About a year and a half ago I got fed up with the pain in my feet. Despite wearing wide box shoes, my bunions hurt sometimes during the day and worse still, at night. I would have to get up and take a painkiller to get to sleep. I started researching bunion surgery starting with minimally invasive surgery done by a foot doctor. It sounded good but it was not covered by OHIP and after speaking to Dr. Warren Latham (othopedic surgeon) decided to go the conventional route. I had been referred to Dr. Latham by my G.P. I had X-Rays taken and prepared a list of questions to ask him.
1. When are the follow up appointments after surgery? Two weeks to remove sutures then six weeks
2. What is given for pain? Percocet, then after a week Tylenol or Advil should be sufficient
3. Where is procedure done? In Don Mills surgical unit unless there are medical issues then the Birchmount Hospital
4. Can I walk right away? Yes, to bathroom and kitchen but need a walker if both feet. Most of the time, elevate and ice
5. How long until I can have the surgery? About a year
6. How long until I can shower? 2-3 weeks
7. Other information given by doctor and assistant. General anaesthetic, can be swelling for 3-6 months, Cold therapy machine can help with the swelling by circulating cold vapour around the feet, no antibiotics are generally required after the surgery
After this discussion, I decided to book my appointment. I chose September 12th the following year figuring that the fall would be the best time to be out of commission. Over that next year I did wonder to myself whether I should be doing this since, everyone said that it is supposed to be very painful. In the end, I told myself that since I had gotten through a broken knee and a broken wrist, how much worse could it be? About a month before the surgery, there was a pre-op appoint with the surgeon. Scads of paperwork had to be filled out including medications, previous surgeries and medical history. Following this, I was given a date for a pre-admission appointment at the Birchmount Hospital and a form for blood work to be done before that appointment. I did the bloodwork, and went to my 2 hour appointment at the hospital. The pre-admission nurse entered all my medical information into the computer, set me up to chat with the anaesthesiologist and sent me for a foot x-ray. She also reminded me of procedures for the day of my surgery. The usual; no food or drink after midnight, take your meds with a small sip of water, and come to the hospital for 10:30 am to check in at Patient Reception with your OHIP card. I had some preparation to do at home so over the next week I borrowed a wedge from Jenn, put my meds on a bulletin board, posted the post- op procedures on the same board, made sure my medications were all filled, prepared bedding and clothes, borrowed a walker from my friend Lynne-Marie, cleaned the house, and stocked up on groceries. I was as ready as I could get.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 5. SURGERY DAY
I completed my pre-op instructions and at 10:00 Carl drove me to the hospital for my 10:30 check in time. I waited a few minutes at Patient registration and when I was done, walked over to Day Surgery. In this area I was instructed to change into a beautiful blue hospital gown with a matching robe and booties and put my stuff into a locker. I completed this chore and stashed my stuff in locker #1. It didn't take long for the nurses to call me, slot me into a bed, fit me for bunion boots and re-check my medical info. I was told they bill OHIP for two hours of time but Dr. Latham had said it would take about 20 minutes per foot. I rested a while until the anaesthesiologist came over to review my medical history. I mentionned that my chest felt kind of tight, possibly from allergies, and he prescribed a round of Ventalin. I then walked into the OR and from there the memory gets fuzzy. I was helped onto the operating table and arms out to the side was given oxygen followed by the anaesthetic. There was no more, until I heard a voice asking me to open my eyes. I didn't want to but they annoyingly kept asking so I complied. The questions began with asking for my pain number. I think I said "4". At this time, they called Carl to come get me. I was feeling pretty mellow when they got me dressed and prepared me for departure. They even provided a barf bag for on the way home. I didn't need it luckily but I was ever so slightly queasy. I got home to my couch and CRASHED? I didn't want anything but to sleep (effect of Percocet and surgery trauma). I tried to eat some sugar-free Jello but I couldn't get it down. The rest of the day was pretty much a blur. Carl set up ongoing alarms on my tablet for every four hours to make sure I took my pain pills. That is pretty much how I spent the first 72 hours; sleeping, taking meds, eating a bit and of course going to the bathroom with my walker and having ice packs or the cold therapy unit applied to my feet. The pain was manageable, not as bad as I had expected. The worst was when I walked on my heels and when the cooling materials were a little too tight.
