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)

5.5 Month mark!

                  Right Foot                                          Left Foot
               Normal 4th toe                       4th toe one-stage correction

My left 4th toe doesn't have a normal curve like my right, but it still looks lovely. ;o)

Top: non-weight bearing
Bottom: weight bearing

The upper image (12 wks) is non-weight bearing. The profile of the fourth toe looked very low.

At five and a half months post-op its profile isn't any higher, but the the other toes are lower because I'm bearing weight. Less swelling and weight bearing makes the 4th toe not look so different, huh? ;o) My third toe seems to be pretty floaty. I feel this is because it use to have to go to the left to do the job of the 4th toe as well, and now it doesn't.

              11 weeks post-op                            24 weeks post-op

At eleven weeks I couldn't bend my foot all the way forward. Now I can. ;o)








FYI: Four weeks since my right foot bunionectomies. Still soar. Still only short walks, but I improve daily. ;o) 

Left foot
Pretty amazing, huh? ;0)


I'm still doing my fourth toe exercises.

MORE LENGTH!

On a whim I decided to do some comparing today. Glad I did! I hope this gives you hope with your own surgery!

At 13 weeks I accepted that I received 10mm in length. However, today shows that I now have 12.5mm in length, yay.

I mean I was fine with it before, but this is certainly nice too. ;o) I'm also noting in this photo that my forth toe isn't resting behind my 5th toe as much. That's good too!


Stay positive!

Some More Updates —22 weeks

Click to enlarge

Right Foot

This is how things are looking 3 weeks after Bunionectomy surgery. 

Just today I was in a rush and showered without a bag over my foot for the first time. It's ok but you can't go scrubbing in that area. Have to be real gentle still.

 If you look REEEEAL good you can see the knot from the desolvable stitches at the very top of the scar from my big toe.

• I could go up and down the stairs (boot on) one foot over the other starting the 2nd week. This was very different with the Brachy surgery. I couldn't do that till 15 weeks after surgery.

• Drove at 2wks also. With Brachy (cuz I drive a stick shift) driving had to wait till the 14th week!

• There were stitches at my pinkie toe that had to come out. IT WAS SO PAINFUL! But VERY short lived!

• Dr. West wanted me to wear the boot for 5 wks. Dr. Yes figured on 3 weeks instead. 

• I saw Dr. Yes at 2 weeks, and he wanted to see me again at 3 weeks, but I'm not going to go. He already told me that oin that appointment he'll be giving me a specific bandage (that I already have) and that he'd be putting my in my own sneakers if it wasn't too painful. So I'm just going to do that myself and save myself the $40 each visit.

• Dr. West wants 5wk xrays sent to him so I'll go to Dr. Yes at 5wks for that.

Left Foot

If I go the whole day without propping my foot up this is what it looks like. There is still some swelling that occurs. The top of my foot is pretty veiny, but you can't see my veins here.

At 22 wks I'm just now starting to try and sit for longer periods of time. I think I'm starting to be able to do this with just some manageable discomfort because of the physical therapy I'm doing for my sciatic never. I'll post those exercises next time.

Tootles.

5 Month Update! —Brachy

Howdy all!

I had bunionectomy surgeries on my right foot 10 days ago.
I'm happy that all the surgeries are under my belt. Now I can concentrate on recovery alone. Praise God for his goodness. 

The most difficult thing right now at the 5 month mark is my left foot not being able to handle 100% weight bearing...  and neither is my right foot! So being on my feet is painful after like 5 min right now. This is combined with the leg pain due to my sciatic nerve. —But it will all get better.

I'm working on physical therapy at home. It's slow going. I tried stopping my Meds 6 days after right foot surgery. Wanted to manage the pain on my own, but the pain actually just pissed me off after the 4th day without them. So I said, "Screw this! I'm taken um."

I haven't used the percocets (Roxicet) since the first week, and I only take one of the Hydrocodones at a time instead of the two that are allowable, but it makes a world of difference.

It upsets me because: 1. I just want to be well on my own, and 2. the medication alters how the brain perceives pain.... I don't like that. 

Bunionechtomies - Right foot
The tape you saw on my foot from my last post stays on 2 wks. And sutchers come out 2 wks post-op too.

While at the market, in line, I stand like this because my left foot hurts more than my right.

It's only been one week and as I stated way before my 2nd surgery, truly, my right foot is a picnic compared to my left foot.







