I have posted a number of times to you but don't know if you are reading them or not?? I feel as if I am starting all over again with the prospect of 8-12 more weeks of nwb. I'm kind of worried about what the cast will be like with the ports..I definitely know I won't be able to put my foot down with the contraption on the bottom. I haven't heard of anyone else who has had this!! A little panicked right now.

How have you been? Better, I presume, as you have not been around much lately. I'm so happy for you. Did you ever call your doctor? When is your next visit? Have you started PT or are you going to?

Please let me know you are still around as I feel like we started this venture together and even though I am back in the wheelchair I would like to let you know how this progresses. Sophie :angel:

And an extra added thank you to everyone else who have been so supportive!! I can't express my thanks enough. Worried but I know things will improve EVENTUALLY!!! No one truly understands unless they've been through it!!

Hi Sophie! :wave: Yep, I'm still around. ;) I suppose I'm not popping in quite as much as when I was pretty much house-bound, and we've been doing some "extra" homeschool stuff that needs my involvement more....(making up for lost time when I couldn't do much of ANYthing except what I could do from bed or recliner!) I'm able to get out and about now, and am doing better, though still have very definite pain at the place where 2 of the screws are, and expect that they may very well have to come out - it especially hurts anytime I put SHOES on, so that's definitely a bit INCONVENIENT!! :rolleyes: I can feel the shoes rubbing on the screws :eek: and that HURTS! I still have quite a limp, but I think that is slowly decreasing.

I haven't called doc back at all, as I know I'll probably need to wait a bit longer before we even consider removing screws... and he said the only other reason I'd need to call him is if I have worse pain or if the foot was still swelling a lot (it is, but...) and he'd send me to PT to have them try to help me get swelling down with some kind of massage, special exercises, etc. I may give him a call this week, to ask if he can send me for just one time, so they can show me what to do on my own, at home - since I homeschool our kids, it's nearly impossible for me to have (carve out!) time to go to PT more than a time or 2. When I call, I'll also ask how long before the screws can come out, if still painful at end of waiting-time. (Maybe I'll get really lucky and the pain will just fade away... but it sure doesn't feel like it right now) The foot still swells a LOT - all the way up past my ankle - especially more as the day goes on, and I still have just one pair of tennies that I can wear (because I bought a second pair in a size larger to accomodate the swollen foot) - though I think I'm getting closer to being able to get a 'normal' shoe on - I can now get my slippers on both feet, and have one pair of flat dress shoes that I can SQUEEZE the foot into... painfully... (can't WEAR them for any more than 2-3 minutes though, as the one is very painful right across 2 of my 3 incisions/scars) :rolleyes: Hope that gets better.

I almost posted the other day (then got side-tracked) that I finally got back on my treadmill for the first time since the day before surgery (11/12/05). I made it a whole whopping 7 minutes, at the incredible, lightning-fast speed of 1.5 m.p.h.! ROFLOL!! Today I managed 13 (painful!) minutes at 1.7 m.p.h. I'm hoping to increase minutes and speed a bit each couple days. I might try to do it 2-3 times a day, in small increments, until I can work up to tolerating it for longer periods. It's the pain at the screw sites from mid-foot fusion (*mostly* that), and some from the screw at the base of my big toe, that is really keeping me from doing more. I don't notice any pain at all from the area of osteotomy and screw on 2nd metatarsal - which is nice!

When I consider where I was at just a few weeks ago, and where others are now (and still) going through the worst parts, I feel pretty thankful to have the improvement that I do. And very, very thankful that I didn't have to start a second stint NWB like you... I'm so very sorry that you have to go through this for so much longer! :( I know it must be discouraging - I can only imagine how frustrating it would be. But, like you said, EVENTUALLY, it will be over for you, too, and you'll be glad you had it done (and EXTRA-glad to be DONE with it!!) ;)

Has your bone stimulator gotten approved yet? And are looking at possibly needing surgery on the other foot at some point? I know I'm going to end up needing pretty much the same thing on my right foot, but am determined to stall that AS LONG AS POSSIBLE right now. I really, really, REALLY do NOT want to do this, EVER again! I think this was almost as bad as my first spine fusion, which was really pretty bad. At least with that I was able to be up and around - in fact, the more walking, the better. But with the FOOT, it's absolutely MISERABLE to be up and around AT ALL, due to the awful, painful swelling. :(

Well, I need to haul my gimpy self to bed, as I have to get up EARLY to bring daughter to figure-skating - then I'll probably go back to bed!! :D

I hope you can get your new cast and stimulator soon, so you can get fixed up and be done with the foot!

