Hello there

Good luck tomorrow Jill. Take it steady when you go back to work. I worked all weekend and my foot is really sore.

I will probably opt out of here also at the end of this week. Haven't tried to drive yet, but by the end of this week will probably have a go.

Will say goodbye to everyone when I opt out. It has been a great comfort talking to everyone.

Anita, I have four different incision, the bunion down the top of the foot at the big toe, one in the top of the foot at the base of the 2nd toe for hammertoe, one across the heel for plantars fasciitis and one behind the ankle bone for Tarsal tunnel.

Today the walking is one crutch is more painful than yesterday. Swelling is better today. I'm ice a lot of ice over here!

Jilly, keep us posted on how you are doing.

I too may well log out towards the end of the week - I've been reading and keeping up to date with you all as you recover. I have my six week appointment on Thursday and am looking forward to hearing if I can get rid of my wonderful heel walker shoes.................that would be progress!! Good luck Jill when you get your plaster off- it may well feel a bit odd to start with- I know that I felt very vulnerable at that point. Let us know how you get on before you disappear.

Jan good luck to you with the driving- let us know how it goes. I will need to think about that too very soon.

To Bob, Anita, Jenny, Carmen, Rena and anyone else I've forgotten- keep posting as you need to continue to give support to others who are undertaking this little break from real life!

Eileen

x

Eileen and Jill Im on week 8 and believe me the pain is still here, just different. I had plaster off 10 days ago and the tightness across foot, under foot, swelling and not being able to walk properly is still on going. I read the comments and they have helped Ice and elivation the excercises on this thread I have taken on board. Yes I have to move on but its nice to hear people going through same situation I will be on this for couple more weeks has support. Thank you everyone for your comments

Be

I am 8 weeks tomorrow. Stood on feet all weekend - no choice and suffered yesterday. The scar was so sore I was feeling pretty rough. Today will probably be a different story. I have had days where my foot, apart from swelling still, feels as normal as I would expect at this time. Just take one day at a time. Can take many more months before we realise we are doing things normally.

I am soaking my foot now and I will ice it. Reading and pottering today. No work whew...... Windy and pouring with rain. Best place indoors in the warm.

Hi, poor you Jan, lots of rest today for you. I'm feeling so lucky that I am able to rest and stay off work.

Today I am going out shopping myself, going to a shopping mall and getting an electric scooter, just have to get out for a bit, hopefully I can grab myself a bit of lunch in marks and Spencer's cafe. Foot is feeling ok. Just a bit hot and scar nippy, still swollen too.

Have a good day everyone

Morning everyone,

Its going to be a nice day out this way, they are calling for 20C so spring is here finally. I love sitting here looking outside and having all the windows open. I love the fresh air. Sent hubby out for groceries last night. He is BBQ'ng burgers tonight so he is happy. Must be a man thing, lol. Have a g/f coming to visit me today so that is nice. i love the real person break. On a good note, didnt need any pain killers during the day yesterday, just when I went to bed, so that a good thing.

Rena, where are you? Waiting to here how your appointment went yesterday with your stiches and all. Let us know.

Joan, enjoy your outting and electric scooter. Must be fun to scoot around the mall.

Jan, sorry to hear your having problems with the scar. I guess it all takes its time. What type of shoes do you wear around the house now? Some thing that allows the scar not to rub? Take it easy and elevate.

Be, sorry to hear your having pain still. Strange how some have more then others.

EIleen, hang in there, sounds like your on the road to real shoes soon. That must be exciting for sure.

Bob, where are you??

Have an awesome day, and know we are one day closer to getting better.

Anita

Morning - ROLL CALL

Well, believe it's day 20, tomorrow is 3 weeks. Go figure. I understand we recover and people move on with there lives. I am so grateful for all the support, laughs etc through the last three weeks. I ( we ) will miss you Jan and Jilly. You have really helped me and I looked forward in the morning to reading your posts. Good luck and thanks so much for your encouragement. God puts people in our paths for a reason. Wouldn't it be neat if we could all meet for a cup of coffee sportin our new feet?

Anitagirl - Don't you go anywhere!!! We need you!!!!!! Day 10 already. Remember when you were all feared up before surgery. Time flies.

Rena ( cool name ) Thanks for the compliment. I feel I'm doing what I'm supposed to do as a son. Show up and be useful. Give yourself time so we don't have to rush and get hurt Rena.

Be - I am with you on the bored wagon. Day at a time !!!!

Joan - Sounds like you are eating healthy. Not doing so well with that along with no excersize. Not happy about it.

Elleen - Thank you for all the support . Keep working it.

Where are you Carmen ?

Jen - feel your pain. This to shall pass.

Today I am going to a baseball game. I had to resign coaching high school baseball for these surgeries and I will be seeing my boys play. Wow do I miss coaching. Want to see mom too. She is struggling.

Feeling blessed tho and I'll close with this. Pain killers are addicting to some of us ( ME ). Iv'e gone thru this process without them. I'm not suggesting that. Get off of them ASAP and take them as needed.

Have a great day!!!!!!