THE NEXT TWO WEEKS
I started to come back to life around the third to fourth day after surgery. The pain had improved and I was sleeping a little less. My niece, Jenn, had dropped in for a few minutes and brought me a "Surgery Recovery Kit". It had munchies, crackers, nail polish, a teddy bear on loan, a candle and some face and body wipes. What a fun gift! I loved my Purdy's chocolates. On day 6 I switched the Percocet for extra strength Tylenol and there was no difference to the pain level. I did however feel much more awake. Day 9 and I was starting to get bored. I had already finished 3 paper books and 4 Discover magazines and e-mailed everyone I knew. I was not able to shower because the bandages were not coming off until Sept 22 so I made do with sponge baths and a sink shampoo. This was when I decided to create this blog which, as you can tell from the length, is what kept me amused for a few hours. I was also heavily into my car research since I didn't have one any more. For the rest of this time, I was counting down the days until my two week post-op. During this period, I was mostly lying down with my feet elevated, taking my tylenol, having sponge baths, sink shampoos and walking on my heels to the washroom and kitchen. I was taking meals at the kitchen table with the family. Carl was doing all the cooking and shopping and waiting on me when necessary. Finally, my 2 week post-op appointment arrived.
2 WEEK POST-OP I woke up today excited and a bit nervous. I put real clothes on and got to go outside into the world. Carl drove me to the Hospital and took me to the Fracture Clinic to see my surgeon. The nurses removed my huge bandages and then removed the sutures. This was NOT pain free but, since I was talking to the doctor I was distracted from the pain. It took about ten minutes to complete this task and then, I could see my feet. Surprise, they were a mess but they are straight. Amazing! I was happy until I heard the answers to some of the questions I had come armed with.
1. When can I shower? Not until you get the pin and new dressings removed in 4 more weeks. Bacteria could enter the site of the pin and cause infection
2. How long can I be on my feet every day? Just stay walking on your heels only and keep your feet elevated at much as possible until six weeks
3. When should I reduce painkillers? Sometime around now, whenever you are comfortable trying to see your pain level.
The morning ended in a good news, bad news kind of state. I would still be pretty restricted in my movements both in the home and out but, I could start doing a little more at home if my feet were not swelling and I rested afterwards. I am excited because I saw my feet and they look so much better. It seems to make it all worth while. I will post an update within the next week?
MY FEET BEFORE SURGERY
1 WEEK AFTER SURGERY
2 WEEKS POST-OP
The day after my bandages were changed I accidentally forgot to take my Tylenol and so I waited. There was some dull ache but I decided to tough it out and only take it before bedtime so I would sleep. I also called the doctor and asked some more questions. I was wondering which type of pain relief would be better. The office confirmed what I had read about Advil in that, there is some evidence that it stops bone from mending. Tylenol seems to be the drug of choice. Continued icing was also advised, three to four times a day. I also got confirmation that I should be walking only on my heels. The best news I received was that I should be ok to drive after my six week checkup on Oct. 22. Counting the days!
THREE WEEKS POST-OP (HALF WAY THERE)
It has been three weeks since my surgery. I am doing quite well. Pain during the day is almost non existent. I am still taking extra strength Tylenol before bed. It helps me sleep. I am up a bit more, helping in the kitchen for fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. I use my walker to get around and continue to walk on me heels in my sexy, one size fits all, bunion boots. I am still having sponge baths and sink shampoos. Jenn came over, fixed my hair colour and kept me company for a few hours. Carl is still doing all the laundry, shopping and cooking. As instructed, I am still spending most of my day lying down with my feet elevated above my heart. We plan to head up to the cabin for the weekend since the weather is going to be so beautiful. It will be nice to get out of the house but, might be a little difficult to make the correct accomodations. I will let you know how it goes.
THREE AND A HALF WEEKS POST-OP
The weekend at the cabin was fantastic. Beautiful weather, great company, nice meals and a campfire. We managed the logistics of getting me there by putting my foam wedge in the back seat and stuffing pillows behind my back so I could sit stretched out with my feet up. I sat in my gravity chair for most of the weekend which enabled me to keep my feet up and be outside where I could chat with passers by. I slept on the couch with my foam wedge just like at home. All in all, everything worked out great and Carl bought me my favourite hamburger (A&W teenburger) for lunch on the way home.
I reached another milestone in that, I am no longer taking the tylenol at night or any other time.
