my right foot. (no surgery) While the bunions cause their own problem, the range of motion (bending) is fine to fit into this shoe.

NWB - Non Weight Bearing

It took me forever to gingerly struggle to put my left foot in this shoe. It's not in all the way (I can't crimp my toes properly to shimmie into it like we women do.) But you can see I don't have the full ability to bend to walk in this shoe. But the two bunions look much better, no?

CONGESTION

Making Guacamole! ;o)

I still raise my leg up in the kitchen and bathroom to avoid the discomfort of the congestion.

DISABILITY
I'm on disability. I get 8 weeks at 100% salary coverage and 4 more weeks, if I need it, at 60% my salary. Normally a doctor determines when you can go back to work. But my post-op doctor is relying on me to tell him when I can perform the responsibilities to my desk job without pain because of the oddity of the situation. 

The oddity is that I can not sit upright and put my foot up and be OK. That causes pain up my leg after about 30min. I NEVER ANTICIPATED THIS! No doctor or other brachy-ers online ever mentioned this. I would need my job to supply me with a lap-top so I can be reclined with my leg up, instead of the desktop they gave me to work from home. (My public transportation commute-to-work is too dangerous for crutches.)

After the 12th week, if I don't return to work, three things happen:

1. It goes into Long Term Disability, which is like opening a whole other claim.
   
2. My job is no longer protected under the FLMA law. 
   
3. My 60% salary is no longer paid by my job, but by my disability company.  

I didn't like the idea of not being protected under the FMLA. So I made arrangements for my doctor to sign the proper "return-to-work" forms, and talked to me employer to get a laptop delivered to me. This is the only way I can start work again.


Working now means I will use up 11 of the 12 weeks allotted to me. This leaves me one (1) unused week, that hopefully I can use when I get my bunionectomies for my right foot in a few months— I hope. That 1 week, and one week's vacation time should do it for recovery for the bunionectomies on my right foot. I hope! I can still work from home after that surgery. Let's see how things work out.

**I do have a friend who comes every other week to take me grocery shopping. And another friend who visits every Friday with me. And sometimes I'm blessed and a friend is able to take me out for a bit on a rare free day. And still, the cabin fever and loneliness I feel is terribly difficult to manage sometimes. I'm alone sometimes for 5 days straight without human interaction or the ability to go outside.

I'm sharing this so those whom this applies to can prepare themselves, but the truth is, not too many people have my exact situation— 1. live alone, 2. drive a stick-shift vehicle, with Brachy surgery on left foot. Add all these together and it's very hard to bear the affects of the long post-op.

I have found that I've had to take my own advice and utilize some of the positive links on the right side of my own blog.

9th week — Post-Op Summary

XRAYS
Saw Dr. Yes at the top of this week. All is well. He says I don't have to see him until the 12 week mark.

He took xrays marking my 8th week, and we sent them to Dr. West. I'M DYING to hear what he has to say about them. Maybe I can start walking sooner?!

PURPLE-EE (CONGESTION)
I asked Dr. West about the purple color of my foot from last weeks post. His reply: "Swelling and congestion is common for 'months'. Could be up to 6-12 months, but most is about 4-6 months." This congestion is not just a visual thing. It's very uncomfortable.

PHYSICALITY
This week I had to vacuum and mop. I did this before, during the first few weeks, and I ended up paying for it. But this time it was ok. It took me forever of course, hopping around and sometimes on my knees— but at least it's clean around here and I got to burn some calories. I'm really flabby. Can't wait to able to work out a little.

SLEEPING
Had to break down and take a pill twice this week to be able to sleep a little without the aching. But I do feel that finding a comfortable position is getting better. (Reminder, I had 4 surgeries done on one foot.)

MISSY
Easter Sunday was warm and I was invited over a friends house. As I was getting ready Missy was sniffing the fresh air coming in from the windows. I just couldn't take it! I felt so bad for her. I prayed and then mustered up the energy and courage to gimpy down the stairs and around the block with her on my crutches. 