The surgery centre just called to see how I was doing. Twice now, wow thats a nice checkup. I told them my concerns and then asked about this hard shell on the top of my foot. I said it feels rather heavy and I cant wait to take it off. They told it wasnt a shell but rather my blood that had dried on my bandages, ewwwwwwww. Just knowing that is weird. It hasnt leaked through but now I have another week and half of having it with me. Does everyone else have this too. It just seems weird and like there is lots and its hard. Havent looked yet.

Rena, where are you girl!! Wanting to know how yesterday went.

Bob, enjoy the game. Will be great for you to get out and enjoy the sunshine and get back into life.

Afternoon all!

To those of you leaving us chickadees on our own now, thank you so much for all you have contributed. All your input has been indescribably helpful. We will think of you often and hope you do check in periodically to let us know how you are doing

The big reveal yesterday went really well. My foot was not nearly as swollen or bruised as I had imagined it might be. I have seen some pics in blogs on line and mine looked so much better than a lot of them. The surgeon was extremely pleased with the result and told me that my contribution in keeping it elevated most of the time greatly contributed to the result. For those who have not been through it I will try to put as much detail into this as I can....and to those who already went through this, well, I guess this is the point that I'll lose you ! LOL

At Toronto Western Hospital the stitches are removed at the fracture clinic. I am so glad I had the knee scooter 'cause it was a 2 hour wait until I got taken and I was able to amuse myself by scooting around the ground floor, getting coffee, sitting and elevating the foot on the seat of the knee scooter (no extra chairs !) etc. The first step was to have an xray taken. This was so the surgeon could check that the position of the pins in both toes was intact and nothing had shifted. He told me I had a 35 degree angle bunion and it is now corrected to 10 degrees......I'm very happy with that. He also told me that the possibility of the toe drifting back is up to 20 percent over lifetime. (Since I'm 70 good chance this will prove to be true in my case...don't know about the 20 and 30 year olds ! LOL) The thick bandages are cut off, the stitches snipped out and the foot cleaned up. It was not painful at all (I had taken an Advil) and the most I felt was a tiny sting for a few and the others felt nothing. The nurse told me that the ease with which stitches are removed is often determined by how tightly they were sewn....sometimes they are too tight and he had complained to the surgeons about that !) I took pictures....too bad there's no way to post them here.

The foot is then dressed in a much thinner gauze bandage and a thin white stretchy sock put on. This is the first time the tops of the toes have been covered and it was a bit of an uncomfortable sensation. The foot all of a sudden feels vulnerable with the thick bandage gone. I was told the pins (1 each in the great toe and the 2nd toe) stay in for another 4 weeks which is the next visit when they will be taken out and xrays taken again to check on how the bones have healed. I am allowed to get the foot wet in the shower but only if there is a good drain. He does not want the foot sitting in water. This will apply as long as the pins are in. It is important to dry the foot thoroughly after getting it wet. I will continue to use the shower stool and hand shower to limit the amount of water the foot gets.

I had been experiencing discomfort on the top of the foot below the 2nd toe since the beginning and now see that there is some bruising there which explains the mystery. I also have discomfort on the bottom of the foot in about the same area so assume it's the same reason. That poor skinny toe got a bit of a shock with the bone cutting and has ended up slightly shorter, which I expected and am happy for as it was longer than my big toe to begin with !

I am not to do any foot/toe exercises , wear a compression sock or put cream on the scars until the pins come out. That will all come in the next stage. I am however cleared to go back to the gym for upper body workout and no lower body that involve weight bearing. I forgot to ask if stationary bike is OK but will call and ask. I can do as much walking as is comfortable but only in the post-op shoe which keeps you flat footed.

I must say I was totally wiped after the whole thing....had been out and about for close to 4 hours by the time I got home at 6:00. I am taking today very easy. The foot is actually a little more uncomfortable with only the thin dressing and walking a bit more of a challenge. I have to walk much more slowly and mainly side of the foot walk to be comfortable. I assume this will get better each day...but as I said...foot feels vulnerable ! I am wondering whether I might put an elastic bandage over the top of the thin gauze just to give a little more bulk in the post op shoe and maybe add to the stability of the foot. I'll let you know is I do and how it works.

So that's it! Hope this wasn't too much of a bore !!

Hi rena, glad everything went well, I wear a big wooly sift bedsock with my Velcro shoe, it helps it to fit better, and I feel offers a bit of protection. But do find the scar gets a bit sensitive with it on after a while.

Soft - not sift

Soft

Hi

Don't think I'm quite ready to leave yet as I keep reading all your posts. I'm amazed at the change in climate that you're getting Anita- wasn't it snowing ten days ago?

I know that feeling with the scar and a pair of socks- scratchy.....time for some ice and some fresh air!

Six week appointment on Thursday- its silly how much time I'm spending making my feet look lovely for that.....does anyone know how to get the antiseptic stains off my toenails. After six weeks you would have thought that they would have gone but I have been working on them every day for the last four weeks since I got my stitches out and nothing is shifting them! All ideas appreciated....I want to love these feet.

Thanks Joan! The hunt is on for some fluffy socks that won't be too hot as we move into warmer weather It's going to be 17 deg. here on Thursday ! (and we had snow on Saturday...crazy eh?)

Eileen...I have to laugh. I thought that iodine colour was a residue of the nail polish I took off the day before surgery ! Glad to learn it wasn't me who was so sloppy !! LOL