Foot surgery - lots of crutch-time

[Crankin]

Keep up the good work!

[Artista]

You're one tough cookie!

On another note, foot X-rays always crack me up with what looks like super-long toe-bones

[OakLeaf]

Glad you seem to be coping. Thanks for the update - keep healing!

[GLC1968]

I have another update!

Today I had my 4 week appointment after getting my hard cast. Thursday will be 6 weeks post surgery. He said I was healing well and he was impressed with my mobility in my foot. Today I got a walking boot instead of a hard cast!!

My orders are to swim, to walk as I can (slowly transitioning off the crutches over a period of 4 weeks) and that I can bike after a couple of weeks, but only on a trainer. My next appointment is in 6 weeks and he said that the last week before the appointment, I should try walking on soft surfaces without the boot if I feel up to it.

He also gave me a pass on physical therapy at this point suggesting that all of my own activity should be plenty. I'll need real therapy once the screws come out, but until then, I'm on my own.

Screws come out 3-4 months post surgery, so it'll be a while.

Oh, and strict orders to do NO running (or any impact) for likely 6 months, maybe up to 9 depending on how I do with the walking. Bummer. That means that there is one more race I need to cancel for 2012. And I would bet money that he veto's any plans for hiking this summer, too. I figure I'll ask about that at my next appointment.

All I know is that I cannot wait to go wash my foot and shave that leg!

[OakLeaf]

Yay!

[Veronica]

All I know is that I cannot wait to go wash my foot and shave that leg!

EWWWWWWW!!! Gross!

Mostly good news. Maybe you'll find he'll allow hiking on "easy" stuff.

Veronica

[ny biker]

Sounds like you're making good progress.

Enjoy the wash and shave.

[Crankin]

All your hard work has paid off.
Happy swimming.

[GLC1968]

Thanks all!

Update: the leg is now hair free and I've managed to slough off most of all the dead skin. That was pretty nasty though - I expected the hair but the skin was really, really weird to see!

I'm sitting here with a naked foot and it feels really odd. I feel kind of exposed. Funny.

I already have an appointment for a pedicure on Saturday. Priorities, right?

[jobob]

Yay! Small steps, grasshopper.

[pll]

Glad to read you are recovering smoothly. You had me laughing with the "sitting here with a naked foot"!

[GLC1968]

Another update:

I'm walking basically crutch free already. I was told to slowly transition to weight bearing while using both crutches, to weight bearing using one crutch to walking without the crutches, all while in the boot. All of this was supposed to take 4 -6 weeks. I was told to gauge my walking/efforts on pain. Even being perfectly honest with myself about the pain (and not trying to be too stoic or anything), I'm already walking. I can walk almost naturally in the boot with no crutches (did it for almost the entire weeked) already. I can even take partial steps without the boot on soft carpet. I SWEAR that I'm not in pain...so what gives? That seems way too early (not that I'm complaining).

I've been swimming a couple of times already too and that went quite well. I'm finding myself more limited by ankle pain due to weakness than I am by pain in the joint in question. Pushing off the wall with only my left foot felt completely natural and I didn't once have to even think about it, so that pleased me.

Tomorrow is two weeks post cast removal and I'm going to try putting on a cycling shoe and soft-peddling on the trainer. Eeek!

[emily_in_nc]

How wonderful that you are healing so fast! Obviously you know not to overdo it, but so long as you listen to your body, which it sounds like you are doing, then go for it!

[Blueberry]

Yay!! I'm so happy things are moving forward more quickly than expected. So long as you keep paying attention to your body - have fun!! You'll be back out there in no time!!

[OakLeaf]

Yay! Sounds good to me, but if you really don't think you should be progressing so fast, might be worth a call to your PT or surgeon?