Have a wonderful week-end!
JD

JD I am so happy that you are up and about. I cannot believe that you are on the treadmill! That's great. I can only dream of using that piece of equipment. I can use a stationary bike and total gym. This seems to work well.

I had my MBA Implant out Thursday. This monring, I have started with the pounding, you know when the block and anesthesia wears off. I will live, we alway do. Yesterday I think I slept all day. I started to watch a movie at 9:00 am then fell asleep, I did not get up until 5:00 pm. Holy Cow!! felt good until the pounding started again. I took another pill and got the Ice Pack going. On the happy side of things, I stood up and took a step today. The surgical site hurts a lot, but the severe burning that I had from the implant is gone. YE HA. Maybe I will be a walking person. The doctor said that "we" will take it slow and work on this together. Before I was put under he said " AND YES, I know you want to walk. I gave him the thumbs up and then fell asleep. LOL

Hi Wtcwct! :wave: :D

I'm glad to hear your surgery is over, and sounds like it will help - from the lack of burning pain you mentioned - that's a good sign, right? Your doc sounds great - helpful and nice! Slept all day, huh?? You must have been up dancing all night the night before....?? LOL! Are you able to walk on the foot at all or on crutches? (Sorry, I'm ignorant when it comes to that kind of surgery). I hope you see much improvement! Now take it easy and make everyone wait on you for a while! :D

Thanks for popping in and saying hi!

JD

Wtwct, So happy to hear that everything went well for you!! Hopefully when you are awake more often and not in so much pain you can post again. Are you still going to Baltimore? Is it for this foot, the other or both? Isn't it nice to have a caring and competant doctor!! Hope your day is OK. Sophie :angel:

JD, I'm still waiting for authorization. It's been two weeks but I spoke to the doctor and the rep last week and they are hoping to get it early this week so I have a "tentative" appointment for Thursday. I'll keep you posted. Sophie :angel:

Hey, Good morning! Well, I got the news yesterday that I have been denied the bone stimulator at this point because three months has not passed since surgery. It's normal for most insurance companies to have the 3 month rule (as that is the definition of delayed union) but I had specifically asked about that during one of my phone calls to the insurance and was assured that was not so...in my case. Well, I guess it all depends who you talk to!! I am bound and determined to remain positive!! My doc said he was not surprised. I have been recasted nwb again for another 4 weeks and then we will check with xrays for healing. Maybe it will heal, but if not, we can reapply for the bone stimulator. I even joked with him about buying it on Ebay (they have them) but he said wait and, if necessary, he WILL get it APPROVED!! At least I won't have to haul it through the airport!! The foot was still sore but not nearly as swollen as I haven't been walking on it. So four more weeks it is and then we'll see. Hope everyone is having a great day! Sophie :angel:

Aauck!! Well, Phooey! I'm sorry they denied it, Sophie - how frustrating! That just means this will drag out as long as possible for you before they will cover it - I hate that an insurance company can deny something that your dr. feels is medically necessary! :rolleyes: Is there an appeals process you (or your doc) can go through? Usually there is, I think. I had to appeal a decision by my insurance co. a couple years ago - all it took was one phone-call and one well-worded letter to their benefits administrator (the appeal person) explaining what was needed, and why other choices were not acceptable - got approved less than a week after I mailed it! It had to do with them approving an out-of-network dr., as my "First Choice" network (who makes special "low-price" deals with ins. co.s) did not have a qualified pain-management specialist. My PM doc *had* previously been in their network, then decided to go independant, and ins. co. tried telling me they would not pay for me to see him anymore... I asked why, just because they were no longer getting special "discounts" for his services, I couldn't continue to see him, and asked them how they felt about me calling the state insurance commissioner to look at the case, and boy did they approve me fast!! :D :D

It sounds like your doc will definitely go to bat for you if needed, but I'm sorry it may drag out longer for you! :( Maybe, though, the foot will continue healing sufficiently in the next few weeks so that it may not be needed after all...?? That would sure be great, huh?? (And not having to lug the thing around when you travel *will* probably be nicer...) When do you go again? Will you have a long flight?

