melissa1873
11-06-2008, 06:04 PM
I'm trying to find anyone who might be having a bunionectomy coming up or may have recently had one. I am getting the lapidus procedure which involves screws and cut bones and no weight bearing for quite some time. I'm not afraid or nervous of this surgery but I am anxious. I know that in the long run I'll be happier cuz I'll be able to do my runs again! However I am such an antsy person I am afraid I'll go nuts while I'm layed up! How do you keep yourself occupied...busy...active (the best you can) ??? I cant even sit two hours to watch a movie!
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RightFootMary
11-06-2008, 07:23 PM
Hi Melissa - I had a Lapidus plus an Aiken Oct 8th so I'm 4 weeks post op yesterday. Just went to the POD tonight. He said everything looks great and I can stop sleeping in the splint but I cannot go anywhere without the cam boot. I asked if I could wean off the crutches and he said not until he sees me in another 2 weeks. Oh well I've been this route before (2 years ago on other foot) so I kind of know the drill.
As they say "necessity is the mother of invention" so you manage to do what has to be done via unique means. I find a rolling office chair is my lifesaver in the kitchen. At least I can get some food by myself and do some cooking and wash dishes. I roll to wherever I want to be and then I stand and kneel on the chair.
I work as a secretary and I'm back at work. That takes some improvising. I have a tote bag that I use when I have to go to the copy machine and I do alot of rolling with my desk chair.
I found a shower bench to be a lifesaver also. I have a very small house with all the basic rooms on one floor which helps alot. I never thought I would be grateful that my house is so small.
Hope all goes well, post with any questions that you have. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Mary in NY:angel:
As they say "necessity is the mother of invention" so you manage to do what has to be done via unique means. I find a rolling office chair is my lifesaver in the kitchen. At least I can get some food by myself and do some cooking and wash dishes. I roll to wherever I want to be and then I stand and kneel on the chair.
I work as a secretary and I'm back at work. That takes some improvising. I have a tote bag that I use when I have to go to the copy machine and I do alot of rolling with my desk chair.
I found a shower bench to be a lifesaver also. I have a very small house with all the basic rooms on one floor which helps alot. I never thought I would be grateful that my house is so small.
Hope all goes well, post with any questions that you have. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Mary in NY:angel:
melissa1873
11-06-2008, 07:32 PM
How long did it take you to go back to work? How long were you on prescription pain killers? I cant go back to work until I'm off the prescriptions...thanks again!
RightFootMary
11-07-2008, 11:49 PM
Hi Melissa - surprisingly both times I really only used the pain pills the first couple of days. Actually the first day I used maybe 2-3 and the next day I just used one at night to sleep. After that I asked the dr if I could use Advil instead and he said I could use 3 Advil but only every 8 hours. that seemed to work well. The key is ice and elevation. the higher you can keep the foot the better. My family laughed at me because I laid on the loveseat and put my foot straight up against the back. Not a pretty picture but it sure made the foot feel good.
I was out of work only for 2 weeks. Since I could drive this time at the 2 week mark I asked the dr if I could go back to work since that was when he put me in the cam boot. I'm a secretary so I sit at a desk most of the time and my co-workers were great about getting me what I needed.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Mary
I was out of work only for 2 weeks. Since I could drive this time at the 2 week mark I asked the dr if I could go back to work since that was when he put me in the cam boot. I'm a secretary so I sit at a desk most of the time and my co-workers were great about getting me what I needed.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Mary
melissa1873
11-08-2008, 08:14 AM
I'm trying to get all my housework done and my house re-arranged before the 12th...and my last few cardio workouts in! I'm going to Hobby Lobby today to find something to occupy my time while I'm laying around so much. Hopefully I can find something to make my friends for Christmas. I have put a chair in the bathroom, a extra pair of crutches downstairs as well as a chair for when I do my laundry. I have stocked up on Advil and frozen dinners and got my most comfy pj's all ready for me - I think I'm set! ;-) I will follow dr advise to a tee cuz I want to heel as fast as I can...Have you been taking any calcium supplements? I read a couple of posts of people taking them and was wondering if it really encourages healing. I'm sure while I'm layed up I'll be on my laptop often giving updates to my status...I cant imagine I'm the only one in the world that was searching relentlessly for any information I could find about this surgery and reading everyone elses posts sure helped get me prepared! Thanks!!!
