crankyc

Hi, sianka,
My biggest pain before surgery was not really in the bunion itself, but actually in the 2nd toe, a really bad hammertoe that was bent, rigid and basically shaped like a shrimp! The pain would come & go, day & night, and felt like a sharp toothache. The toe was no longer touching the floor the way a normal toe should, so when I got out of the shower, that weird toe didn't even leave a print on the bath mat. This happened because the big toe was pointing inward, going under the 2nd toe and pushing it out of alignment. The big toe was pointing inward because the 1st metatarsal bone was pointing ******d at an extreme angle. And this was happening because the joint between the 1st & 2nd metatarsals was abnormally loose. My foot always felt unsteady, and standing for longer than 15 minutes or so was becoming almost impossible. So a Lapidus procedure was done to correct the root of the whole problem. The surgeon cut and straightened the metatarsal, and put 2 permanent titanium screws at the base of the area that joins the 1st & 2nd metatarsals to keep them steady. He tightened the tendons around the big toe so they would hold it straight (no screws were necessary there.) Finally, he cut the abnormally tight tendon in the 2nd toe and put in a removable pin to hold the toe in a normal position while it healed (it was removed after 3 weeks). Sorry to be so long-winded, but surgery isn't always about "more pain, less pain" it's also about how the foot functions. At the risk of putting the jinx on myself, I would say that I am very pleased with the result. After 3-1/2 months, my foot feels solid and steady. My big toe & 2nd toes are straight, pain-free, and they touch the floor. My scars are fading nicely, thanks to Mederma, and they look like thin scratches. I am looking forward to having my left foot done sometime next year. Hope this helps!
Chris