I had a moment today when I put my roller-blades on for the first time in many years. This used to be my favourite thing to do but had to give it up because it became so uncomfortable. Today, I truly feel a triumph in my journey and riding these wheels never felt so good.
My family doctor had trouble referring me to an orthopedic surgeon for guidance so we decided that it was best that I seek out a Chiropodist for advice which is covered under my benefit plan.
Here are my concerns:
1) My big toe is stiff and has lost some range of motion consequently,
2) My third toe is taking on extra force creating shooting pains when I walk, mostly without shoes on.
3) My plantar fasciitis is re-manifesting - it took me two years to get over this the first time!
I was advised to:
1) Continue my toe crunch exercises - I've been lax on these.
2) Get more stable shoes because I over-pronate (flat foot) - my shoe should not twist like this.
A twistable shoe is a big no no for over-pronators!
3) Get orthotics to even out weight distribution and prevent over-pronating.
So this is my plan and I feel once my third toe pain is gone, I will be 100% happy with my outcome.
During my visit with my family MD, he gave me a copy of my OR report. GOLD! Here is a great website that will break down the medical terms:houstonmethodist.org
One of the draw backs of being your surgeon’s last patient
before he retires is being left with unanswered questions. The expected healing
time for Lapidus surgery is 6 months and I’m there. Of course, as a health care
professional, I acknowledge every patient heals differently. But that’s hard to
accept when YOU are that patient with a potential prolonged healing or even,
complication.
My concern:
I avoid walking on the inside of my foot and do not use my
big toe (Biggie) to push off. Biggie has
a limited range of motion, so putting my body weight on her to propel is
uncomfortable. To compensate, I use the outside of my foot and my third toe (Small)
to take on Biggie’s load instead. This is particularly painful when I walk around the house in socks or bare feet. I prefer to wear
something with a sole like slippers or even running shoes for more support.
My question:
Will this resolve itself with time and patience? I can’t imagine
surgery as a solution, but is there something I can do to improve my range of
motion? Or, is this just the way it’s going to be? I need to know….
I saw my family MD today and we discussed my concern and
question. He told me he would refer me to an orthopedic surgeon in Ottawa who was in his graduating class in 1977. I promptly belted
out: “My boyfriend was born in 1977,” not to make him feel old but because nearly
every appointment I have with him, he enjoys recalling the opening of his
practice, the month and year I was born, August 1981.
Despite this set back, my feet look great (I love my scars)
and I went for my first pedicure a couple weeks ago.
My shoe shopping
experience was not fun. It felt like a FAIL! Shout out to my friend Nancy for witnessing it! I went to multiple shoe stores and could not find comfortable fitting shoes. My old frustations returned, everything felt super tight or loose on one foot or the other. Clearly, my feet are about 1/2 size difference due to the natural healing or some long standing edema. It is apparent that I can’t
wear cheap shoes and I don’t think I will ever be able to wear anything other running
shoes and flats with good support. High heals are out of the question. I did find one cute pair of flats at Aldo which I would have never been able to wear before my surgeries. They are leather so they will stretch but I cannot wear them for more than a couple hours because the sole isn't strong enough.
"How
is your foot?" a patient asked me as I brought him into my exam room.
"What do you mean?" I asked. "Last time I saw you, you didn't
have shoes on," he said. "I guess… better!" I replied surprised
as my memory returned of me apologizing for the lack of footwear. My foot felt
pretty good today and I forgot it was sore enough to remove my shoes only three
weeks before. Progress is slow, so much so, that without reminders, they are
hard to recall.
My second experience has
been a longer recovery. The first metatarsophalangeal, or MTP joint is stiff;
therefore, my toe still does not bend. My brain tells me I can bend it but when
I look down, nothing is happening. It’s painful to propel off my big and second
toe thus movements that involve toe bending of any kind are uncomfortable such
as brisk walking, standing on my tippy toes and lunging. Two weeks ago, I was reluctant
to begin higher impact plyometric workouts again but I forced myself to try
knowing that I could have difficulty. From my understanding, strengthening my
calf and ankle could significantly improve my discomfort. I remain hopeful as I
continue foot and ankle exercises outlined by my physiotherapist. My ankle is sore
but hasn’t been a focus for me until now.
