Three Weeks Out....

Yesterday was that faithful day.  The one that should have come....ya know.....last week, but I'm a horrible patient so......yesterday it was.

That glorious day where I was finally allowed to take a real shower.  Stitch removal day!

Here's what it looked like as I peaked beneath the bandage before my appointment.

He came in and took a look at it and said it looked good, from what he could see.....Drs don't like leaving stitches in three weeks.  It's apparently the 'They HAVE to come out mark" because the skin can grow around the stitches and make removal hard.

I was super nervous, friends told me 'As long as the skin hasn't grown around them....'  it's not
painful.


The first portion went well, though I'm sure it helps that my foot is still numb.  I'm getting electrical shocks though, so I'm hopeful the nerve damage isn't permanent.

he starts working on the bottom portion and I begin seeing colors.  I can't keep myself propped on the chair anymore and give up my super woman front and lay back.

HOLY HELL.....

he gets the stitches out and looks at it....."Tell me, be honest.....Have you been staying off of it...."

I suppose he means beyond sleeping.....I got four kids give me a break, and it really doesn't hurt that bad....well...didn't. 

I just tell him  I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances.  he grimaces and "Understands".....with four kids he kinda figured as much anyhow.  "No lectures" he says....."Just try and manage the crutches another week"

Ummmmmm..............

*Sigh*

So the stitches needed to come out, but the wound wasn't ready.  Therefore I was given steri strips to use until my next appointment.

But I'm ALLOWED TO SHOWER.  Have you ever not thouroghly cleaned a body part for three weeks.....?  Man that shower was heaven.  But the dead skin sloughing off my foot once I dried off was beyond majorly gross....I think I could have taken a putty spatcula and just scrapped it all off in chunks.  nasty....

Picture after stitch removal and cleaning.......

The pain levels have greatly increased again.  While it was refreshing to sleep last night with just a giant sized band aid.......the foot really hurt.  So I'm contemplating keeping the ace bandage on it longer for added padding.

geeze..

Two weeks out....

And for the most part, I'm feeling pretty good!

I had my two week post op appointment yesterday.  I was *Suppose* to have my stitches out....but the bottom portion of the incision hasn't healed enough.  Dr said he 'could' take them out, but then I'd kick him and he'd rather not have that happen.

But he said it looks good.  MOST get the stitches out at two weeks, but it's not uncommon to go three.  He could tell I hadn't 'babied' it like.....well I should have.  Dude, I have four kids....gimmie a break.

He was cool with it though.  Just told me Hey it's on me and 'Maaaaaaaaaaybe had I babied it I could have had my stitches out' yesterday.

I'm a lousy patient. LOL  Oh well....I try I really do.....but I'm also (shocker) Stubborn as a mule....and....incase anyone missed the memo, I do have four kids.....So....Yep.  Stay off it 100%?....Uhhh....no.....

He noticed I changed the bandage too.  Which he said was fine. I had accidentally gotten it wet (Slipped) in the bath....so....I really had no choice.

Because the ace bandage is starting to really annoy me, especially at night, last night I tried going with out.  Figured the gauze roll would hold well enough.  Eh....guess I won't do that again, A good portion had come unraveled.  Or maybe I'll tape it up better.  It was very refreshing to not sleep with that on......

So....until next wednesday, Frankenfoot and I are just gonna hang......

One week out.

I feel pretty good.  All things considered.  today is the first day I haven't had any pain meds.  Not even advil.  But I know that will change come bed time.

Had my post op appointment, thought I'd be getting the stitches out.  But Dr. says next week is the goal.  But otherwise everything looks good.  He changed the dressing and it's now in a way that I can adjust and look easily. 

Watch out.

FRANKENFOOT!

Fibular Seasmoidectomy

I guess the whole point of this blog is I was having one heck of a time finding personal stories online just prior to my surgery.  Had I really thought this through, I'd have done a blog per day, but.  Alas....I'm frazzled and drugged.

My journey begins just over three years ago.  Major pain at the base of my big toe.  Being hard headed I waited forever (IE: six months) to get into the doctor.  Numerous x rays later I'm told it's arthritis.  And my only option will be a joint fusion.  "Call when your ready."

Unfortunately (Or fortunately) We moved about a week later.  Then I had to wait  three months to get insurance.  New podiatrist takes an xray and agree's there is some arthritis, but nothing major.  The biggest issue is Seasmoiditis.  My fibular seasmoid is swollen and irritated.

So we go from Summer 2011 til Summer 2013 living off cortisone injections.

By August 2013 my dr. cuts me off....It's just surgery time.  No way around it.  That particular flare was bad  When the dr. took a new set of xrays he said it appeared fractured.  Awesome.

So September 12th I go in to the out patient surgical center.  Danny had to work so my Father got to play my chaperone. I will say I was a normal nervous person, until I had to drive to my parents house.  This hit right in the middle of the 'Great colorado flood of 2013.'  The drive to their place was the most frightening I'd ever drove...

Anyway the proceedure is scheduled to take an hour.  I was the first surgery of the day, so my doctor got me back at 11:30 (15 minutes early) I remember them putting the tube of oxygen on my face, and re-adjusting it slightly with my hands, and then nothing til I woke up.

I didn't come out of the anesthesia as well as I generally do.  So my post op 'score' was lower.... Leave me alone people, I want to sleep!

Surgery should have taken an hour but took closer to 1.5  I don't even know what the deal is.  Here I am 4 days post op and I haven't spoken to my dr. at all.  He just went and told my dad it went 'fine'.  So I don't know why it took so long Or anything.

But I have a nice incision on the bottom of my foot. I'm non weight bearing for 2-3 weeks.

So far I've been FEELING OK.  I have moments, don't get me wrong. but the night of surgery (Ok early morning after) is probably the only time I was using colorful metaphores left and right and questioning why I did it....in terms of pain.

I don't feel like running a marathon, mind you.  But for the most part, it's bearable.

I came home Friday night, it took two attempts because I wasn't tolerating the car ride.  I still ended up getting super sick right when we turned onto my street.  Good thing we packed puke bags...

My post op appointment is the 18th....it will be super interesting to see the bottom of my foot.