Range of Motion Update - Left foot

Left foot

It has improved. Click here to see how it was in the 10th week.












The Way it Feels

Left foot

Remember the sensation I talked about in this post? Well it's still there, but it's less intense. I notice it the most when I wake up in the morning. When I first set my foot on the floor and walk. The sensation reminds me and I look for me foam flip flop to put on right away. So the intensity has decreases and will most likely continue to decrease.


Shoes
Other than sneakers now and then I'm mostly wearing foam flip flops. I really can't report yet on closed shoes. It will be a few months before that will happen cuz it's summer and my scars are still too sensitive.


Tootles!

Right foot— 1st Post-op visit

It's been three days since surgery. Nothing out of the ordinary. Had  xrays taken. Had much of the bandages replaced. Tape stays.

 

Like before, desolvable stitches were used everywhere except the bunionette area (pinkie). (My best guess is because the skin there is thicker and needs stronger sutchers?)

No cleaning was done at this time. In two days I go back home. In two weeks, if all looks well, my post-op doctor, Dr. Yes, will remove the sutchers from the bunionette.

Less swelling this time around without the Brachy surgery. ;o)

Well this was it, I'm not likely to see Dr. West or his staff again. ;0(  We hugged and said our goodbyes, but not before taking a photo together. ;0)

He is recommending I have an orthodic insole made. He charges about $400 for a custom graphite one. One that is not custom, he says runs about $80.

This recommendation is to reduce normal foot pain. I'll have to look into it. I wonder if my insurance covers any of the cost? (update: turns out they don't.)

Ciao.

Fusion Pain-Pump Came Undone

Well, this evening, much to my surprise the tube to my pump came out. I called Dr. West right away to see what the proper course of action should be. He said not to try and reinsert it. He said nothing could really be done now (the weekend).

I may have to take more pain killers now. I had already been feeling pain in my bunionette area. I think it was because the tube had come undone without me knowing it about an hour or so before I noticed.

So that's the latest then.

Tadahhhh, Finally I'm BUNIONLESS!

So the surgery went off. I was under for half, if not even less than half the time of my left foot. I came out of the anesthesia much clearer too. I actually remember getting dressed this time!  ;o)

Same as before, my right foot had to be marked before surgery.

And again, I added a little foot humor to hopefully keep them laughing in the operating room. ;o)

The IV went in and I waited around a bit before my anesthesiologist delivered my cocktail through the IV. Then I was wheeled away into the operating room where there was some happening music being played. Then I conked out. 

I didn't know if the fusion pain-pump was just for the Brachy last time, but it turns out I have it this time too. (one tube this time though, instead of two.)

Without the ace bandage, you can see the seeping of blood. Eeew.

I'm not to remove the dressing. That will be done by Dr. West when I see him in 3 days.

The bruising that I can see is on my big toe.

Here are my lovely friends again. ;0) I won't need the Roxicet until after the pump comes out. Most definitely for travel back home. (Again, I was given a prescription for a 4th drug to reduce nausea. Again, I didn't fill it cuz my stomach is pretty solid.) FYI: These medications keep me awake.

Making the breakfast smoothie the morning after at mom's. (the hospital didn't tape the tube to my leg this time, so I had to do it. ;o)

I'm suppose to only have my leg down for 5 minutes at a time, and only once in every hour. That is very hard to do.

For now, I feel more pain in my 5th bunion than my first. (pinckie toe)

Later.

Surgery Time Again!

Waiting to board the plane

I'm out west. The trip was good all things considered. (If I could have, I would have taken some ibuprofen to have been more comfortable.) 

I'm going in for surgery in 3 hrs, but wanted to make this post in connection to my last one.

I spoke with Dr. West about the Bunnionette. He said he didn't do what I asked because it's part of the joint and shaving it down is just not good. (the joint has cartilage. I would imagine this would affect it's range of motion considerably.) (update: But even with this, he DID DO IT for my right foot. I was in more pain, but he managed it and I lost no range of motion in my pinkie toe. So now it's done on my right and not my left. ;o/ )

Also, he acknowledged how low my 4th toe sits. He mentioned that there is still time for healing and things to improve. I have to continue the toe exercises, and that there is surgery he could perform that would loosen up the [tendon?] there, but then the toe may not grip the floor at all. So I guess I will continue to do the toe exercises, cuz after today... no more surgery for me!