Tim and I vacationed in Costa
Rica at the beginning of February (3 months post-op) and I was concerned that I
wouldn't be able to participate in some of the activities offered. Admittedly,
walking more than 2km was challenging because I compensate by taking pressure
off my right foot resulting in discomfort in my hips, legs and left foot. I
have recently hit a milestone running 5km on the treadmill which put a smile on
my face.
Up to this point in
my recovery, even with the set-back, I believe I made the correct decision to
cut my relationship with my old friend Paul Bunion. I estimate I’m 70%
healed. The grand finale to my
journey is to make my first shoe purchase. I’m anxious to shop at a mainstream
shoe store because I harbour old reservations that their shoes won’t fit. I
guess I’ll find out soon enough!
Now that I look at this picture, I see my feet look pretty even. Perhaps the edema has subsided enough to purchase my first pair of shoes?
My return to the gym was day 58. I spent 30 minutes on the bike at
moderate resistance and walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes at 2.5mph. The treadmill was not at all comfortable, but
this isn’t my first rodeo. Yesterday, I rode 45 minutes on a spin bike. I cannot "climb" yet so I stayed seated and experimented with my pace. And it hurt like a...use your imagination... to clip in and out.
I can now put two feet down on the ground for plank and push-ups but not without soreness and stiffness. My big toe still refuses to move on its own. Admittedly, I have been pushing my boundaries. “This
is not a race,” Dr. Brunet reminded me at my final post-op. One year ago, at the exact same time
post-operatively, I was still religiously wearing my fracture boot on my left
foot. This time, I barely wore it at all. I prefer a shoe, however, my foot is still swollen enough that it is
still one size larger than the other. Luckily,
I kept some of my larger shoe sizes, so I can choose from a small conserved
selection.
Incredibly,
I actually lost 6 lbs within the first 6 weeks of my surgery. If you are worried about weight gain during
your recovery, if you watch what you eat, this will not be a “fat sentence”. You do have to pay attention to your diet, you shouldn't ignore it. These are the reasons for my weight lost:
I slept in alot so I my first meal was around 11 am. This likely cut about 200-300 calories from my day.
I couldn’t grocery shop or be in the kitchen long
enough to make complex meals. Eggs, bananas and chicken were major parts of my
diet. I cut down on bread but still had half an English muffin every day.
I recorded my food intake on My Fitness Pal. I find a food diary the most valuable tool because if you are honest with it, you can recognize what you can do to cut calories.
I consciously
did not eat junk food that I knew I couldn’t burn off. That being said, I did not totally deprive myself either.
I worked out almost every day to fight the blues
as well as to stay motivated.
I believed that I could loose weight and put my mind to it.
Time
is passing by much faster now that I am independent. There is so much stuff
to do around here when I have both feet on the ground. I do have limitations; I still cannot stand for over 10 -15 minutes without my compensating leg and hip making it unbearable to stand any longer. When I start to sweat and can't think properly, I need to sit down.
My
blog has been very useful to compare where I was last year at this time
with my left foot. For those of you
expecting to have one foot done at a time, I highly recommend that you take notes. The first foot you are basically going
through your experience blind, the second foot I found to be much easier with
experience to reflect from.
A month has past since my last update. Two weeks ago, X-rays were taken and Dr. Brunet gave me the go ahead to start walking. Since then I have been interchanging between my fracture boot and my running shoes. Luckily, I still have one pair running shoes that are a size larger than my norm so my right foot can fit; the only caveat is that they're bright pink. I still take my crutches along when I expect to be out for longer than 30 minutes. I started driving on December 5th (6.5 weeks post-op) and on December 11 (7.5 weeks) I was able to make the two hour drive to my parents house in Ottawa with the help of cruise control. I feel like I can finally enjoy my time off with my new found freedom.
My big toe is still lazy four weeks post K-wire removal. Dr. Brunet encouraged my continuation of physiotherapy and was confident that with time, my toe movement would return. The video below was taken on Friday December 3, 2015.
