How's everyone healing?

I I had to do it from a computer it didn't let me on my phone then it's an option in the reply

I couldn't so it from my phone it has to be on a computer and then it's an option in the reply

Great to know! Thank you!

Thanks for sharing! Your foot looks great. It totally makes sense to me that things "feel higher." With your first toe being realigned and straightened, things are higher than they were before. I'll try to log on later to post some pics.

wow your scar looks really good! as far as your big toe feeling higher I had that too and do but not as much. for me the ball of my foot was swollen and it was almost like a little pad there that made my big toe stay off the ground. it went away though but is still swollen but it's much easier to keep my toe down. it just takes time to calm down. rolling a frozen water bottle under my foot felt amazing on it.

wow great news kaliana! hang in there with your left foot you know the drill by 4 weeks it's dramatically different. compared to most peoples timeline you seem to have had a really fast recovery though. im 9 1/2 weeks and i still cant use one crutch. im starting to get really stressed about it. tomorrow i have to buy some tennis shoes because my foot wont go in my other pair so im hoping when im in shoes that are even ground with each other instead of how the boot height difference is walking will just come naturally. i have to be better by thanksgiving because im going out of town and will be returning to work after!

I'm wearing a shoe! I walked using the crutches for abut 20 minutes and now am icing. I'm going to try again later. the feels really nice my leg feels like it's being stretched and my ankle is working and it's like a working out feeling. it feels sore and tired but sooo nice to use. I was hoping to not need the crutches but I don't think my ankle is strong enough yet. I'll practice every day though! it feels so nice to be in even level. I couldn't fit into any tennis shoe and had to get some slip on type of tennis shoe that was 2 sizes bigger haha it's too big length wise but it's wide enough like I needed.

great news!   you will be walking without the crutch in no time!   

I actually went to a shoe store last night to see about getting something other than the one pair of tennis shores I can get on but walked out really discouraged.  I guess I should be happy I'm walking out though, right?

I'm finding that even walking in tennis shoes is a pain because of my limp.  I have lost a ton of mobility in my ankle that makes it really hard to walk up and down stairs and the limping wears out the rest of my body. I hurt from head to toe.  Still need to find time for that massage that Kaliana recommended.  

Also, wanted to say that the foot picture you posted looks great -- same for Robtowu.   My foot doesn't not look as good, honestly.  My scar is much longer and still looks angry and red with one part still scabbed.    

Trying to stay positive but at nearly 12 weeks I guess I thought things would be getting back to more normal and I'm feeling a bit down today.  

Don't get discouraged! Think of it as a process and take baby steps. Keep flexing your ankle. Mine is slowly getting better. I bought a pair of men's tennis shoes because they are wider and they seem more comfortable. I also bought a pair of men's slippers with a thick sole. Massaging my ankle and foot really helps. I'm also using coca butter on my scar to diminish it. Walking is still a chore and harder late afternoon. Chin up! We're all in this together!

Nemo that's wonderful news! I'm so excited for you!

I recommend massaging it yourself and the scars daily. You can do a YouTube search for videos on it. I also love the massage at PT visits! What are you putting on your scars? I soak them in a dead sea salt bath daily. I use medera scar cream one fime daily and bio oil twice daily. My diligence with it is paying off, the color of the scars are fading dramatically. I highly recommend a similar regiment.

yes value walking! I keep telling everyone once I walk again I'll be a new person ha I feel like I'd do anything to be normal again. I can relate I thought by 6 weeks I'd pretty much be done. the recover hasn't been anywhere near what i thought. but once we're through all this it will be so worth it. I'm not touching my other foot for a long time though...

and in regards to the ankle mine a the same way. I think walking has felt so nice to move that ankle because it can't move in the boot. the reason I think I can't walk without crutches is because my ankle has no strength.

my foot really swelled up tonight. I tried walkng a bit more and it started itching really bad which is usually swelling and when I took the shoe off it was like a swollen shape of the shoe. hope it gets used to a shoe. I won't be walking much at night as it seems to be bothered more.

The weakened ankle really is the worst! I flexed mine daily while I was non weight bearing and it didn't really make a difference. Like you, nights are more difficult. Take your time, your body is telling you it isn't reday to walk yet.

I also thought by 6 weeks I'd be back to normal. Not even close! I told my doctor to stop telling people 4-6 weeks because they need to prepare for longer.

Instead of walking Nemo, try just putting your foot down and rolling it toe to heel for short periods of time, lengthen the time between reps. Let yourself get used to the thick, pulsing sensations and slowly build to walking from there. Elevate then do it sgsin. The practice helps.

good advice I'll try that today. I'm 2 hours in a shoe today. hoping my foot will get used to it and not swell up on me so much after wearing a shoe. it makes the hard to fit in it and I had quite the time finding one it'd fit into before!

I swelled a lot at first too in a sneaker. After about a week it got better. I hope yours adjusts too!

I return to work tomorrow for a half day since my left Lapidus. I'm returning with no bunions. How exciting for me!

I hope everyone is well! Best!