Monday night my feet were quite swollen and most of Tuesday as well. I am not sure why this is happening so I am not moving from the couch unless it is necessary. I am also trying to ice my feet more often. I am excited because it is exactly three weeks from today that the bandages come off and the pins come out. Counting the days!
FOUR+ WEEKS POST-OP
My feet have been more swollen for about a week now. I have been icing them roughly three times a day but my feet still feel uncomfortably tight in the bandages. I finally called the doctor's office and asked them why my feet seem to have changed, for the worse. They seem to think it is because I have been up on them more often now. In addition, I should be using my cold therapy almost full time. This part is true because, it is a bit of a pain to keep the unit running and attached to me full time. After this phone call I decided to get back with the cooling regimen. Below is a picture of how my feet look now both, with and without my bunion boots.
FIVE WEEKS POST-OP
I am being a good patient again, staying off my feet and using my cold therapy unit all day. It helps a lot but that does not mean that I am not counting the days until these bandages come off; one and a half weeks to go. I am starting to realize that either the doctors office is really bad at communicating the entire implications of foot surgery or, they don't tell on purpose so they can keep on making a living. I did my research, and asked a lot of questions but there were still some things I had not anticipated. For instance, I was told I could shower after two weeks and that turned out to be hogwash. I am also not sure I realized the extent of my down time but, to be fair, I was told I would be down and out. Don't get me wrong; so far, it has been less painful than I thought it would be and, I would still do it again. I am curious how long it will really keep me from my 'normal' life. We shall see. Stay tuned!
SIX WEEKS POST-OP
I have a number of things to report for the past week. I left the house again to attend Thanksgiving dinner. I was out about 5 hours and my feet did swell up. I used ice cubes in a zip loc bag to keep the swelling contained. It worked a little but I was dying to get home to my cold therapy unit. We had a nice time but I was unable to contribute much except for bringing my mashed potatoes.
There seems to be a small improvement with the swelling but I am continuing with elevating and my cold therapy unit.
My mood seems to have taken a small turn for the worse. I guess the confinement and what seems like a lack of progress is getting to me. I am trying to remain positive by counting the days until the bandages come off (6 days to go). I am so looking forward to next Wednesday. I am going to the doctor armed with a list of questions pertaining to my further recovery.
SIX AND A HALF WEEKS POST-OP (BANDAGE AND PIN REMOVAL)
Finally, the day has arrived when I get my bandages off and the pins taken out. Arriving at the doctor's office, I was told first thing to go get an x-ray. Fortunately this meant just walking across the hall. During the last x-ray, all power to the building was lost so I had to wait for the power to be restored to redo my last image. Then, back across the hall to wait my turn with the Dr. I was called in by Dr. Latham who verified that the xrays were fine. Then, he cut off my bandages and with a plyer like item just pulled out the pin. Surprise, there really was no pain but,it did bleed a little. Then, the other foot was done and both feet got a bandage for that spot. On top of this, the dr wrapped my feet with self-adherent wrap which is meant to help with swelling. These bandages can be removed at night and should be replaced with toe spacers followed by bandages again in the morning.
Instructions for the next 6 weeks include approval for showering, ok for driving, keep elevating and icing the feet when possible, and no impact activities. I can go back to the pool in about one week.
I remembered to ask about which type of anaesthesia was used and it was just a general with me dropping off to sleep.
I do not need to go back for another appointment unless there is a problem.
My feet feel funny because they have not been used and the big toes are stiff. I am to stretch them out to get the full movement back. I tried to put shoes on today but the big toe didn't co-operate so I stopped the effort. Will try again tomorrow. I have to really think about walking properly, applying my weight to the foot. I will continue to post my progress.
Two days after the bandages and pins were removed, I have some observations to report. Firstly, I am relearning how to walk and it hurts a bit. I am just walking around in circles concentrating on placing my feet on the ground properly. Secondly, because of the immobility in my big toes, I need to work on stretching them up and down several times a day. Thirdly, my knees got stiff because I didn't do any stairs so, I need to get them functioning again. I can hardly squat down to do anything. The only shoe I have been able to get on is a velcro sandal. Every day, I try to get into my running shoes.I will continue to report on my progress.