I am looking forward to returning to the gym in three days and anticipate to return to work in early January 2016.
I took it upon myself to schedule a four week post-op, only one week after my previous appointment. Since I stayed in town at my parents' house and live two hours away, I wanted the opportunity to clean my foot and get a fresh cast to last me until my next post-op in two weeks. I arrived with my emery board and moisturizer ready for a quick pedi. I was mildly concerned that I was unable to bend my big toe since the K-wire was removed the previous week. To my surprise, Dr. Brunet decided to remove my cast two weeks earlier than I expected. Not because I am a super human healer, but I needed physiotherapy for 1st metatarsal-phalangeal weakness. I was instructed to continue with absolutely no weight-bearing and wear my fracture boot for support. "I recommend that you start physio to get that joint moving again," Dr. Brunet explained, "I don't think you're an unreasonable person, so I will take you out of your cast with the condition of no standing or walking. Your X-rays in two weeks will really tell me if you can bear weight at that time." Not an unreasonable person? I'm pretty sure he's read parts of this blog. Is this good news or bad news? My first thoughts were that I could wear my tapered pajama pants and shave my leg. Beyond that, I was optimistic that this was a common complication and with time and effort, will eventually resolve. No two feet are the same; they won't heal the same and every surgery is different.
Alexandre, the casting technician, made me a wonderful splint cast to get me home since I did not have my fracture boot with me. Admittedly, I have been wearing it around the house since the fracture boot is heavy and bulky.
Along with physiotherapy, I was instructed to start ankle movement, toe towel crunching exercises, scar massage and hot and cold therapy. For more information on the latter, visit Contrast Hydrotherapy .
Yesterday, the Kirschnerwire (K-wire) was removed from my foot. There was no need for anesthetic as the wire was inserted through my bones which contain no nerves; however, all my toes were fairly sore afterwards. It wasn't a pleasant experience but it wasn't the most uncomfortable either; Tim stood next to me holding my sweaty hand throughout. The 5 inch wire was inserted during my lapidus surgery, 3 weeks ago, to help elongated my tendon. Today, my big toe is very stiff and won't bend on its own, so I will have to work on it to bring it back. I recorded my K-wire removal in the video below:
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!
I am counting down the days until my next foot surgery scheduled for October 21, 2015. Now that I know what to expect, I am way less nervous and not an emotional mess like last time. I plan to enjoy my long days with HBO, Netflix and a few borrowed DVDs. I look forward to an early breakfast brought to my bedside by Tim (lucky me!) and sporting a variety of sweat pants for 60 days. I will rediscover my morning routine of non-weight bearing exercise followed by a seated shower and cautious crutching down the stairs by noon. It won't be long until I get to ride in my fancy cycling shoes that have been sitting in my closet for two years. My hope is that my recovery will be similar but I understand that the results of my first surgery won't necessarly predict the healing pattern/outcome of my second surgery. It's hard to believe that almost a year has passed and I'm ready to do this one more time.
I am very happy with my reconstructed foot. Thank you Dr. Brunet! My
foot is essentially pain free. The skin around the scar is still a little
sensitive and I have lost some superficial nerve sensory near the scar but this
is VERY MINOR and was expected! The pin in my foot is not a problem in terms of
rubbing on my shoe ( see my concerns from Day 56) and I definitely
do not cause the metal detectors to sound at the airport.
I'm beginning to mentally prepare myself for round two as my surgery is
scheduled for October 21, 2015. Will I recover the same? I often picture how I
would be a year from now. Will I be better runner or faster cyclist? I
gave up rollerblading years ago because I no longer fit comfortably in the
boot. No more blisters and calluses between my toes from excess rubbing. Most
importantly, I look forward to the pattern of my socks looking symmetrical when
on my feet.
At the hospital for my right foot consultation. Note the scar on my left is much more faint.
I recently had a consultation with Dr. Brunet. He verified there was no change to the progression of my right bunion and its severity is not as bad as my left but it will still require the same procedure and recovery.
I'm looking forward to the end results and I am not hesitant to proceed again. Now that I know what to expect, I'm looking forward to spending time with my parents, doing modified workouts, watching movies, working on my hobbies, chilling with my cats and welcoming Tim home after the work day.
