While laying in bed last night I realized a major thing that I should have mentioned about this whole recovery thing-
I have not worked since the surgery as I am in the education field and have had the summer off. Ive been able to keep my foot up for 90% of the time and that has a lot to do with my level of discomfort/pain.
If a child were getting this, I would definitely recommend having it done right before school lets out so that they will be much better when school starts back. If it were an adult, I would recommend using short term disability if you havev that. If I were starting the school year here I would have probably gotten on STD (maybe I shouldnt have used that acronym,lol) even though I would have felt terribly guilty about not starting the year with the kiddies.
soooooo, yeah. FOOT UP, FOOT UP, FOOT UP-for much longer than one would think
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
swelling. week 7
When I went to the doctor on the 19th one of my main concerns was swelling. I keep my foot elevated mostly throughout the day but I still found myself uncomfortablewith tight skin and a FAT foot. he gave me ibuprofen but it didnt really take the swelling away like I thought it would so I havent been taking it too much but I figure I may need it when i leave the country so I just went ahead and asked for the meds.
The good news is that the swelling hasnt been so bad. The worst part is at night but its not pain. . .just discomforting. I still sleep with my ice pack in the bed on a stack of pillows but I dont think my foot stays on it all night. Its better than not having anything.
Im keeping an eye on time frames but also keep in mind the fact that everyone's body is different and that I cant count on any of these schedules. I also realize that my diet isnt what it once was even before I was preparing for this procedure. Im disappointed in my lack of veggie intake and increase in processed foods. One major reason this is an issue is because i havent cooked in forever.
I continue to take supplements but do need to be more consistent-a problem because I have to eat enough to keep them from hurting my stomach. I have yet to master than technique without feeling like a glutton.
As far as the swelling, Im happy with where I currently am. I had a dream that I was walking on my foot. When I woke up, I was briefly startled because I was concerned about whether that happened in the dream or if it happened in real life,lol. I DEFINITELY dont want to walk on my ankle/foot!
I strated washing my toes. The sensation isnt as bad as it was before. I can touch them and wash them without it driving me crazy but my big toe is still the worst. They continue to peel and I am repulsed at the thought of my skin under this thing. Scaly isnt really the word for the skin. Its thick and doesnt just come off . . .wait. Alligators are scaly so maybe that is a good term,lol.
ok, Im done rambling now. Just wanted to log my swelling experience. Im thinkign that if Im here now, Ill be so much better in 3 weeks! I know the time will fly
The good news is that the swelling hasnt been so bad. The worst part is at night but its not pain. . .just discomforting. I still sleep with my ice pack in the bed on a stack of pillows but I dont think my foot stays on it all night. Its better than not having anything.
Im keeping an eye on time frames but also keep in mind the fact that everyone's body is different and that I cant count on any of these schedules. I also realize that my diet isnt what it once was even before I was preparing for this procedure. Im disappointed in my lack of veggie intake and increase in processed foods. One major reason this is an issue is because i havent cooked in forever.
I continue to take supplements but do need to be more consistent-a problem because I have to eat enough to keep them from hurting my stomach. I have yet to master than technique without feeling like a glutton.
As far as the swelling, Im happy with where I currently am. I had a dream that I was walking on my foot. When I woke up, I was briefly startled because I was concerned about whether that happened in the dream or if it happened in real life,lol. I DEFINITELY dont want to walk on my ankle/foot!
I strated washing my toes. The sensation isnt as bad as it was before. I can touch them and wash them without it driving me crazy but my big toe is still the worst. They continue to peel and I am repulsed at the thought of my skin under this thing. Scaly isnt really the word for the skin. Its thick and doesnt just come off . . .wait. Alligators are scaly so maybe that is a good term,lol.
ok, Im done rambling now. Just wanted to log my swelling experience. Im thinkign that if Im here now, Ill be so much better in 3 weeks! I know the time will fly
Monday, August 23, 2010
surprise
ok, so I went to the doctor last Thursday for my cast removal and x ray. I was excited about my xray more than anything. Wanted to know how the bones were doing. I went with questions written down so that I wouldnt forget anything and pretty much was counting down the days.
fast forward and Im sitting on the table looking crazy because my doctor seems to flip the script on me like he was having a bad day. I didnt say a word and sat there chewing my bottom lip like, WTH????
ok, so lets rewind-PA was my initial visit. I told her my time table, why I needed to get the operation at that time (asap) because I was slated to leave the country in September. She subsequently put me on the books and told me I should be ready to go around that time. And let me just insert here that I know nothing is concrete and that there could have been complications to lengthen my healing process. OKAY, so after I see her, she talks to doctor (clue him in to my file did you???), he looks at the bones and sends me for a cat scan and after a week or so, I go in for the pre op. AT PRE OP, he mentions me leaving the country (for good) and he goes on to tell me that there are good doctors there and that I should be in good hands. He was conversational and everything was on course.
