Week 13

So Im getting about 100 readers per month. That tells me that people want to know about this deformity and about the surgery. I hope that blog is helping you guys-even if you arent saying anything,lol. I promise I dont bite. Right Amy?

Differences between my last update (9 weeks) and now?

• occasional discomfort
• walking more
• no need to readjust 'bubbles' in boot so maybe that has to do with less swelling
• big toe still sensitive,not numb but close to that feeling. I dont like it touched so no pedis for me
• have NOT walked on it without a boot. Will wear skechers shape ups sandals after Im dont with boot
• regular ibuprofen works fine but I take the prescribed ones if Im going to be doing a lot of walking
• still a little foot peeling-on heal and by big toe
• It is difficult to walk up or down stairs. I do it sideways
• no crutches but a cane would be helpful

I think thats it. Just wanted to update my status and progress. I havent been doing the 3 exercises with my ankle and calf daily but the doc said I didnt need physical therapy so its no biggie.

*I am still taking my bone health supplements because I wasnt taking them when I was supposed to so I have a lot left. FYI, they are horse pills and you (or I) have to eat with them or they will make you sick. At least thats my experience with most vitamins. And I think they make your nails grow.

If you are reading this and will be getting a procedure soon or have just gotten it-GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING and read about how to aide your body in the healing process. It has been my experience that this doesnt have to be such a bad experience as it has been for others. I have been blessed to go through this process with ease and I wish the same for you (or someone you know). God has given us everything we need on this earth. There are supplements you can take to  help relieve pain and to help your bones heal (coupled with a diet change and listening to your doctor).

HAPPY HEALING!

Week in review

Its been awhile since Ive written. Ive been meaning to. Even opening the page and posting a title but thats as far as Ive gone. So I will be recapping the last week because it definitely had its' highs and lows.

MONDAY-Monday I began to feel a little sick each time I got up to use the restroom. I put it off as nothing and continued taking my perc and sleeping on and off like a baby. I thought that maybe I wasnt eating enough with the meds so I tried eating more although I didnt really have a appetite. I was eating every few hours but it was only by a little.

TUESDAY-same dull-little achy-feeling but mostly when I had to get up to use the restroom. Im started to get irritated. Well, not so much irritated as antsy about laying in bed for SO LONG. ugggghhhh. Its only been since Friday so I told myself I shouldnt even bother counting because it made the idea even worse,lol. I would color occasionally but always ended up back at the internet either surfing or watching tv/movies online.

WEDNESDAY-ok. I cant take it anymore. The pain isnt severe based on what my idea of severe is but Im not saying much. Staying strong, being still. Thought about calling about meds but thought that MAYBE, I should just eat more. Later that day though, after they are closed OF COURSE, I couldnt take it anymore. I was in tears although I do think a part of it was that Id been in this room-in this bed-for so long. For a brief amount of time I think I was actually going crazy. I think I got 3 or 4 hours of sleep that night. Man, it was definitely rough!

THURSDAY-called the doc 1st thing that morning. Had to leave message and they call you back. He missed the call back so now its cat and mouse :-(. I called too and left message about nausea and he called me in hydro instead of oxy as well as some phenergan. MAN, DID I LOVE HIM. So this conversation was at around 12 and he said itd be in in a couple of hours. 6 hours and MANY calls to Walgreens later, I had my medicine. I was soooo happy to get it!!!!!!!! I felt like myself again. Like I had before all this craziness.

***insert*** I realize that this entry is mostly about my stomach when I actually had an operation on my ankle so I should only make sure to address THAT feeling. It was painful but not much higher in degree than when it was really hurting me from doing strenuous activities-or even wearing heels for an evening/night.
Monday and Tuesday I took half pills and 1 whole at night so I dont think it was THAT bad at first because of that. By the time Wednesday came, I refused to take them anymore and I just lay there taking the pain. I didnt want to add anything to my stomach besides food and water because the pain was that bad and I was afraid to make it worse.

FRIDAY-back to normal. My family came down to see me, to bring me home cooked food, and to buy me a few things. I was very grateful as it saved me quite a few dollars. My granny even brought me back some flowers and I wanted some too!!! I told my husband, "That's why shes my favorite person",lol.
The pain was still there and I was napping on and off but mostly while they went out to the store(s). They left and I slept the night away.

SATURDAY-good day. I felt like myself again. I got up from time to time just to get some things for myself. Not much pain to speak of besides a couple firey like shootings up my foot. I keep ice handy so that I can put it on my ankle on either side, sometimes on the bottom. I continue to do TOES ABOVE NOSE -drs orders.

SUNDAY-Feel good Sunday as well. Last Sunday I was joking about being able to go to church. This Sunday, I dont think I could go if someone payed me even though I still feel much better and even emptied. filled, and ran the dishwasher today and yesterday.