The bucket below was in one of the plaster rooms at the hospital. It's interesting what needs to be labeled these days.
April 1st! Just past my five month milestone. Improvements are now
subtle as I journey away from my surgery date of Oct 22, 2014. To date, my
experience has been better than expected. I can run, jump, pivot, climb and fly
(wishful thinking). "A new foot and wings please, Dr. Brunet." There are still times that I limp after a long day in the OR but it's my
bunioned right foot that bothers me most. I had an incident, last week,
where my I closed a door on my left foot which resulted in a bruised nail-bed.
It hurt, of course, but self-inflicted pain has been
my only hindrance.
I went for my first pedicure last Monday. I had been reluctant
since the skin around my scar was still sensitive and numb in some spots.
"Surgery!" the pedicurist exclaimed, "I'll be
gentle," he added. And on went the gloves and out came the tools. He had
no hesitation putting his hands on my foot including my scar and I was getting
ready to squirm from distress but I was fine. The only squirming I experienced
was when the emery board tickled to bottom of my feet!
The crease beneath my big toe is slowly getting
better
I am actually proud of the scar on my foot. I know it will always
be there. It may not be the prettiest for
sandal season, however, will remain a testament from my experience. I
can't wear flip flops or any shoe that requires a strap to go through my first
and second toe since the toes on my right foot are so close together that they
crunch on the strap. I'm looking forward to having surgery on my right
foot so that I feel more balanced, and yes, can wear pretty shoes. (Not
heals though, don't worry Dr. Brunet, I won't wreck our work.) Instinctively, I
put more weight on my right foot over my left. It would be nice to wear
bowling shoes without Paul Bunion sticking out and rubbing on the side.
Well, at least he waves!
"What did you do to yourself?" inquired a familiar gym mate as I hobbled down the stairs a few weeks back. "I had bunion surgery," I replied. "Oh, did they cause you a lot of pain?" she asked. My immediate answer was YES but how much pain is a lot? I had nothing to compare it to. It's not like I could attach someone else's bunionized foot to my leg and give a solid answer. The pain was tolerable and I vouched that I could live with it for a few more years. I remember, before my surgery, while standing in the shower after a workout, my bunions red, sore and throbbing. This was my norm. My frustrations came from the impossible task of finding comfortable, well-sized shoes. My podiatrist, who miraculously cured my two year episode of plantar fasciitiswith orthotics, informed me that my feet had excellent range of motion and will be surprised to know I had this surgery.
"I hear the recovery is painful," a stranger said with sympathy. "Not really," I replied. "My foot was numbed for the first 36 hours, I had adequate pain killers for 5 days, I was in a cast to my knee for the first 6 weeks and then an aircast for another 3 weeks." The most painful part of my recovery was when I decided to go Christmas shopping the same week I got my aircast. Standing in one spot, due to my indecisiveness, for more than a couple minutes was excruciating. With my heavy winter coat on, my temperature was rising and my blood pressure was dropping. I had to let go what I was carrying and sit down on a display. My non-operated foot was still compensating by bearing much of my body weight and it was in so much pain, I was going to faint. Lesson learned.
Now that I have one "normal" almost healed foot and the other with Paul-B still attached, I can give a more concrete answer. YES, they were painful. YES, the surgery was worth it. And YES, I'm looking forward to getting my other foot done. In retrospect, the throbbing, shooting pains were not normal. I just put up with them. My new foot is quiet, it doesn't yell at me after exercise. The skin near my scar is still tender to touch and still numb in some areas. The odd dull aches are becoming less frequent. My limp only appears when I've been walking all day at work. I'm now used to the shape of my new foot. So this is what other people's feet look like?
I'm about to celebrate my three month milestone and my foot is performing better than I expected. My cardio intensity and strength training is at approximately 85% . I've jogged several kilometers at a time on the treadmill, added back plyometric training and weight lifting (legs). I struggle with lunges since my range of motion is being tested but have already seen a huge improvement in the last 30 days. Dr. Brunet told me that I should be at 100% by 6 months post-op. I feel like I may be ahead of the norm since I kept fit during the time when many are sedentary.
