Hi Foot Friends,
It has been a while since I have been on the board and as sleep is elusive tonight I decided to give you an update. Foot 1 was a triple arthrodesis and hammertoe and it was done the last week of May. You can see the progress if you click on my name - it will give you past posts. Anyway, after 8 months the swelling is gone pretty much. I am still having some discomfort on the outside of the foot from the little toe back to the arch. Foot 2 was done October 28. Big toe fusion using 2 plates and 8 screws that will stay. In fact all my hardware will stay in as I am hyper-mobile and if it does not stay I might as well not have had the surgeries done. I also had the arch rebuilt and the whole thing stabilized - another plate and more screws. That foot carries swelling yet. Does not go up and down with use, but is constant, getting a bit better as each week goes by. I was able to pretty much devote 7 months to healing. But as I own a tax business I have now gone into hyper-mode as of the first of the year. This week is 12+ hour days. I can't say I am painful - I know from pain - but there is a lot of discomfort. My feet feel stiff and arthritic, but as the day goes on they do not loosen like arthritis often does, but become more so. I am not taking pain pills during the day, but sometime do at night to sleep. I am 61 and it has been quite a journey. I would do it again in a heartbeat! I love my new feet. I went into surgery wearing size 8 1/2 wide shoes. I was fit for shoes at the surgeon's recommended athletic shoe store and as of 1/14 am wearing 2 shoes that actually match! I was measured for a 7 1/2 medium. However I am wearing a 8 1/2 medium to accommodate the swelling of foot 2. The guy there said within months I will be down to the 7 1/2 in both feet. Right now these tennis shoes are the only shoes I own that fit. I can tie the right one tight, and the left one loose. Nice to be on even footing after all the casts, air-casts and walking boots.
Hi. It's good to hear an update from you. My triple arthrodesis is one year ago and I can't imagine having another surgery yet. I still need an ankle replacement on the same foot but I hope I can wait for another year for that. It's interesting how there are always new little pains in the foot but then all of the sudden they disappear and another pain shows up. I guess the bones, soft tissues, ligaments, etc. all have to find their place again! The pain that has lasted the longest for me was on the outside of the foot just as you describe and after a year I can finally say it is almost gone. I still have stiffness first thing in the morning and any time I sit for any length of time and that may last a lifetime or until I have the ankle replacement done. Yesterday was my one year anniversary from the triple arthrodesis and I'm glad to be at this stage of the recovery process. It's encouraging to still have little bits of progress so to all of you who are not as far along -- don't give up. It will get better!
Hi Pegret, i am 7 weeks post double arthrodesis of rt ankle & a fusion of taler/navicular & attempted tendon repair. Got the boot last week, can walk across a long room in anawkward fashion...foot healing well but swollen, MD pleased, off pain pills for 4 weeks, using knee scooter for long hauls. i may be able to return to work partime in 5 weeks( don't laugh)we'll see. I will have to wear boot at work though. i'm 63 & an RN work in a birth center. I wear my Harley boot on my other foot & it makes me level, the heel is the perfect height. Doing OK, I sit a lot & have cabin fever, no driving for a few more weeks, i can easily go upstairs now on my feet & sleep in my own bed. Glad things are going well, good luck with tax season, take it easy.
Mamymim( Marilyn)