MONDAY-I cant take this sweaty, feverish smell! Im tired of sponge baths. Ive had a slight fever (99.+) today and yesterday. Sponge baths are not working anymore and I NEED to sit in some water. ok, how am I going to work this??? I sit sideways in the tub-legs hanging over side-and ease myself down and then run the water. We took turns washing parts of my body before I let the water out to dry off. We dried me off and he had to get in to get me out. So worth it-I feel like new $$,lol.

TODAY:
again in the kitchen straightening some things-ugh. I had 1 pain pill=actually 1/2 since this morning. I know that a small fever is good for me but I tire of being a bit chilly. I dont get as tired when Im up initially. I continue to take vitamins. Just used the last of my symphytum so I have to go get more. I only needed to take arnica for 10 days. I was drinking so much water-I need to get back on that.
I have two days-more like one-before going for the follow up. I am expecting miraculous news. And maybe more meds? lol

worst part thus far

Ok, so Im taking these percs and if I take a guess Id say my eating is somewhere between a bird and a horse. Big gap, I know. I haven't really been keeping track but I think Ive been eating a little more often but not as much as I usually eat and I think it is posing a problem.
When I get up, I feel nauseas. I HATE it1! and Im not up for long-restroom breaks, brushing teeth, washing face. Normal things.My stomach hurts and it makes me not want to take the meds. In my opinion, the pain in my ankle isn't unbearable. It's more irritating than anything. Surgery was Friday and it is Tuesday. The past couple days I got off my regiment of 2 pills every 4 (or 3.5) hours. 325 mgs.
But I started feeling better and I guess forgot that I'd had SURGERY and that I should continue taking meds as scheduled. Now, it was my option as to whether to take 1 or 2 and I needed to start at two. But rather than go to 1 and then 2 at dinner, I was actually able to take 1/2 and be ok. I actually felt good during the day. Keep in mind that I am also taking my homeopathic remedies so that has something to do with that I'm sure.
BUT, and yes there is a but, I shouldnt have done 1/2 AND gone more than 4 hours w/o medication. Part of the reason I was ok with it is because the meds also delay healing as some inflammation is a healthy part of healing. Tossing and turning, however, definitely counteract the process of healing and last night I had little to no sleep.
Add to that bad dreams that could possibly be coming from the meds and youve got a groggy, nauseas person. I even woke up calling Thomas' name to come and help me,lol.
So I sit here now rearranging my body and want-NEED- to eat a bigger meal than I have been.
This morning at 6 am he made me breakfast. I was so thankful to have a husband who did so willingly even though the pancakes were gummy and the eggs had salt in them and he KNOWS I dont put salt in my eggs (ever). But yet he "has" to have it even though he never seems to miss it when I make the eggs, which is most often!
But back to the point,lol. I had half the 3 pancakes and and 2 scrambled eggs. I took 2 percs and went to sleep. Woke up at 11ish and had cream of wheat and took 1 perc and layed down. shortly after getting up, I feel that sickness again. I recently took my "green drink" and will be eating some fruit. Soon he will be going to get us a SUB sandwich and i HOPE its goooood, and that it fills me up!

I know that I have a loooong way to go as this is just day 5 but I would think the initial part, right after surgery is the worst. 2nd would be starting to walk again. But I cant put the cart before the horse so I live right where I am and I have great faith that my bones are healing even as I type this.
*and if this is your first blog, go back to the beginning where I talk about homeopathy and natural healing*
But yeah, I used to wonder about faith but now I understand what the verse means that says "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word. . ." because my faith has definitely grown by leaps and bounds.

SIDE NOTE: Be careful of handing tumeric-it stains white things, including your MAC computer keys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ugh!

Um, yeah, I have to go wash my face mask off because when I do get my cast in 9 days, I WILL be wearing makeup/eyeshadow again because I will have been laid up in bed looking HORRIBLE for 2 weeks.

A bit of a turn around

It is still the day after but the pain has gotten better. It wasn't unbearable but it has become less painful between dosages. I continue to take Bromelain & Tumeric 3-4 times a day as well as Arnica 6 times a day and Symphytum 4 times a day. I do believe that has helped with the level of pain I feel along with constant elevation and ice packs being placed beside or on my ankle.I have been on 2 Percocets per dosage and hope to be on 1 tomorrow. I will see how that goes. I am able to sleep well and I have not been nauseated from the meds.

Its getting real

On a scale of 1-10, my pain level is at a 7. There are some differences to be noted, however. I know that this throbbing is temporary and it means that I am healing-unlike before. Also, hmmmm. Maybe thats the only difference,lol. Its not unbearable and I hope it doesnt become so. I have 14 minutes before I can take my next set of Percocets.
I am currently laying up with 2 ice packs wrapped in a grocery bag and inside a towel on my wraps. Its taking its time getting through but anything will help. In a perfect world, my leg could stay numb AND heal. In this world, I lay here with a throbbing ankle in the hopes that the meds melt as swiftly as possible and provide relief for more than what feels like a minute.