I went shoe shopping for the first time since surgery! My foot's new figure dropped a size and fit every shoe beautifully. Of course, I still have to accommodate my other foot, so I kept my old numbers and ended up with my reliable friend Nike Pegasus (really a fantastic shoe).
Still a favourite
I'm not a big believer in creams, lotions or potions that heal scars but I happened to find some Vitamin E oil hanging around. So, I'm using it...just in case! No harm done!
I found it in the "lost goods box" in my closet
Applying the oil for good measure
I haven't used my accessible parking permit much since I stopped using my aircast. It's still good for a few more days but now that I'm walking and standing without pain, there is no need for it.
I started back at the gym on December 19th, three days shy of my two month surgery anniversary. It was the exact date that I projected for myself from the very beginning; the same day my gym would start taking payments out again! I remembered what Dr. Brunet had said to me at my final post-op: "You can walk on the treadmill for about 20 minutes, use the elliptical and cycle without resistance. If you over do-it, it could set you back, not push you forward." I started on the bike for 30 minutes with resistance (sorry Dr. Brunet). It was no problem; very low impact on my feet and at the same level of resistance that I used pre-operatively. It was wonderful to feel my body move again and I was so thankful to be there. I remember why I loved the gym. It was my time to reflect, relax, think, stare, sweat, read and decide what I was going to eat for dinner. I use it to meditate, basically. Then I moved to weights and found out quickly how much my home workouts actually helped to keep me fit. I could lift more weight in my arms, shoulders, chest and back than before. My main focus was now my legs with squats, lunges and weight machines that exercised my quads and hamstrings. This was definitely my expected weak point. I finished with 20 minutes of walking on the treadmill. Dr. Brunet cautioned that people tend to walk on the outside of their foot so I made a conscious effort not to. I describe it as a relaxed hurt. I closed my eyes to bare through the discomfort with a mission to learn how to properly use my foot again.
Check out my impressive 2.5 miles/hour
The last time I used my aircast was December 24th. I really didn't mind wearing it. But now that I don't need it, it feels fantastic. I walk with a noticeable limp but I noticed today that it's becoming less evident. I didn't end up having to buy new shoes. Dr. Brunet recommended this because men's shoes have wider toe boxes but it turns out that my shoes do too! The swelling has come down enough to fit what I already own. My winter boots were expensive and less than a year old and molded to my old foot shape. It was weird wearing them at first, but now it feels more normal and becoming less of an issue.
I'm headed back to work on January 6th (with doctor's note), two weeks sooner than expected. I will still have restrictions and cannot work in the OR until the 31st. So as my final week off is half complete, I reflect on my journey and realize that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't fall apart, I didn't lose a foot and I emerged stronger than before.
See the crease on my left big toe? It is evidence of swelling/edema and will dissipate.
No more post-ops needed! Dr. Brunet was very pleased with my progress to date. I explained to him that within the last 3 days, I was getting some sharp, intense pain on the ball of my foot. He assured me that this was normal and it was caused from sore muscles. Truthfully, I broke his rules and have been standing or walking over his permitted 15 minutes. I've noticed a hard bump on the top of my foot. Could it be a screw? Yup. Dr. Brunet confirmed it. No matter what size your foot is, whether you're 5ft2 " (like me) or 6ft1", the same size screws are used for everyone. When the swelling decreases, it may become more noticeable when I'm wearing tight running shoes or strappy sandals. Problematic? I'm not sure yet.
Head of screw
Going forward, these are my post-op instructions: 1) Take the next 7-10 days to transition from the air cast to a shoe.
2) Start walking on the treadmill/elliptical for about 20 minutes. Today I did 30 min on the recumbent bike and 20 min on the elliptical. I assumed that since the recumbent bike isn't standing, I could get away with it. My operated foot felt good throughout, my other foot had that same old "hot feeling".
3) Spin classes are okay without resistance or climbing. (I guess it's just peddling on a bike then).
4) Continue toe exercises. Squeeze a towel with my toe and press with my thumb on the bottom toe joint. 5) No physio needed!I 6) Expect in 2-3 months to go back to normal activities. It will be a slow transition!