Hope you're having a good restful night! :yawn:

JD

I am not planning an appeal as I do understand the 3 month wait for a diagnosis of delayed union. ***Maybe*** it'll heal and I will be done. My trip is mid February and I am actually taking two flights the first being about 6 hours and transiting the windy city...somewhere close to your neck of the woods I think and then to the great white north for a family reunion. Right now the great white north is not too cold or white and I certainly hope it stays that way :bouncing: ...I haven't had to deal with snow and ice just constant wet!! The doctor changed my cast on Monday and it is SOOO much more comfortable as my foot is not twisted like it was. In fact he didn't realize he had done that, I think, and had to have his assistant hold my foot over in the correct position as it was twisting weird. :eek: So the motrin level has dropped again. It's been 11 weeks almost and I'm getting quite used to the crutches...my arms are quite strong but my legs really need some work...too bad I don't have a total gym or something....can I go to a gym with a cast on...(oh, I'd have to get a ride). Have a great day, everyone. Sophie :angel:

Hey Sophie! :wave: Would "The Great White North" be anywhere near MN or ND?? I'm in Midwestern MN - very close to Fargo, ND.

Wow - sounds like it'll be a LONG day of traveling! :eek: I hope it goes well for you!

Boy, I feel for ya, having to be on crutches for SOOooo long! :( Being able to walk on BOTH feet again is such a relief! I now really, really appreciate having two feet! ;) I'm just starting to lose the calluses on the heels of my hands.

Hope you're having a decent day!
JD

Hey JD, Actually across the border to the land of igloos and mounties...I always have to laugh when I hear people think we still live in igloos. So happy to hear that you are doing so much better. My next appointment is not until the end of February...how about you? Sophie :angel:

PS Thanks for sticking around....we both have to be sure things turn out ok for wtwct! :D

I ordered the wheelchair from the airline. They were sure friendly. Also managed to get a bulkhead seat for 3 of the 4 flights!! I'm so looking forward to my trip. Seems the snow is starting to fall. I'm a little worried about the crutches (nwb) and the snow issue. :eek: My foot is kind of sore but I'm trying to ignore that. Just staying off it and hoping for the best. Having some (what I call) phantom pains in my ankle...they can't really be pains because there is nothing wrong with my ankle...or at least there wasn't!

JD, When do you go back to the doctor? Has your swelling started to calm down now? I guess you're back to being really busy with the kids. I can't wait for the day when we can look back and say...Remember when we had that foot surgery... :bouncing: Hope you're having a great day! Sophie :angel:

Hi Sophie! :wave: Wow - your trip is coming up fast, isn't it?? (Time flies... ;) ) FOUR flights! :eek: All those connections! I sure hope your first few flights are on time! Make sure you pack a full day's worth of sandwiches, snacks, water, fruit, etc., in case any flights are delayed and you don't have time to eat between flights. We discovered, 2 years ago when we went to Florida, that actual meals on flights are pretty rare these days, and we had planned to eat lunch during a 2-hour layover, but because the plane was late, we had NO layover, and just barely made our connecting flight. My poor son, then aged 7, was so hungry by the time we got to Florida that the poor kid was in tears - even though I had brought snacks - apparently I just didn't bring enough, because I really counted on that lunch-layover. :( With 3-4 connections to make, your chances of something similar happening are pretty good (well, bad, actually, but you know what I mean, right?) ;)

Actually, I don't need to have another appointment with my pod, unless or until I decide that I want/need the screws out (which I still think will have to happen, as they are definitely giving me problems - the ones at the mid-foot fusion - the one in 2nd metatarsal doesn't bother at all, and the one at the toe-end of the 1st metatarsal is okay, I think. I still get pain at that location, but not anywhere near what I'm having at the mid-foot area.). BUT, one bright side is that the swelling, though still definitely present - especially later in the day - is reduced. I now have 2 pairs of shoes that I can actually wear/get on. I'm still wearing the one shoe a size larger, as my regular size is still so tight that it hurts before too long. I change my mind every-other day about calling him and asking for PT referral (he would do it in a hearbeat - he told me to let him know if I still had swelling, and he'd set it up). I just keep thinking it's getting better, (even though very slowly), and that I really don't have time to go do PT when I have a pretty good idea what they'd have me doing, and I'm doing it on my own anyway, so why waste the time (and money!) I've read about the PT stuff that others have listed here, and am using that for guideline. My foot is definitely improved over a few weeks ago, and my limp is getting less every week - it is not very noticeable now at all, except when I'm having a bit of a flare-up, which I expect is probably pretty normal - I'm not too worried about that. I"ve even been able to be on my treadmill 3-4 times a week - though still slow and not for my normal 40 minutes - I am making progress. :D

