i have been posting about my dislocated toe surgery and i could never understand why i didnt have pins in my toe. well, i saw my dr today and the surgery did not work. i knew it all a long. i now have to have another surgery with pins, but i have to wait until mid june. he will have to make an incision under my toe called a tendon transfer. i think i read on these boards a long time ago that under the toe does not give good results. september will be 4 years of different foot surgeries. this will be #7. i forgot to ask the dr about the results of this new surgery because i was in shock. my toe is too swollen for him to work on it and that is why i have to wait until june. there goes another summer without tennis or running. i called my husband after the appt. and told him the news. he wants to take me on a vacation to anywhere i want to go. i would like to think this is so wonderful, but where does one go when walking is terribly painful! sandals are not supportive enough. anyway, has anyone ever heard of this surgery and do you know about the incision under the toe? i think i need all the emotional help i can get. how much can a person take.

Girl, get thee on a cruise baby!! All you have to do is sit, look out at the ocean, drink and eat...and you don't have to leave your room! That's what I'd do :cool:

I'm so very very sorry you have to endure yet another surgery. I don't even know the words to say.....so very sorry. I hope this one will be the last.

Debbie I have been following your posts and I am so sorry to hear this.. do you trust this doctor? If he did not do it right the first time.. have you thought of getting a second opinion or at least thinking of having someone else do the surgery. Hard to trust someeone who did not do it right the first time.
I know nothing of the surgery you are scheduled for but in the meantime, reseach get all the info you can.
Having been unable to play tennis for the last two yrs because of surgery for tennis elbow and then my foot, I understand the frustration of not being able to do the things you love. I still feel that now from time to time.. feel bad that my friends and husband are going to tennis camp and I cannot go. But I have tried in the meantime to turn that into doing things I might never have done before..I took a stained glass class that I had always wanted to do..
I think sometimes we have to make lemonade out of lemons and make the best out of the moment.. hard to see when you have struggled for so long.
SO go on a cruise like icweiden suggested and be waited on.. and get your pshye prepared for another surgery and recovery. I wish you the very best and will monitor your progress....think about that second opinion..

I am so sorry for you. Please get a second opinion. If it wasn't done right the first time, I think that I would be afraid to have it done by the same doctor. We don't think how important our feet are to us until we have surgery. The recovery time is so long, just for what a person thinks is a simple procedure.
Jean

Debbie, Time for me to chime in! I have been following your posts and, in fact, all of the posts but do not post so much right now. However, I DID have a flexor tendon transfer and since you asked...I will speak up! I THINK?? that since your doctor is taking the plantar approach, he must be doing a plantar plate repair or at least be checking your plantar plate. I had my flexor tendon transfer done as part of my 2nd metatarsal shortening osteotomy. The flexor digitorum longus originates at the middle posterior surface of the tibia. It attaches to the distal phalanges of the 2nd through 5h toes. I don't want to explain too much of what you probably already know. BUT....the toes (2-5) have two joints the pip joint (proximal interphalangeal joint) and the dip joint (the distal interphalangeal joint) and they join the metatarsal at the metatarsal phalangeal joint (MPJ). I am explaining this because I need you to know that after the flexor tendon transfer, the toe will bend at the MPJ but not at the DIP or PIP joints! So the toe itself will move up and down but it will not bend in the toe joints themselves.

If your plantar plate is ruptured, you will need to have it repaired...hence the plantar approach. I did not have any pins. I did not have a plantar appraoch as I did not have a problem with the plantar plate. My 2nd met was shortened and the flexor tendon transfer was done to keep the toe from becoming floppy! Since I had an osteotomy at the same time, I was NWB.

I'm sorry you have to go through yet another surgery. You need to remember that foot surgery is an art. The biggest hope is to relieve pain. My foot is back to 90% and that is GREAT for me as it was only at about 30% before! I needed 4 surgeries but I am so very thrilled with the outcome. Even if your doctor is aggressive, you can shoose to take the laid back approach. There is no hurry (hahaha, I never would have believed that) but just get this done....take your time healing....keep a positive attitude (this IS the hardest but I have been there myself) and things WILL get better!

I can answer any questions you have but I am here tomorrow and then away from computer access until early next week. I would love to help in any way I can! Just try and remain positive....it is sometimes the biggest hurdle to overcome. Sophie:angel:

sophie, thanks for explaing this to me. it doesnt mean i fully understand this. there is some pain on the bottom of my foot, but plantar plate was never mentioned. i did not know the joint of the toe would not bend. i made an appt. with a dr from rush hospital in chicago for another opinion. sophie, you sound so much better and i am so glad to hear that. are you still in pain and how long is your recovery? i hope to be leaving this coming monday for aspen for a couple of days and then to los angeles for another couple of days to see my son. toward the end of may, my husband and i are going to the bahamas for a week. i love the beach and he likes gambling! i am trying to stay positive, but i am always reminded of pain when i walk. sophie again, you did not have pins and yet the surgery worked. i am trying to understand why my 1st surgery did not. i am so lucky to have all of you and i know i keep saying that, but its so true.

Debbie G: I, too, am so sorry to hear that you need another surgery. I haven't been on the boards for awhile but I have followed your threads over the last year. You have to be a pretty strong person to cope with all that you've had to deal with. I have to agree with the others. I would definitely recommend seeing another doctor (at this point, the best in the field).
I am still recovering from the implant removal. I'm walking in a shoe but I still experience some pain when I walk. Still can't wear a closed shoe unless it is wide and has a lot of give. I'm still believing that I will be 100% healed in the next few months. We have to stay positive. I've already turned it over to God and he is always faithful. God Bless and I wish you the very best. I hope this 7th surgery will be your last!:angel:

Debbie

I am so sorry you need surgery again:( I am happy for you though that you will be doing some travelling. I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing week with your husband in the Bahamas:) and enjoy your time with your son and Aspen.

Please keep us updated. My prayers are with you.:angel:

Hugs Nadine:)

Aww debbie :( I am awfully sorry to hear this, but in a way I am gad you haven't been left with this pain, even though it means more surgery, there is still hope, and I know you haven been given this so many times, at least you know you haven't reached a dead end with the pain in your toe still. I also understand that you can't fully enjoy your holiday while you are still in pain, but it was really nice of your husband to do that for you, there aren't many who I know of would do this.

I really hope this surgery works and is the last one. Please stay positive and enojy your holiday.

You will get there

:)

thanks all of you. i dont know how i am copeing. my 2nd opinion is may 15 before my husband and i go on vacation. i will let you know how that goes. i only hope i can walk through the airports and walk in aspen and LA. please keep your prayers with me. debbie

my prayers are also with you. very smart move to seek another opinion. I vote for a cruise with all the sun, fun, food, and being spoiled tremendously. Good luck