RightFootMary
11-08-2008, 12:56 PM
This is a great forum, very helpful. I knit and crochet so I got projects ready for when I was laid up. My husband's cousin was really sweet and brought us dinner the first night and left lots of DVDs for me to watch. I always take a calcium supplement every day (I'm 59 and was told by my GP and GYN). However my pod told me after the surgery that my bones are very soft so I'm a little concerned. He said when he works on bones he can tell if they are hard or soft, so now I'm diligent about taking 2 calcium pills a day.
I'm at the half way point (4+ weeks post op) to getting out of the cam boot and off the crutches. I don't want to rush things but I can't wait. Christmas is calling LOL!!
I'll be thinking about you on the 12th and waiting for updates. Take care.
Mary
I'm at the half way point (4+ weeks post op) to getting out of the cam boot and off the crutches. I don't want to rush things but I can't wait. Christmas is calling LOL!!
I'll be thinking about you on the 12th and waiting for updates. Take care.
Mary
debbie g
11-08-2008, 02:08 PM
good luck melissa. get books that are great, watch tv, make phone calls, have friends and family come over. most important rest.
summerluvr
11-10-2008, 03:23 PM
I am 6 months post lapidus.
Not much swelling anymore (if any) and a bit of pain when I wear tight, or very flat (ballerina slippers) shoes. normal sketchers and boots are fine as are running shoes and kitten heals. (i didn't wear heals much before anyway). My surgeon recomended arch supports as he said the pain I do feel is my foot getting used to its new shape.
The first two months are the hardest. (because of the swelling). After the first week the pain was not to bad. Able to just take tylenol (especially if you follow doctors orders and sit with your foot up) Going back to work at 4 weeks pain and swelling got worse because I was out and about, standing walking etc.
The scar is fading well, some parts I was concerned were going to keloid but they have smoothed out with my daily Bio Oil application.
I would say my foot is 95% healed :)
good luck.
I go back in January for my final check up (and to schedule the other foot!)
Not much swelling anymore (if any) and a bit of pain when I wear tight, or very flat (ballerina slippers) shoes. normal sketchers and boots are fine as are running shoes and kitten heals. (i didn't wear heals much before anyway). My surgeon recomended arch supports as he said the pain I do feel is my foot getting used to its new shape.
The first two months are the hardest. (because of the swelling). After the first week the pain was not to bad. Able to just take tylenol (especially if you follow doctors orders and sit with your foot up) Going back to work at 4 weeks pain and swelling got worse because I was out and about, standing walking etc.
The scar is fading well, some parts I was concerned were going to keloid but they have smoothed out with my daily Bio Oil application.
I would say my foot is 95% healed :)
good luck.
I go back in January for my final check up (and to schedule the other foot!)
melissa1873
11-10-2008, 09:34 PM
One more day before Lapidus surgery. Now I'm trying to figure out how I'm suppose to not gain weight while I'm layed up! Any other folks out there that worried about that? What did you do?
RightFootMary
11-11-2008, 11:38 AM
Hi Melissa - since I wasn't that active I wasn't starving and tried to limit my food. The first couple of days I slept a lot and basically ate so I could take my pain medication. Also my ability to just jump up and get a snack was limited so that helped. Maneuvering on the crutches I'm sure also burned up some calories! In fact I just weighed myself today (almost 5 weeks post-op) and my weight is exactly the same as it was and I should be able to walk in a couple weeks so I think I'm okay.
Good luck and post as soon as you feel up to it so we know how you are doing.
Mary:wave::wave:
Good luck and post as soon as you feel up to it so we know how you are doing.
