Don't let my scar Fool you

5 Months Post-op

  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

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!

Comparing Pains

  "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 fasciitis with 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?

Swelling still evident 3+months post

Three months post-op: One Foot Out The Door

Day 89

  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.

Back to the Grind!

Day 70

  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.

My Final Post-op

Day 56

  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.

Weighing In

Day 49

  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 my semi-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!

Phase Two: X-ray Exhibit

Day 44

  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.

6 More Sleeps

Day 36

  The count down is on!  Not much has changed with my foot since my last post.  I'm still in my non-weight bearing cast and counting down until next Tuesday when I can walk and let my leg breath.

  I would like to sidetrack for a paragraph from my bunion themed blog to talk about my Mom and the gift she received almost one week ago:

  My Mom received a kidney transplant after over five long years of wait.  She has polycystic kidney disease and over the last several years, my family has watched her battle against her dying kidneys.  It took a lot of courage not to loose hope that one day, she would find a matching donor.  You see, my Mom is a difficult match.  Her high anti-bodies combined with her less common blood and tissue type made it difficult to receive organ donation.  Last June, she was placed on a special list for people with hard-to-match requirements.  Finally, our wish came true and she is likely being released from the hospital tomorrow.  She will now start a new challenge and hopefully get her quality of life back. My family has deep gratitude to the organ donor.  The donor was deceased and the kidney came from Windsor, Ontario.  That person saved my Mom's life and no words can describe how grateful we are.  Please sign your donor card or give blood; you could save a life!

Back to my foot:

  My foot looks like it's disintegrating.  Without the exfoliation effects from wearing a sock or shoes, it's drying up. There is nothing much I can do about this until my cast comes off.

  I bought a Tilt-a-Table from Canadian Tire last week for $13.99 on sale.  It is fabulous! I highly recommend this product for everyone. It's light weight, portable and useful for meals and my laptop.

28 Days Later: My third foot unveiling

  This morning, I had my 4 week post-op.  I went with high hopes that I would receive the good news that I was healing on schedule.  This time, with decreased edema, I was more excited than nervous to see my foot.

  And the two week old cast comes off!  I exercised quite a bit with this cast on so surprisingly, there was no smell nor evidence of any significant water damage. (See Day 16: "Confessions of the Not So Perfect Patient.")

She's looking pretty good

Side view

  It's shocking how dry and scaly my feet were from being in a cast.  I gave it a good clean with alcohol solution before a the new cast went back on.

Underneath; cotton from the old cast stuck to the bottom 

Ankle trick - over pronation; a whole other issue

  The doctors and technicians were impressed with my healing.  "You must be keeping it elevated," said Dr. Brunet with certainty. "As much as I can", I responded, " and I've been exercising almost daily."  "Maybe that's helping the circulation to reduce the swelling," he said. "I'd like to keep you in a cast for two more weeks.  At that time, we will take some x-rays.  There is a 50% chance you'll move to an aircast or you could go into a stiff-soled shoe," he explained. 

  Hopefully, at 6 weeks post-op, I will be able to wear a stiff soled shoe, but either way, at least I will have the freedom to sleep without a cast on my leg. 

Notice the gap is closing between my big and second toe.