Notice my tan is gone!
When am I going to get my right foot done? When my left foot gets strong enough to compensate. Dr. Brunet said that I could wait until next year but he cautioned that I will notice that I have two different feet. In my opinion, the sooner the better but I'm not going to jump the gun here. It's best to make sure I'm fully recovered and satisfied and not make any hasty decisions.
My scale has been taunting me since I had my cast removed last Tuesday. "Come on, just step on me," it teased. I went into this surgery in the best shape of my life. Not body builder or fitness model shape but a respectable 25-30 lbs lighter than I have been in the past 10 years. Of course, the possible weight gain from resting and recovering terrified me. Did I really want to know how much I weighed? I tried to be comfortable with a 5-10 lb gain but how would I feel in reality? My body didn't feel the same anymore and my legs looked like a Jello explosion! I definitely could have eaten better than I did. To avoid feeling defeated, I kept telling myself that weight gain was to be expected and that I had a challenge ahead of me. So, with hesitation, I stepped on the scale.......
My mouth dropped! I was 2 lbs under my average and 2 lbs over my lightest weight. Basically, no gain! I couldn't believe it. I weighed myself three times just to make sure. At that moment, I felt relieved and grateful. Phewf! What load off my shoulders!
My theories on this miracle are:
1) My metabolism is still high so I'm still burning more calories as if I'm doing a vigorous workout? 2) I have developed good eating habits and therefore without realizing it, ate healthier smaller portions than I did when I was heavier? 3) I lost muscle and gained fat (no question mark needed). 4) I worked out almost everyday. It's actually a really tough routine and takes about an hour and a half to complete. See mysemi-weight bearing workout.
My triumph today was completing push-ups with both feet on the ground. My toe flexibility has improved tremendously which I 100% attribute to my workouts. Pointing, flexing and stretching are foot movements that are automatic with my routine. To celebrate, I gave myself a pedicure. It's true ladies, I only need to use one toe separator. Never thought of that perk!
As for my mobility, I walk with my air-cast and crutches are no longer needed. If I use the air-cast for over 15 minutes in an hour, I pay for it. Now that I can carry things, there's just so much stuff to do around here! The bottom of my foot is still swollen so when I have my foot flat, my big toe doesn't touch the ground.
Looks pretty good, don't you think?
One week until my next post-op, I better start shoe shopping!
Deep down inside, I wanted to be an exceptional patient. One that would heal faster than the norm. I knew with these expectations, I was setting myself up for disappointment. Pressure was alleviated when I realized being on schedule was the best thing I could be.
My fiberglass cast was removed yesterday. It was such an odd feeling. My leg felt so light and I wasn't sure how to maneuver myself off the hospital bed over to the x-ray module. After 6 weeks of being totally dedicated to a non-weight bearing lifestyle with a cast up to my knee, I would now transition to an aircast. I was now allowed put pressure on my foot and perhaps be able to carry a cup of coffee from the counter to the couch. And oh, the shower! No more giant plastic bag over my leg. I felt like belting out "A Whole New World" from the Aladdin in the plaster room for all to hear, but I didn't.
The scar is healing nicely
Dr. Brunet explained that I needed to wake-up my bones and muscles. I could start standing or walking for 5-15 minutes per hour and I'm not allowed to bank that time. I had to massage the skin about one inch around the scar and continue with my toe exercises as much as possible. He expects that in two weeks, I will spend half my time in the air cast and the rest in a men's shoe. Since their toe boxes are wider, it would be my best option for comfort for a few weeks. Jealous?
I had some x-rays taken for the first time since the surgery. The pins are a permanent fixture.
Three different angles - 6 weeks post
Before and After
One of the first things I did when I got home was soak my foot in the bathtub. It was amazing to see how many layers of dead skin had built up. Apparently, my foot looked really good in that regard. I've noticed that my skin has been re-positioned a little bit. I don't have any padding on the bottom of my foot near the big toe, so it feels very weird to touch it to the ground without a cast. I'm still numb to touch in a few places but it will take some time for the nerves to grow back.
Nasty, I know!
My crutches will be used less once I build some muscle again.
