I ditched the wheelchair this time and opted for a brand new mode of transportation: a knee walker. NB: this does not replace your crutches. Compared to my first experience, I'm certainly more active and independent around the house with its help. I am able to carry things, especially items from the kitchen to the living room without the stress of spilling my coffee everywhere. It even came with a panier (there are certain words that I prefer in French). I ordered it online at kneewalkercentral.ca The cost was $312.00 including shipping and it arrived in 4 days. It was quick to assemble and significantly lighter than a wheelchair. My benefits covered 90% of the cost, so be sure you check with your benefit company to verify inclusions for your unique plan. I took it to the mall today to run a quick errand: it definitely has potential for good speed and on bumpy asphalt, it was surprisingly comfortable. I think I put a smile on strangers faces as I dashed by them.
I arrived at my one week post-op at the Ottawa General Hospital with questions: Did the surgery go as expected? Was the pin needed to stretch my tendon unusual? Why I'm experiencing more long lasting discomfort than last time?
"I suspect you experienced more pain because I put a temporary pin in your big toe," Dr. Brunet explained. "Without the pin, your toe was shooting forward up in the air. I could have cut the tendon but I prefer to stretch it with the pin instead. Your body is starting to reject it so we could probably take it out in a couple of weeks." His instructions for my pin extraction (a.k.a. k-wire) were to eat a solid lunch beforehand and take a pain killer on route.
For now, my big toe is immobile. I'm looking forward to the pin being removed so I can move my toe around. It's a very awkward feeling. Luckily, my steady stream of acetaminophen is helping with the pain management.
The pin is keeping my toe down in order to strech the tendon
I recognize that I have great and perhaps somewhat unrealistic expectations: the surgery, recovery and outcome had gone so splendidly for my left foot, is it realistic to expect the same for my right foot?
I was expecting a general anesthetic(G.A.) like my first experience but my lingering
upper respiratory infection increased the risk of bronchial spasm so my best
option was now a spinal block combined with sedation. "So, if the spinal block is less risk, why would one chose a general anesthetic?" I asked the anesthesiologist. She explained that some people don't like the idea of being awake, or having a needle put in their back and it is preferred because of flow. You can recover much faster from a G.A. than a spinal block = more surgeries completed. There was an irrational part of me thought that I could beat an anesthesiologist at their own game. You got me last time, so you’re not going to get me this time, I thought. "How do you feel?”
my anesthesiologist asked as the fentanyl was entering my veins. “A little
strange,” I said as she prepared to insert the needle. “Round your back like an
angry cat,” the nurse said. I felt a small pinch and then she laid me down
gently on the operating bed and put a sheet up vertically to block my view of
my feet. “Can I see?” I asked as I crunched to peak overtop. “No,” the team
answered assertively as I lay back down. Fortunately, my anesthesiologist knows
better than I and my plan to stay awake didn't playout. I was nicely sedated
for the entire event and woke up just in time to wave goodbye to everybody in
the operating room.
"Can I please have some ice chips?" I asked the nurse since I was a now a pro and knew what I could forward to. "Not yet," she replied, "we need to wait until you get some feeling back, maybe another half hour." Two hours later, their first attempt to switch me from the bed to a rolling chair was unsuccessful. "Try to squeeze you butt and thighs," the nurse urged. It wasn't happening and back into the bed I went.It took 4 hours for the feeling in the bottom half of my body to return. Wow, with my G.A. I was out within an hour last time; huge difference in recovery. Dr. Brunet explained that the Lapidus procedure went as planned; however, he had to put a temporary pin in my big toe because my tendon was too short and it needed to be stretched. The pin is expected to remain for 3-4 weeks. I left the hospital painless, peppy and pleased with my first dose of
acetaminophen and hydromorphone in my system. "Have a look at my foot," I urged my Mom once I made myself comfortable at home. She removed the sock covering my foot and I think I was more shocked than she was. There was lots more blood than I had seen at the hospital. It wasn’t long before my
pain dramatically increased. I had the chills, nausea, vomiting and the clock slowed
down so that I could feel every intense palpitation in my foot. By 1:30 am, after
leaving a voicemail at Dr. Brunet's office out of desperation, I decided to
double my dose of hydromorphone and take a sleeping pill. Eventually, I
was able to fall asleep and with Dr. Brunet’s approval, I was able to manage my
pain more effectively. Day 4 Today, my pain has reduced significantly without the influence of medication. It’s amazing how fast the body heals. I expect to have my plaster cast replaced with fiberglass in two days and get a first glimpse of my new foot.
Notice the pin in my big toe. The Jays game is on!