I did actually show him the images in my last post of how the stem of that toe touches the floor and is uncomfortable. I showed him the xray image of how low my 4th metatarsal bones are compared to the others. He said that is absolutely normal. That all feet are like that. Hmmm.


I also got to meet Eddie, the insurance & scheduling guy at Dr. West's office. We have emailed but never met. I had mentioned that I would like to meet him this time around. So he actually took the time to come around to meet me in person yesterday when I was having my pre-op appointment. That was so sweet! ;o) It really made me happy to meet the person who was putting up with all my emailing. ;o)

I also got to see Barbara again, Dr. West's assistant. She welcomed me back with a smile. The entire office personnel there are just really nice people. It was great seeing them all again.

Ok, I gotta go. See you all later!

Brachy Toe FUNCTIONALITY

I'd like to talk about the actual function and alignment of my fourth toe with this corrective surgery. I think it's important and seems like no one is talking about it. As I stated in my very early posts, I wasn't just interested in an esthetically pleasant looking toe. I wanted to know about functionality, but no doctor really had abundant specifics on that. They are just sure not to promise anything. And if you don't ask about certain topics, they won't bring it up either.

So let's get to it. My take on it at this point is that Dr. West went a little overboard with "over-correcting" my toe. My best guess is that from his medical perspective of how the foot functions, toes are your grippers and offer a great deal of balance for the body. If he had to choose between a floating toe or a toe that grips the floor too much, he would choose the later. BUT, that's giving him the benefit of the doubt.

There is no doubt that I've done my exercises, etc. I even took Dr. West's advice about wearing heels after surgery to help gain range-of-motion (mostly for the Bunionectomy he did.) (See that post here. Once there, scroll down to the bottom  and read the short blurb starting at: "Other things...")

Bottom is BEFORE wearing the heels,
Top is AFTER wearing the heels.
(I'm reclined forward in both shots.)

This image shows my fourth toe after wearing that heel for about 3 hours. In the top image, my fourth toe isn't pressing against the floor more than the other toes as in the bottom shot. But then my 4th toe settles back down and is like in the before image, which is set too low. imo.

You can see here, when I lean my body forward, the fourth toe shows a great deal more pressure onto the floor than the other toes. (See the yellow tip of the toe?)

This photo shows you how it is set too low. As you know, it was even lower 10 weeks ago. The exercises have placed it up this high. But now at my 20th week, it seems this is as good as it will get? Thus, Dr. West went too crazy with the over-correction. (Remember, this is my opinion.)

The imprint of my foot on my flip-flop demonstrates what I'm talking about. My fourth toe is pressing against the floor much more than my other toes.

So why does this matter?

I'm glad you asked.;o)

It causes several difficulties. 

1. I'm not so sure it is healthy for the bones in that toe to be under this constant 'resistance' pressure.

2. Being set so low forces the entire 4th toe to touch the floor. That's not normal.

The stem of your toes do not usually touch the floor consistently. There isn't enough meat (cushion) in that area like the tip of your toes. The tips of your toes were designed to touch the floor consistently, not the stems. If they were, you'd have more meat there to deal with the pressure of your bones against the floor.

So that is what is happening to me. The stem of my fourth toe is being forced against the floor by the way the bones are set. This causes discomfort. I can't walk barefoot without discomfort so I have to keep foam flip flops near by.


Before my surgery the 3 bones to my fourth toe were in a curved high position (see "B" below). Also, the 4th metatarsal bone that was elongated, seemed to have a portion of the bone, that by nature, protruded downward. (See "A" below. Orange.)

This is verified in "C" below when you look at the shape of those bones. (Orange) 

And now all of that has been set downward. Too downward. Look at the bones for the 1st and 2nd toes in "C" (black and pink). The bones for the 4th are way too close to the floor now inside my foot. Perhaps this is the only way to get a Brachy toe to stop levitating?

*Double-click for larger view.*

3. Another thing it causes is the stem of the 4th toe to press against the skin of my foot, trapping moisture.

I learned in my 20s, when I had my Brachy toe, that I had to be sure to keep the skin under that toe very dry. Otherwise I'd get athletes foot in that one little area beneath the toe. The moisture would sort of eat away at the skin and cause a wound. 


Well I guess I'll have to watch out for that now too with the stem of that toe trapping moisture because of the way it's pinching the skin. ;o/

"Trade-off" is a topic more of us need to address with this surgery. You gain some things you wanted, but you also have chances of gaining some things you don't want too.