In PT after my amkle surgery last year, I had daily resistance band homework, writing the ABC's with my toes 3x's daily, wind shield wipers on the floor, and balance work. They all helped so much. I hope your ankle regains strength soon!

are you still elevating? i return to work soon too but can't elevate at work and do constant walking for 5 hours, hoping it won't balloon up on me. you sure are going to work soon after your second surgery! i hope it goes well for you at least it's not a full day. today at pt was really good they took my progress note since i have 4 sessions left and compared it to the first day i went and i've gotten much more movement than when i started it was great to hear. she walked with me and i asked about how to now when to go off crutches and she thinks my leg just isn't strong enough yet and keep walking with 2 and when it feels like they're just slowing me down go to 1 and then it's a day or two to get to 0 crutches. i really hope it comes soon. walking is really the best thing i can do to beef up my leg again.

Hi Nemo. Yes, I'm still elevating. Although I'm 12 weeks post-op on my right, I'm only 2 weeks post-op on my left. Today will be my first half day back at work again. I was back for 7 weeks last time before I bad left Lapidus. Luckily at work I sit all day and can elevate.

Good luck with your return to work! I'm glad PT is going so well! I'm sure you'l regain your strength soon. Best!

wow seems like elevation lasts for quite a while. i want to start driving but don't know about having my foot down in the car that long. my Dr referred me for me 6 weeks pt by they said I'll probably go until I'm balancing and doing more but I'm close!

do you have a toe separator you've worn at all? I spent today in shoes and I find that when I don't wear the toe separator my big toe always is against my other toe. I don't know if it's because of swelling which I know my toes have or what..I just hope it fixes over time.

Nemo...When do you start work again? I would've thought you would be driving by now. If Ibrecall correctly, I think you're 2 werks behind my left foot. Are you 10 weeks post-op? I'm glad the balancing is going better! Does your PT have you do daily exercises at home? They make a difference.

Today I went back to wirk after 2 weeks post-op left foot. It was a lot harder just getting to my car being in a cast and on crutches than partially weight bearing and crutches was for my right foot. I was only elevating my right foot at night week 9 into 10. Then I got my left foot done so I'm elevating a lot again because if that. My left foorltvis only 15 days post op. Elevating makes such a difference. I still can't wait for this cast to come off on 11/30.

I started a toe spacer on my right foot last week. My surgeon said the slant is a normal one. I guess Ibreally likes the straight as can be toe atv3 weeks post-op. I also wear a toe aligner once a day while I'm relaxing. It's super soft and comfortable. I found it on Amazon. My toe is doing the sane that yours is. I have to keep reminding myself it's normal and to relax when I see it.

phew good it's hard when you have a surgery to correct the toe along mentioned then it leans! yes I'm 10 weeks and I could drive but the reason I haven't is because I'm still using crutches and I've been with my family so haven't needed to yet. I just am worried about my foot swelling up if I drive and it's down because I elevate pretty much all the time. when I don't it starts to bother me after a while. maybe I need to on back on elevation..I go to work the 1st.

and yes I'm doing abc's and I try stretching my big toe that's about it. and squats. I don't know if you had this but when I do squats you stand with your feet shoulder width and even and when I stand kw I think is even I look down and my post op foot is always n front my other. it feels like they're not in sync I wonder if it's from always have that leg elevated.

Elevation really helps. I do it as often as possible. That's great that you don't need to drive. I was worried you meant you couldn't. Phew. My toe spacer and aligner are already helping after a week. I hope it continues!

Nemo,

I'm wondering if it's a hip alignment issue from the boot. I can't do squats because my left foot is in a cast but I'll let you know if I experience the same one I'm out of my cast and eventually my boot. I hope work goes great for you when you return 12/1. Have you missed it?

the toe aligner is great but the toe always moves back eventually so hopefully it'll stay put over time. yes I'm wondering if it is an alignment issue but I don't even know what would be done from that specially since I'm still elevating. I might just try stretching more. I really haven't missed my job lol I miss work but not my job too much. but I've even very busy with school in the mean time.

Ahh well at least you've been busy. I've been wearing the toe spacer to sleep. I wear the alighner for about a half hour after work. So far so good. I was warned by my surgeon mine wouldn't stay perfectly straight. Apparently a certain amount if slant is normal. That said, I really liked when it was super straight!

I have a toe separator not an aligner. what's the difference? and yeah anything is better than what we had before! how did you feel after going to work?

Toe spacer That i have is just for between toe 1 and 2. The alinger is for all 5 toes. It has a sace for each tie and is so comfortable. It helps with ligaments.

I felt good after my return to work (for the 2nd time). Last time I was back 6 werks begore I took 2 weeks off for my left. The hardest part was that my apartment and parking garage are so far apart. Last time Ibwas in a boot and partial weight bearing. Do much harder in a cast and no weight bearing exceptbon my right foot. It felt great to be out of the house and seeing my coworkers and patients again!

oh wow I was just thinking the other day that this would be a tough surgery if you live in an apartment. especially if stairs to your place are involved. I was only in a soft cast for about 2 weeks so I feel like I really missed out on the annoyance they are like most people have. I just have a bigger hate for a surgical boot than most because this eat I had haha. it's so nice with shoes because I Haven't worn the boot in two days I just wear a shoe as I'm still not weight bearing barefoot yet. but when I go out of town after thanksgiving I will bring the boot in case my got gets tied from walking to much but. hope to not need it.