The morning after

I woke up at 220 to pain and called my husband only to be told it wasnt time for medicine yet. I took my other supplements and dosed off to sleep. Ive been waking up off and on as there is only so much sleep I can get when on my back with my leg in the air. The pain is on excruciating but it definitely is sore and kind of painful. I think that my current mode of thinking is that this will be the last of the throbbing pain that sometimes exists for no reason so im cool with this.
I can wiggle all my toes slightly now so the block has all but worn off. The pain that I am feeling is in the deep part of my ankle-where I would feel the pain otherwise. I think that up until this point, the most uncomfortable thing is laying on my back with my leg in the air.
Ive still been getting up to use the restroom. Ive been drinking so much water that I have to get up frequently but they say its necessary to provide the body with the tools it needs to heal.
Im going to drift off now. . .

So far,so good

I had surgery at about 845 this morning. I wasn't nervous or anything. I prayed in between nurse visits and preparatory shots. They gave me an IV and came back for a block behind my knee. I was a little sleepy and  was kind of in and out when they took me to the operating room. I remember talking to them about Abu Dhabi and how so many people were going from so many fields and then. . .I remember the nurse waking me in the recovery room. I was sleeping so well and probably would have opted to stay there had it been a free choice,lol.
I understand why they say no food or drink because I was rather nauseous. I kept trying to throw up but nothing would come up. Initially, I opted for some ginger ale but relented and got a shot later. Good thing I did because Im sure my ride home would have been even worse had I not done so.
Got home ok and went straight to bed. Family dropped in to see me and Thomas has been taking care of me. I ate soup around 2 (I think) and began eating regular food around 5, which consisted of corn on the cob, pasta salad, and fruit salad. I began taking the pain meds (perc) around 5 I think, so that they would be in my system. He said the nurse told him to,idk. At that time, my foot was still numb and I didnt feel anything save a little pressure now and again.
I drifted in and out of consciousness and tried to color but only managed to do a little. After taking the meds I have about 15 minutes before Im basically out again. Im using one of those times to type this. Its 240 am now and I started to feel a little something in my foot about 11:00. I felt something more when I woke up 20 mins ago and called for him to bring me more meds and water.
Ive been drinking LOTS of water. Ive also been taking my bromelain and tumeric as well as my arnica, keeping my foot elevated, and eating a pretty healthy diet. I will be drinking a green juice/superfood for breakfast in the morning. I wonder how I will feel tomorrow. Whether the pain will be more than this. Tomorrow, I will begin taking my other vitamins for bone health. The process is beginning.

Post surgery healing

Vitamins & Supplements you can take Post Surgery to promote healing:

Vitamin C (ester): helps support the immune system, acting as an antioxidant to hasten recovery. Ester C is vital for wound healing and repair and growth of tissues damaged by surgery. Vitamin C also eliminates toxins, protects the body from infection by enhancing the immune system, and counteracts tissue-damaging free radical molecules generated during stressful situations.

Vitamin A: help fight infection and speed recovery after surgery (use according to your doctor's instructions).

Vitamin B (complex): supports proper protein metabolism and cellular energy production, crucial for healthy tissue repair and efficient cellular function.

Vitamin K: helps reduce post-operative bruising and internal bruising.

Selenium: A mineral, which, in combination with other compounds, can be used to speed recovery.

Bromelain: A natural pineapple enzyme that helps reduce post-operative bruising and swelling, lessen postoperative pain, and help accelerate healing.

Zinc: Zinc promotes the healing of wounds, plays a big role in the repair and maintenance of healthy cells

Amino Acids: Certain amino acids, especially L-arginine and L-Glutamine, are crucial for healthy tissue formation during healing.

Bioflavonoids: Quercetin, rutin, and other plant flavonoids help protect capillaries against damage, strengthen tissues, and can reduce bruising.

Enzymes: Protein-specific enzymes such as bromelain and papain assist the body’s natural ability to control inflammation and swelling.

Natural Healing Remedies*:

Arnica: reduces inflammation and swelling.

Meadowsweet: an herb which has been used for centuries by herbalists to treat fever and pain by a natural chemical similar to the pharmaceutical aspirin. Meadowsweet has pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties without side effects such as stomach ulcers.

Comfrey: contains allantoin - a chemical that encourages bone, cartilage and muscle cells to grow.

Supplements to avoid before and after surgery:
Bilberry
Cayenne
Echinacea
Garlic
Ginger
Gingko Biloba
Ginseng
Kava Kava
St. John’s Wort
Valerian Botanical
Vitamin E
Vitamin K

http://www.wellsphere.com/complementary-alternative-medicine-article/surgery-recovery-best-ways-to-promote-natural-healing-and-a-speedier-recovery/400054