Let me also mention the time frames I was given-PA "youll be in 2 casts, each for 3 weeks and then a boot. . ." DOCTOR "You will be in 1 cast for six weeks and then a boot". So when he tells me during post op (2 wks later) xray that Id be in a cast for 4 weeks, I thought that Id be in the cast for 4 weeks and then a boot.
Back to now, I have no problem with my healing process in and of itself. What I DO have a problem with is him acting all brand new on me. He even acted as if he wouldnt have performed the surgery had he known my timetable. NUMBER ONE, talk to your PA. Better yet-TALK TO ME!!
Now im in another cast for 3 weeks because I need more healing. That puts me on the original time frame, IN THEORY but Ill get to that in a minute. So when I go back I should be in a boot and walking (he said walking but from what Ive read, I know its gradual and not all at once). I had no issues with him but now Im wondering why he cant be a little more specific about things and why is there no paperwork to chronicle what I should expect as far as healing/time frame. Now I know there is google and a wealth of information out there but im KINDA paying you sooooo. . .um, yeah.
So back to that time frame-and forgive me for being all over the place. He is going on vacation the week I should be getting this off and no one else can see me but him so that puts me off another week and keeps me in the cast for another month. That part was a bit irritating as well.
Now, Im not mad at all. I know that all things work together for his good and I want to heal and nicely as possible. What made it a big deal to me is how he responded to me as if we had never had the conversation. My husband and I talked about how the medical field is now so impersonal and thats to the detriment of the health field as we see it. Not the only detriment-just one of them.
He didnt even ask what color I wanted so now I have a blue cast. No biggie,lol.
Man, my leg and toes are soo peely!!! so gross. This cast is lower and it was so crusty. My toes were too and i put vaseline all over them and brushed it off. No itching still and its been 7 weeks so far if I include the pandages for two weeks. No real pain, just the irritation of the swelling. I continue to keep my foot elevated and use ice often. I also finally got ibuprofen 800mg and take that 3X daily. I keep the heavier stuff on hand but dont use it.
This time will fly by and I hope to meet a much more pleasant disposition after his week long vacation!
fast forward and Im sitting on the table looking crazy because my doctor seems to flip the script on me like he was having a bad day. I didnt say a word and sat there chewing my bottom lip like, WTH????
ok, so lets rewind-PA was my initial visit. I told her my time table, why I needed to get the operation at that time (asap) because I was slated to leave the country in September. She subsequently put me on the books and told me I should be ready to go around that time. And let me just insert here that I know nothing is concrete and that there could have been complications to lengthen my healing process. OKAY, so after I see her, she talks to doctor (clue him in to my file did you???), he looks at the bones and sends me for a cat scan and after a week or so, I go in for the pre op. AT PRE OP, he mentions me leaving the country (for good) and he goes on to tell me that there are good doctors there and that I should be in good hands. He was conversational and everything was on course.
Let me also mention the time frames I was given-PA "youll be in 2 casts, each for 3 weeks and then a boot. . ." DOCTOR "You will be in 1 cast for six weeks and then a boot". So when he tells me during post op (2 wks later) xray that Id be in a cast for 4 weeks, I thought that Id be in the cast for 4 weeks and then a boot.
Back to now, I have no problem with my healing process in and of itself. What I DO have a problem with is him acting all brand new on me. He even acted as if he wouldnt have performed the surgery had he known my timetable. NUMBER ONE, talk to your PA. Better yet-TALK TO ME!!
Now im in another cast for 3 weeks because I need more healing. That puts me on the original time frame, IN THEORY but Ill get to that in a minute. So when I go back I should be in a boot and walking (he said walking but from what Ive read, I know its gradual and not all at once). I had no issues with him but now Im wondering why he cant be a little more specific about things and why is there no paperwork to chronicle what I should expect as far as healing/time frame. Now I know there is google and a wealth of information out there but im KINDA paying you sooooo. . .um, yeah.
So back to that time frame-and forgive me for being all over the place. He is going on vacation the week I should be getting this off and no one else can see me but him so that puts me off another week and keeps me in the cast for another month. That part was a bit irritating as well.