Mary:wave::wave:
tesgq
11-20-2008, 07:21 PM
I am 6 months post lapidus.
Not much swelling anymore (if any) and a bit of pain when I wear tight, or very flat (ballerina slippers) shoes. normal sketchers and boots are fine as are running shoes and kitten heals. (i didn't wear heals much before anyway). My surgeon recomended arch supports as he said the pain I do feel is my foot getting used to its new shape.
The first two months are the hardest. (because of the swelling). After the first week the pain was not to bad. Able to just take tylenol (especially if you follow doctors orders and sit with your foot up) Going back to work at 4 weeks pain and swelling got worse because I was out and about, standing walking etc.
The scar is fading well, some parts I was concerned were going to keloid but they have smoothed out with my daily Bio Oil application.
I would say my foot is 95% healed :)
good luck.
I go back in January for my final check up (and to schedule the other foot!)
thank you for posting, at least, i am more embracing the consequences of the surgery. that is really encouraging that you are on your way to doing the other one. another reason not to be alarmed with the lenght of time for the swelling.
Not much swelling anymore (if any) and a bit of pain when I wear tight, or very flat (ballerina slippers) shoes. normal sketchers and boots are fine as are running shoes and kitten heals. (i didn't wear heals much before anyway). My surgeon recomended arch supports as he said the pain I do feel is my foot getting used to its new shape.
The first two months are the hardest. (because of the swelling). After the first week the pain was not to bad. Able to just take tylenol (especially if you follow doctors orders and sit with your foot up) Going back to work at 4 weeks pain and swelling got worse because I was out and about, standing walking etc.
The scar is fading well, some parts I was concerned were going to keloid but they have smoothed out with my daily Bio Oil application.
I would say my foot is 95% healed :)
good luck.
I go back in January for my final check up (and to schedule the other foot!)
thank you for posting, at least, i am more embracing the consequences of the surgery. that is really encouraging that you are on your way to doing the other one. another reason not to be alarmed with the lenght of time for the swelling.
tesgq
11-20-2008, 07:21 PM
I am 6 months post lapidus.
Not much swelling anymore (if any) and a bit of pain when I wear tight, or very flat (ballerina slippers) shoes. normal sketchers and boots are fine as are running shoes and kitten heals. (i didn't wear heals much before anyway). My surgeon recomended arch supports as he said the pain I do feel is my foot getting used to its new shape.
The first two months are the hardest. (because of the swelling). After the first week the pain was not to bad. Able to just take tylenol (especially if you follow doctors orders and sit with your foot up) Going back to work at 4 weeks pain and swelling got worse because I was out and about, standing walking etc.
The scar is fading well, some parts I was concerned were going to keloid but they have smoothed out with my daily Bio Oil application.
I would say my foot is 95% healed :)
good luck.
I go back in January for my final check up (and to schedule the other foot!)
thank you for posting, at least, i am more embracing the consequences of the surgery. that is really encouraging that you are on your way to doing the other one. another reason not to be alarmed with the lenght of time for the swelling.
Not much swelling anymore (if any) and a bit of pain when I wear tight, or very flat (ballerina slippers) shoes. normal sketchers and boots are fine as are running shoes and kitten heals. (i didn't wear heals much before anyway). My surgeon recomended arch supports as he said the pain I do feel is my foot getting used to its new shape.
The first two months are the hardest. (because of the swelling). After the first week the pain was not to bad. Able to just take tylenol (especially if you follow doctors orders and sit with your foot up) Going back to work at 4 weeks pain and swelling got worse because I was out and about, standing walking etc.
The scar is fading well, some parts I was concerned were going to keloid but they have smoothed out with my daily Bio Oil application.
I would say my foot is 95% healed :)
good luck.
I go back in January for my final check up (and to schedule the other foot!)
thank you for posting, at least, i am more embracing the consequences of the surgery. that is really encouraging that you are on your way to doing the other one. another reason not to be alarmed with the lenght of time for the swelling.