I'm seeing Dr. West in a week for my right foot. I need to gather myself and see what is worth mentioning to him and what is not. I think he is a good doctor. But this condition, being addressed by doctors, is a new thing. 

My job is linked to the medical community. I know all too well the mind-set of doctors. It's a whole different world. Even good doctors practice keeping silent about things they feel are 'touchy' areas.

There is something I do want to mention to him and need to find a constructive way to do it. The Bunionectomy he did for my bunionette is disappointing. He missed the mark completely to what I had complained about in my consultation with him. The bone I needed him to shave down, due to pain in shoes, wasn't touched. Instead he worked on the "profile" of the bunionette. He did what he called a sort of "tuck" with the skin. Which looks real nice. ;-) It makes my foot look narrower. I really like that— I want him to do that to my right foot. BUT I think it's unacceptable to go through all this and still have the bone I initially complained about still be a pain issue. (turns out he did miss the mark and unless I go under the knife again, I'll have to live with it.)


I do have a small suspicion that perhaps it was not done because it can't be done. You know, like it's part of the joint kinda. But I have to talk to him about this cuz there needs to be understanding between us before doing my right foot.

I think it's important to extend grace to people who are trying to help you. I don't want him to think I don't trust him, cuz I do. I wouldn't travel so far if I didn't.

I have no idea if Dr. West will volunteer to fix what he missed last time on my left foot. It would have to be very un-invasive  because I need my left foot to bare all the weight while my right foot is healing.

Anyway, I'll see how it goes. It's important to be gracious and demonstrate understanding. He may not volunteer to fix what he missed. I need to be prepared for that.

On a good note, in a week all my surgeries will be over. Thank God. ;o)

Tootles.

The Big SCIATIC Post

I didn't even know that sciatic was a nerve, or where it was. I mean, I've seen people grab the back of their hip and complain about sciatica, but that was it. Unfortunately I am now much more educated with it.

The stuff I found online doesn't seem to apply to me though. Much of the sciatic issues mentioned stem from lower back problems and disc issues, which I have none. I think it's possible that I might be able to help someone out there by sharing what happened and how I'm dealing with it.

"The sciatic nerve is a large nerve fiber in humans and other animals. It begins in the lower back and runs through the buttock and down the lower limb. It is the longest and widest single nerve in the human body." [wikipedia.com]

After going through this pain, reaching out to my doctors, and getting nothing that has actually helped me, I was forced to take matters into my own hands. ("I" even had to ask to be sent to physical therapy.)

My online search and my doctors had advised the following exercises. However, they only gave me very temporary relief. I always ended up back at square one within a few hours.

I thought I had hit the jackpot with this one,
but it offered no permanent or growing relief.

This did nothing for my sciatic nerve. It helped stretch my heel cord (tendon)
which I need too but nothing for my sciatic pain

After weeks of no help, I started to pray. It then dawned on me that perhaps it's the way in which I'd been sitting that was aggravating the nerve. I had a congestion issue in my leg and was sitting in a position that helped that issue (A). I began to sit up (B). While I had to deal with the congestion in my leg (it was better that 3 months ago), I started to feel relief of the sciatic pain.

So it seems to me that my sciatic problem happened because of the way I was sitting for 3.5 months. (update: as time passed I realized the nerve must have been aggravated during surgery.) It put pressure on my nerve for an extended period of time. Sitting up began to help, but did not solve all of the pain. 

I kept praying. The following two exercises came to me out of nowhere and have been offering me growing relief at a slow pace.

I do these without the band

This one was on my mind for a long time.
But I was afraid it would aggravate the nerve. It's helping though.

I'm now taking either ibuprofen or naproxen twice a day to keep both pain and inflammation, if indeed it's an issue, at bay.

After being able to start getting relief I canceled my physical therapy appointment because I asked Dr. Yes if physical therapy would make me do stretches I'm already doing. He said that was probable. ;o/

However, I'm going out soon for surgery on my right foot. I'm curious to know if they have anything further to offer. So I will be going to at least one physical therapy appointment to see if they can lend anything additional that will help me RECOVER from this and not just manage it.

I'll keep you posted.

Hope During the Pain

Photo Credit: DevineMusic.org.uk

I'd like to offer some hope about any pain you may have at this time. I found that when I experienced difficulties with my tendons and other things, I felt like it would be here forever. It felt that way because I just didn't see how my flexibility would improve. I felt permanently damaged, you know.