Do you have any way to have a wheelchair available for you when you get to your destination? If so, you probably could really avoid almost all outdoor "crutching" - I know when I had to go to dr. appointments, right after we had major ice-storm (and solid ice hung around for at least a MONTH! :eek: ), I would use the wheelchair from house to car, and from car to clinic - rarely had to take more than one or 2 steps with the crutches (which was a GOOD thing, 'cuz I discovered I was a real crutch-CLUTZ!! :D Maybe your relatives know someone who might have one they could borrow for the time you're there? Or perhaps there is an agency similar to Easter Seals, there, who would let you use one for the duration of your visit? (Or maybe the airline would transport your wheelchair for you?? Did you ask about that?) Crutches and ice/snow are definitely a NIGHTMARE! I'd do ANYthing I could to avoid that.

When do you go back to dr.? I sure hope your osteotomy is HEALING/FUSING so you don't have to stay NWB even LONGER! You are taking lots of calcium with vitamin D, right??? ;)

Have a great night!
JD

Hey JD, I'm so glad things are going better for you. I actually only have 2 flight segments either way for a total of 4...so it shouldn't be too bad. My video STILL hasn't arrived. It's been almost 3 weeks so I phoned the company and they are going to resend it. :bouncing: They said I should have it by next Tuesday!! Don't know what happened with the first one. I can't wait to start the exercises!! My foot is not nearly as sore right now. The stabbing pain sometimes comes when I get into bed at night but I have been VERY GOOD about the nwb. Tried one or two times to just stand on the foot but it swells immediately in the cast...don't really know if that's a bone issue or a cast issue :eek: ???? Only 19 days until bone stimulator decision time!!!
Have a great day! Sophie :angel:

My video arrived late today. I'll wait and try to watch it tomorrow(why do I say try...it's not like my plate is so full!). My foot is still sore...not quite sure what's happening under the cast. My toes are freezing cold most of the time. Right now my foot is throbbing and swollen...not sure why it acts up like that. Four more days until my big trip. It seems like it'll take longer to get there and back than the length of time we'll actually be there. Still I'm looking forward to the change of scenery. Hope you're having a good day. Sophie :angel:

Hey Sophie! :wave: Nice to hear from you - and I'm glad your video FINALLY arrived!! :bouncing:

Sorry to hear that your foot is throbbing again - I sure do hope that it starts to improve for you - SOON!! Does it still help to elevate it at this point? (It does for me - helps decrease swelling that I'm still getting) I can only imagine how frustrated you must be by now. :( Your 3-month mark must be coming up pretty soon, isn't it? I was exactly 3 months yesterday, and our surgeries were pretty close together, right? Do you see your dr. then soon after you get home from trip? I do hope that things are healing up for you in there, and that perhaps you won't need that bone stimulator after all, but if you do, I sure hope your insurance co. doesn't give you further grief! If they do, let me know and I'll come and pound on them for you! ;)

I hope you have a great trip!

JD

Thanks, JD!! :bouncing: I'm so looking forward to a change of scenery!! It's 3 months for me on Saturday (13 weeks...reminds me of a pregnancy timeline!!). I go back to see my doc at the end of next week and will let you know what the outcome of that appointment is. Take care...thanks so much for staying in touch! Sophie :angel:

PS Iseem to have a strange hurting pulling sensation on the bottom of my foot right under the arch. Since that is right where my osteotomy is...I don't know if it is related to that or the long casting time. Feels more like a muscle kind of pain. Any thoughts?? Also my second toe still feels quite numb and doesn't bend (hard to do with the cast on anyway!). Do you have any trouble with bending that toe?

Arrrggghhh!! Can't work the vcr!! We have only watched dvds for so long, I don't think there are cables to the vcr. I guess the exercise video is out for today (where are those kids when you need technical help...school of course!!)