Now, Im not mad at all. I know that all things work together for his good and I want to heal and nicely as possible. What made it a big deal to me is how he responded to me as if we had never had the conversation. My husband and I talked about how the medical field is now so impersonal and thats to the detriment of the health field as we see it. Not the only detriment-just one of them.
He didnt even ask what color I wanted so now I have a blue cast. No biggie,lol.
Man, my leg and toes are soo peely!!! so gross. This cast is lower and it was so crusty. My toes were too and i put vaseline all over them and brushed it off. No itching still and its been 7 weeks so far if I include the pandages for two weeks. No real pain, just the irritation of the swelling. I continue to keep my foot elevated and use ice often. I also finally got ibuprofen 800mg and take that 3X daily. I keep the heavier stuff on hand but dont use it.
This time will fly by and I hope to meet a much more pleasant disposition after his week long vacation!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Its official
I HATE CRUTCHES
They didnt seem so bad in high school. But then again, in high school I had a fracture so it wasnt imperative that I use the them.
Yesterday I took the knee roller back. I couldnt bring myself to pay another 65 dollars for two more weeks of using it. Granted, I could have taken it for the entire month but I figured Id be ok as I was going to be in a boot. idk. Whats done is done at this point. My main thing now is waiting for this period where swelling is normal. Once that is gone, Ill feel so much better. Im dealing with it, though, because I know it is healing and I dont want to stop or slow that process with drugs. So when it gets to be bothersome I take the darvocet but since its not really for swelling I dont really bother. Actually, ice works much better for me in that regard.
So me and these crutches are going to be frenemies for quite awhile it would seem.I will definitely be getting back on my regiment of more healthy eating/drinking. I want my bones to heal expiditiously!
They didnt seem so bad in high school. But then again, in high school I had a fracture so it wasnt imperative that I use the them.
Yesterday I took the knee roller back. I couldnt bring myself to pay another 65 dollars for two more weeks of using it. Granted, I could have taken it for the entire month but I figured Id be ok as I was going to be in a boot. idk. Whats done is done at this point. My main thing now is waiting for this period where swelling is normal. Once that is gone, Ill feel so much better. Im dealing with it, though, because I know it is healing and I dont want to stop or slow that process with drugs. So when it gets to be bothersome I take the darvocet but since its not really for swelling I dont really bother. Actually, ice works much better for me in that regard.
So me and these crutches are going to be frenemies for quite awhile it would seem.I will definitely be getting back on my regiment of more healthy eating/drinking. I want my bones to heal expiditiously!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Bone healing
Im still doing well. I havent been taking my vitamins as regularly as I should but I am going to rectify that.
Today, Im just looking over some information about bone healing just to get an idea of what I can expect as far as this healing continues. Ive read some of this before but every search seems to turn up something different.
Talks about the stages of bone healing and what can help or hinder that process:
http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/Bone_Healing.htm
Great information on how to deal with swelling. This site explains in plain terms why you NEED swelling and how to deal with it (treat it) without halting the healing process. That was very important to me! :
http://www.betterbones.com/bonefracture/speedhealing.aspx
Quirky site but gives you a rough ESTIMATE on how long it may take bones to heal depending on where they are in the body:
http://www.doctorsecrets.com/your-bones/time-to-heal-broken-bone.htm
Gives a list of calcium rich foods and also lists other supplements that help with bone repair. Some of the information may be repeated but its important info if you want to heal!!!
http://www.foodandlife.com/healingbonesresearch.htm
Post op guidelines-weekly report of what should be happening: (im on track!!!!)
http://www.worksafebc.com/health_care_providers/Assets/PDF/ankle_fusions_bone%20grafts.pdf
Today, Im just looking over some information about bone healing just to get an idea of what I can expect as far as this healing continues. Ive read some of this before but every search seems to turn up something different.
Talks about the stages of bone healing and what can help or hinder that process:
http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/Bone_Healing.htm
Great information on how to deal with swelling. This site explains in plain terms why you NEED swelling and how to deal with it (treat it) without halting the healing process. That was very important to me! :
http://www.betterbones.com/bonefracture/speedhealing.aspx
Quirky site but gives you a rough ESTIMATE on how long it may take bones to heal depending on where they are in the body:
http://www.doctorsecrets.com/your-bones/time-to-heal-broken-bone.htm
Gives a list of calcium rich foods and also lists other supplements that help with bone repair. Some of the information may be repeated but its important info if you want to heal!!!
http://www.foodandlife.com/healingbonesresearch.htm
Post op guidelines-weekly report of what should be happening: (im on track!!!!)
http://www.worksafebc.com/health_care_providers/Assets/PDF/ankle_fusions_bone%20grafts.pdf
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