But just know that it does get better. ;O) You will not stay with the difficulty forever. It may be a slower recovery than we would like, but you do get better.

At this time I'm not pain-free— yet. But I have less pain now then I had 3 weeks ago. That's how I measure it to keep myself focused on the right thing.

I hate how fast my foot gets tired & achy from just walking the dog, but I remember when I couldn't walk the dog, or drive my car! So focus on the little bits of progress. Smile and say, "Hey I couldn't do such-and-such 3 weeks ago!"

SMILE

Week 16-17 Post-Op Summary

"Foam soles" seems to be
the comfiest thing right now.

Hi everybody! Ok let's get to it...

The biggest thing in the past two weeks is that the pain in my leg was persistent even with all the stretching I was doing for my sciatic nerve. As you recall I sent out an email asking for help to both my doctors one weekend. I'll spare the details and say that ultimately neither was of help to me in this matter. "I" even had to ask to be given an Rx for physical therapy (PT). 

When I asked if PT would have me do stretches I'm already doing on my own, the answer I got was, "It's probable." It was also said, "Patients your age usually do good on their own. It's older patients that seem to need the motivation of a three-times-a-week commitment to stick with it."

Nonetheless I decided to have my doctor give me the Rx anyway because I'm going for surgery soon for my right foot and need this pain addressed now! I made an appointment to go in a week (the only opening they had).

The pain was miserable and led me to pray quite a bit about it. Feeling alone in the matter I asked for wisdom of what to do about the pain to relieve it. Sure enough 4 days ago a notion entered my brain. I asked myself what had I been doing for 4 months because of this surgery that isn't part of my normal routine. "SITTING" is the word that came to mind.

I felt like a broken record in my posts, with my doctor... and my friends, with my: "I can't sit upright yet! I have to sit reclined with my legs up because of the congestion in my leg." Well it occurred to me that my manner of sitting was putting pressure on my sciatic nerve, aggravating it. Working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week now, in this position may be increasing the problem.

I immediately sat upright with feet on the floor! It felt odd at first and of course I felt the congestion setting into my leg, but it's certainly not as bad as it was 2 months ago. I really wanted to give this a go so I forced myself to stay upright during my work day. I FELT BETTER! Three days later 80% of my sciatic pain was gone! Praise God for giving me this inclination!!

Any sciatic pain I feel now I believe is just the nerve inflamed for what it's been through and my lack of exercise. As I continue to sit upright and let things heal I'm convinced it will totally go away. I will be canceling the physical therapy for tomorrow. From what I've gathered, I will be made to do stretches I'm already doing, inconvenience my work schedule 3 times a week, and cost me $120 a week in copay fees. So I'll do it on my own. (see newer posts... I ended up going to one PT session.)

Other than that, I still have the regular pain that comes along with this surgery at this time by practicing walking again. (and swelling) I'm doing stretches to regain flexibility in my tendons, muscles, etc.

The thing I found that helps the most in this matter is to not be annoyed that I'm still in pain at 18 weeks in. Instead I look back to see what I couldn't do 2 weeks ago. When you look at how you can do something now that you couldn't do 2 week prior, it makes you feel real good. It's important to celebrate progress. Not the amount, just the fact that you're progressing. ;o) I've learned to say "YAY FOR ME!"

MEDICATION

I'm taking either ibuprofen or naproxen to address any inflammation.

I'M NO LINGER USING MY BOOT OR CRUTCHES. I did get a cane though because I went to an outing where there was a lot of people and I wanted to visually tag myself as someone to be careful around. ;o) (Now that I'm beginning my 18th week I've stopped using the ace bandage altogether. My foot is now bare and in sneakers or foam flip flops.) Walking barefoot on floor is still too uncomfortable.

I can only walk short distances before the pain makes me stop and rest. ei: I can walk my dog in the morning and then go to a doctor's appointment, by the time I get home, my foot is in quite a bit of pain and I have to sit and lift my foot up for a bit. But in a very short period of time I feel fine again. ;o) YAY!

Pretty.

I couldn't resist these! They are actually really tight. But I have a theory, that they are tight in all the right places based on the fact that "pressure" is the best thing for hypertrophic scars.

I'll wear these around the house to stretch them out.

You can see my right bunion sticking out! That is going away in three weeks!! ;o)

I got these to help me look forward to my surgery in three weeks and my vacation cruise in 4 months!

Now a member at DSW! Yay for me!! ;o)

Tootles!