I won't lie, it took some serious energy. (Long distance on crutches can make your collar bones ache.) And it was hotter than I would have liked, but it got done. I don't think she enjoyed it though cuz she had to wait for me and all she wanted to do was go. She would hurry along, but then feel a tug because there was no more slack on the leash... this made her think the tug was coming from me intentionally— some sort of disapproval on my part. My poor baby.

This confused her a lot cuz she couldn't figure what she was doing wrong. ;o( So then that made me feel bad. I won't be doing this again. I can't wait until I can walk her normally. She's such a trooper for going through this with me. ;o

PAIN
Pain is different now. It's not the suck-air-through-your-teeth type of pain. It's an aching that doesn't go away. And maybe a shooting pain about 3 times a week. My foot does not feel normal. 

THERAPY
Neither doctor has told me to do, or what to do, in regards to therapy. I started my own last week. I really feel it makes a difference doing the massaging. I feel it gets stiff when I don't do it.

FLEXIBILITY

See, the flexibility is getting better. Compare it to two weeks ago!

Why is the Skin of my 4th Toe Sooooo Sensitive?

I've been wondering why with even the slightest touch, I feel such sensitivity right here— still! I thought for sure, by now, it would be gone. I mean, the surgery wad inside my foot, not the actual toe.

But it dawned on me that not only is everything connected, but this skin, underneath my 4th toe, hasn't felt anything against it in decades! It will have to work up the experience I guess. ;o)

The right image isn't weight bearing, but you get the idea.

8th Week — Post-Op Summary

A bit of a breakthrough this week. YES!

The first bit of good news is I finished my taxes! ;o) At a turtles pace, but they are done! Yay!

That soon was coupled with an unseasonably warm day this week. I got to open my windows and let some fresh warm air flow through the apartment. (I can't walk Missy yet so she does all her business on her wee pads— the venting was needed. ;o)

PAIN

Heel pain I had last week diminished. Looking at my scars I decided it was time to bathe without a plastic bag on my foot. (I had not wanted to do this until the skin had really bonded together well— I didn't want incisions to reopen.)

Running water on my foot...OMG, this was amazing!!!!! I hadn't done that in 52 days!!! It was awesome. I gently scrubbed my foot with soap and water. (Had only periodically washed with a damp washcloth.) It was dreeeeamy!

MORE GOOD NEWS

I actually could put on a regular sock without it bothering me now. Wooohoo! (tried shoes... not happening yet.)



STRANGE (congestion)

I have to talk to my doc about this. Whenever my leg is down it changes color. (and becomes painful) I presume it's blood. The feeling of this several weeks ago was painful. Now the feeling is just uncomfortable. But the color thing is a little un-nerving. Gonna ask about it. Looks purple-ee. (what this is: see: "PURPLE-EE (CONGESTION)")

SCARS
Apposed to last week, this week I decided to go back to the ace bandage. I feel my scars still need the "pressure" for the scars.

Also, at the end of this week I decided one morning to massage my scars. (Doing it in the morning ensures any pain from it will subside by nightfall.) I thought it would be good for the scar tissue, to hopefully help heal with more flexibility.

Genius that I am, I did it too hard! The tendon underneath my Brachy scar swelled up. (made me panic a bit) and the opposite side of the heal-scar swelled up too! OY. I put the ace bandage on tight, checked it now and then. By the following morning things were fine.

A friend of mine went to physical therapy for a scar on her finger. She did confirm my thoughts about massaging the scar tissue. So I will continue, but gentler.

SLEEPING
Horrible. I have to do something about this...

LANDMARK

I'M 3/4 of the way through the 1st phase! YAY! 4 more weeks and I should be able to take my first steps! WooooHooo! 

TOE
This week I've been moving my toe as Dr. Yes recommended. Not remembering 3 times a day though. I do see immediate difference as to where the toe lays, but after a while it seems to revert back. I think I have to really do it 3 times a day and understand that it's a slow process. Let's see what happens.


Have a great week!