For most of you, the lap top probably comes easy: for me, it’s about as awkward to juggle as finding the right pillow positions to keep my ol foot elevated and butt cozy. Am sure this too will get easier. Thanks for all your nice replies, encouragement and support. I’m using the Roller Aid most of the time, however it doesn’t scoot too easily on carpet – still better than crutches though. And yes, I’m knitting away on baby blanket: Probably should of picked a FAT yarn for my first project, but wanted this to be extra soft for my new little granddaughter. Am about ½ done now – and it’s amazing how much time I have with hands while in bed. Did any of you find that reading required more concentration than TV after surgery? That’s where the knitting comes in. I’ve been given gobs of books and magazines, but even though I’ve practically eliminated the drugs, I can’t seem to focus yet. Since I’ve got about 9 more weeks tied to the bed, guess the reading time will surface soon. Last night I caught a pin from foot on one of the pillows that has foot propped up at end of bed, and this scared me – couldn’t shake it loose. Speaking of the foot pins: can someone tell me what happens when they are removed? Does the doctor deaden the toes at all before pulling them out? Or is this just another huge pain to look forward to at the end of recovery? I go for 10-day check up on Tuesday the 5th, and am wondering if bandage will be removed for x-ray? It feels rather “roomy” on foot, ankle & leg now, which I am guessing is because some of the swelling has gone down. Am still using ice machine a few times each day – how long will this be necessary? When did you all feel comfortable staying out of bed the majority of day? Lot’s of questions, so I hope some of you have experienced enough to shed some light here. I’ll keep popping in, reading and posting. HAPPY FORTH OF JULY to all of you. There will be no parade this year for me, and I certainly hope no fireworks near the bed !! HA HA…. All for now, GG ((~.~))
GG--It took me a while to have interest in reading too. It will come. As for pin removal, I think it depends on how big they are and where they are. Mine were big and coming out the end of my hammertoe. Both times the doc numbed my foot. The shots are painful but the pin was 5-1/4 inches long so I was happy I was numb. The removal didn't hurt after the numbing. It was a little sore after it came back to life but nothing like the initial pain post op. Some docs just pull the pins out and more than one person has said it doesn't hurt but the pins are probably different sizes and in different positions. Yes, you bandages will be changed for each visit. I didn't have x-rays after 10 days but if you do, they will remove the bandage. I didn't stay in my bedroom except to sleep. I have an incliner in my sofa and spent the day in my family room and nights in my bedroom. I would catch or bump my pins all the time. It smarts but I would think you'd have to bang it pretty hard to do any damage.
I'm two months post op and there will be no parade for me either!!
Linda
I admit I have become an avid tv watcher, and during the past 3 months - I watch a LOT and read a little. I didn't have removable pins, so glad Linda was able to share her experience.
I have a two story house, so I stayed upstairs all day & night (had my Tivo & dvd there). After the 5 days, I felt comfortable enough to slide down stairs to grab a bite, and I'd crawl back upstairs. After 2 full weeks, I was able to change my sheets, and do a load of laundry, and wipe the counters a bit. I think that at about 3 weeks post op, I didn't have a problem staying downstairs for an hour or so, a few times a day and I could walk up and down the stairs okay holding onto the railing. I did not do any heavy cleaning yet. By the end of 4 weeks, I was able to do LIGHT house cleaning for an hour or so, and taking long breaks.
I am now 3 months post op first foot, and 6½ weeks post op 2nd foot. Foot #2 has been easier, less swelling & pain. I used my ice machine for foot #1 all day and night, as it helped so much for 6 weeks. Foot #2, I used it half as much and by 3 weeks, only a couple times a day after I was up and about.
Yesterday I went to church, came home and spent a 2½ hours cleaning, and than went shopping for 2 hours. Both my feet hurt and both were swollen, and I do walk with a limp. Foot#2 felt like it was going to explode. I iced and elevated and was okay in an hour.
Conclusion - it takes a LONG time to recover compared to other types of surgeries (I have had 7 other surgeries w/ 3 of them major). It's hard because I feel fine, want to get back to my normal routine, but my feet hurt, swell and limit me. However, I knew this before I had this surgery, and I am looking forward to how things may be 6 months form now.
I'm 4 weeks post-op from a tibial nerve neurectomy, and am still taking it easy. I certainly didn't spend all the time in bed that you did, but I'm still in a lovely cast, the nerve pains just keep getting better, and the incision can act up sometimes too, even though it has healed amazingly--it looked so horrible when I first saw it, and when the surgeon saw my face, he said "Just trust me, it will be good". I'm still icing and elevating--high! Keeping my foot propped up--like you were putting it on an ottoman or another chair--does not help. It needs to be high on pillows, and when I am in a lot of pain, elevating above the heart when I'm flat on my back and pain meds are what I turn to.
As for the reading, I am reading AVIDLY, since about the second week. I have a fiction and non-ficiton book going, but I find for the first few weeks, you need to keep it light. High interest, low concentration books--like Bridget Jones, The Nanny Diaries, etc. are good to start with when you're woozy on pain meds. Magazines are also great--I brought a ton to the hospital, and they were just fun. I enjoy reading now because I like to be able to turn off the TV and feed my brain!
LINDA:
I think my pins must be about the same in length as yours - they are big, and stick out over an inch from toes, with little yellow "Bumpers" on the ends - which keep falling off if ANYTHING at all (mostly pillows) touch the ends. I'm always asking who ever pops by to please replace the "Bumpers" and it usually grosses them out, but I imagine they are there to prevent snagging, which could be a huge HURT if caught on something. The idea of a numbing shot for removal freightens me - because the cortizone injections I've had in "other" foot almost blew me into the ceiling. Also, I'm extremely ticklish throughout my feet, especially toes. I even have trouble getting a pedicure for that reason. When I go for check up tomorrow, I am going to ask Doctor more about pin removal, and thank you for sharing your experience.
FEETFIRST:
Glad to know you watched more TV than read - I actually love reading, but as mentioned before, just can't stay focused. YET --- and I'm totally off the meds now, so am in hopes that soon I'll be able to tackel some novels friends have brought over. I also have stairs to the bedroom, thankfully just two, and my sweetie installed a rail, so I used that with one crutch. Use the Rolleraid to get to stairs, just plop it down, and try to land on it when I get to the bottom. VERY CAREFULLY.
KARYN:
It was interesting to read that you are still icing and elevating at 4 weeks - I didn't know how long this would be necessary. It's a pain having to wrap the ice machine around foot, then sit there again with foot in air propped on pillows for so much of the day, but you and many others have told the same story about the benefits of REST ICE & ELEVATION, so I will continue for as long as it takes to heal properly.
I can hear the fireworks from my home, which is only a few miles from the beach, where I'm thinking there are familys down there cooking hot dogs, sipping beer, roasting marshmellows and having a gay ol time..... After the parades all over today. Next year I'm promising myself to wear red, white & blue and buy some fireworks !!!!
We are all making a sacrafice for a new set of feet. Thankfully there is modern medicine that will give us more years walking instead of an early wheel chair. The price is just so high --- and I'm not talking money.
Yesterday I had am emotional melt down: cried for over an hour and felt really meloncoly for no particular reason - and told myself it must of been coming off the drugs, because I'm basically such an upbeat optomistic person. Just couldn't shake it yesterday. Today is better. Thanks for all the in-put footie friends. GG ((~.~))
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