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How's everyone healing?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Kaliana
Kaliana

I am 10 weeks post-op right foot Lapidus, and 3 days post-op left foot Lapidus. My healing and return to normalcy went fantastic with my right foot. I'm hoping for the same with my left foot.

My nerve block just wore off but there's still minimal pain with consistent use of my pain medication. Mostly just throbbing from the swelling. How's everyone else doing today?

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  • Kaliana
    Kaliana

    Posted

    Day 4 post-op left Lapidus went unexpectedly. The Jones splint came off on its own. When I went to see my surgeon, he said I was ready for a hard cast. I got a sneak peak at my foot. My foot is pretty swollen because the splint wasn't providing the compressed it should've been. My pain has been manageable, only reaching a max of 3 so far. I'm hoping it stays the same! My right foot that's 10 1/2 weeks post-op is doing wonderful. Zero pain at all.
  • Kaliana
    Kaliana

    Posted

    Day 4 post-op left Lapidus went unexpectedly. The Jones splint came off on its own. When I went to see my surgeon, he said I was ready for a hard cast. I got a sneak peak at my foot. My foot is pretty swollen because the splint wasn't providing the compressed it should've been. My pain has been manageable, only reaching a max of 3 so far. I'm hoping it stays the same! My right foot that's 10 1/2 weeks post-op is doing wonderful. Zero pain at all.
  • nemo68931
    nemo68931 Kaliana

    Posted

    well today was a bit disappointing my Dr said I'm healing well but to start trying to go down to one crutch and on Nov 16 I can put a shoe on for an hour and slowly increase time in a shoe days after. I also have to extend my time off from work for a few weeks which helps. I am nervous though because I tried one crutch today and wow it hurt my big toe felt like it cracked

    so weird. at pt tomorrow I'll ask for helping winging off two crutches. bottom of my foot is still swollen so that explains the feelings. any suggestions with getting off crutches?

    • Robtouw
      Robtouw nemo68931

      Posted

      I went from 2 crutches to a walker. If you loose your balance, the walker makes it easier to catch your balance because it wraps around your front. I went to a cane a week later. Make sure the shoe is wide. Take out the laces or lace without crisscrossing to keep the tongue from pushing down. It is uncomfortable arching your foot to get in the shoe at first. Also expect your foot to feel thick, numb and tingly.
    • Kaliana
      Kaliana nemo68931

      Posted

      That's a bummer. So I'm guessing you haven't fully fused yet? In PT we worked a lot on balance and stability before a went from the boot to them sneaker. I was still on crutches aka partially weight bearing the week after I got my cast off and stitches out. Make sure you're getting plenty of protein and vitamin D.
    • nemo68931
      nemo68931 Kaliana

      Posted

      nope it sounds like it is fully fused it's just taking forever to get to a shoe.. I have to remember I have 6 screws and a plate which is a lot more hardware than most have. pt will be nice to get some helping losing the crutch I think though. I'm almost to the end and the 16th really isn't too far. to be honest I don't feel like I'm ready for a shoe yet anyway I just want to be ready lol
    • nemo68931
      nemo68931 Robtouw

      Posted

      I have a walker and I plan to take your advice and try walking more with that. the crutches are hard to use since if you lose balance you're not stable. I will just have to try every day to take some steps without my left hand being supported. I did it I just got a lot of pain after. that's normal I'm guessing for a while.
    • Robtouw
      Robtouw nemo68931

      Posted

      The pain weakens day by day. Ice and elevation after each try. You can do it!
    • nemo68931
      nemo68931 Robtouw

      Posted

      thanks for the encouragement! today at pt she started stretching my big toe forward and backward and holding it and wow I felt like it was going to snap off soo much pain but once she released it all went away. I have a feeling it will come back later lol but it will help me walk. she's trying to help me get to one crutches and had me use one on the right side with my good foot and gold onto her arm with my left to see how much I use it. it was tough but gets easier. I'll keep working on it at home so I can ditch the left crutch. how's your healing?
    • Robtouw
      Robtouw nemo68931

      Posted

      It's a little better each day. I'm not swelling as much in the evenings but I still can't wear normal shoes. My scar will be minimal. I'm applying coco butter on it twice a day and it's already fading. I'm still limping and slow but I'm moving! Keep working your toe, I'm doing the same. Take your time with the crutches. My sister kept reminding me to take baby steps. So......take baby steps! Hahahahaha! You will get there, promise!
    • nemo68931
      nemo68931 Robtouw

      Posted

      I've been using coconut oil and it seems to work well too. I haven't experienced too much sensitivity to texture like other people seem to have. have you had anything with that? yes I'm trying to start to wiggle the toes more and scrunch up a towel with them. stretching the big toe I sure is painful!
    • r25571
      r25571 Robtouw

      Posted

      That's great about your scar! I think my scar is going to be awful -- it extends from the joint at my big toe all the way down  to maybe an inch before ankle and then actually curves to the left a bit and continues a bit.  A lot bigger than I thought it would be!  Lately, I've honestly been wondering if I just traded in one set of problems for another.  Just one of those days, I guess.   Physical therapy was painful -- lots of swelling today and my big toe practically doesn't move which makes me anxious.
    • r25571
      r25571 nemo68931

      Posted

      does your big toe just feel stuck?  mine definitely does.  I can barely move it at all! 
    • Robtouw
      Robtouw r25571

      Posted

      I've thought the same thing. My big toe feels stuck and uncomfortable. I'm worried that it won't relax. Also, none of my shoes or boots fit. I hate thinking I'll never be able to wear them, they are so expensive to replace. I also don't want to limp forever. My doctor says I will improve over time.
    • Kaliana
      Kaliana Robtouw

      Posted

      They'll get better in time. How many weeks post-op are you?
    • nemo68931
      nemo68931 r25571

      Posted

      ive been doing PT for about 3 weeks twice a week now and my big toe was most defintely stuck before therapy and now it still has a way to go but it has gotten much easier than it was. hang in there the more you advance in PT the more you'll see improvements and you'll start to feel more comfortable actually bending it. for me i had a really hard time wanting to touch my foot let alone trying to bend my big toe.
    • nemo68931
      nemo68931

      Posted

      also not sure what your dr or pt wants you to be doing but to help your big toe have you done any towel scrunches? it is supposed to help a lot
    • Kaliana
      Kaliana nemo68931

      Posted

      I do towel scruntches and marble pick-ups. Both help very much with bending the big toe.
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