EIGHT WEEKS POST-OP
At this time, I am continuing to work on being able to walk properly, increasing the range of motion in my joints. There has been a small improvement for my efforts but is slow going and sometimes painful. I have resumed some dinner and housekeeping duties to help fill my day but the focus is on my recovery. I am still using the cold therapy unit as necessary. Being able to shower has been one of the highlights of my recovery. Mostly, I am still staying at home which does get a bit boring after a while. My husband is still doing all the grocery shopping. Right about now, a trip to the grocery store is looking pretty good. For the next little while, I will continue down the path of getting myself back to normal.
NINE WEEKS POST-OP
I have made some progress over the past week. I got into a pair of shoes and a pair of boots at 8 1/2 weeks. Stairs are still a bit of a challenge but my joints are slowly loosening up. I am also practising standing on my tippy-toes, three or four times a day and I am doing squats because it is difficult to put weight on the feet and bend the knees. I cannot walk very far, maybe two or three houses and then I run out of steps and need a rest. My feet are still swollen, more so when I use my feet more. This is considered normal for at least three months. The sutures are mostly healed except for one spot on the right foot that may have gotten infected. I am putting antiobiotic cream on it and hoping it will soon heal up. My skin is still shedding a bit. I try to rub off more skin each time I shower. Below if what my feet look like now.
TEN WEEKS POST-OP
Not much has changed over the past week. My feet might be a little less swollen. I am continuing my exercises to get better range of motion in my toes, feet, ankles and knees. Going down stairs is still a little uncomfortable. I went to Walmart and used a shopping cart to keep some of the pressure off my feet; that worked pretty well. I have not tried driving yet because there is still some discomfort from full pressure on my feet and I do not feel that this would be safe in an emergency situation. I am hoping for more improvement in the coming week.
12 WEEKS POST-OP
At 12 weeks, progress is still very slow. It is getting easier to do stairs; I think this will be back to normal soon. I can now squat down to get stuff out of the bottom of the frig. Standing on my tippy toes is better but, not normal. I continue to do toe and feet exercises. Walking outside is still restricted to 4-5 houses because my feet are still swollen. I called the doctors office to inquire about the state of my feet and was told what I was experiencing was normal. It was suggested that if I was going out or walking that I should ice before and after and if necessary, take 1-2 Advil. If things have not improved in 1-2 months I should return and let the doctor look at my feet.
I did a test drive around the block last week and it went fine. This Saturday I drove to Shoppers Drug Mart and did some shopping. That was an exciting step!
16 WEEKS POST-OP (4 MONTHS+)
It has been a long haul and it is still not over. I have certainly improved. Stairs are good now, walking is better but I still get sore feet after a long day. I do take Advil if I know it is going to be a long day on my feet because, there is still some small amount of swelling. I now believe it will be 6 months until I feel almost completely normal however, some reports suggest it takes a year. I was at the RV show all day Friday and did quite well until late afternoon when some pain kicked in. I had orthotics made and bought new walking shoes. This makes walking more comfortable and it is my hope that in correcting my gait, the bunions will stay gone. I will post a foot photo when I have fresh nail polish on so stay tuned for that.
FIVE MONTHS POST-OP
I can't believe that it has been five months. I would not consider myself to be fully recovered. I am putting BioOil or Vitamin E on my scars every day. My feet still hurt a bit sometimes when I overdo it. I can walk 10 minutes continuously on the treadmill and am working on improving that. Too much treadmill affects my previously broken knee and aggravates my ongoing issue with plantar fasciitis. I am not happy with the shape I am in but I am hopeful that things will improve so check in at six months.
SIX MONTHS POST-OP
I had thought six months would be the 'magic number' when I would be all back to normal. I was wrong. I have been walking on my treadmill trying to get my feet back in shape but I wasn't even close to being ready for all the walking that was required on this holiday (Las Vegas). The pain comes from the joints and is quite severe during extended walking periods. To combat the pain I take Advil even 4 hours but it only works for about 2 1/2 hrs. The new walking shoes and orthotics seem to be helpful.
The scars from the surgery are still slightly visible, more so on the right side than the left and I put Vitamam on them every day.
On the bright side, my feet look great and the bunion pain is gone so the side of my feet no longer hurt in my shoes and for this I am grateful.
7 MONTHS POST-OP
A month has passed and lots of walking has been required on this holiday. There has been a marked improvement with the pain but on a couple of occasions I still took a regular strength Advil. My plantar fasciitis is also a bit better,either from the Advil or the orthotics, not sure which. It still acts up from time to time but not as often. Below is a photo of the before and after surgery.
