I don't have another checkup appointment until sometime next week, but I just thought I'd write a few updates on how I've been doing. I stopped turning my device for good on Friday, so today marks day four of no turning! Towards the end it was getting extremely difficult to turn the device; it didn't hurt me, but it was uncomfortable because the knob was so hard to turn that the whole device shifted when I moved it. I'm assuming it's because there's been so much tension building up on my toe and hadn't had enough time to stretch out at the rate I was turning.
I'm now starting to put more and more weight on my foot, but very slowly. After the little incident the other week when I tripped and harshly landed on my foot, it had been really sore and painful putting any weight or pressure on it. That held back the progress, but for the past couple days I've started to increase the amount of weight and pressure I put on my foot. It's not painful, it's just really uncomfortable a) because my body isn't used to it AT ALL, and b) because the device is still in my foot, so I can't fully step down with even pressure on my foot.
What's really annoying about the whole process is that every time I have my foot down (in what's called the 'dependent' position) my foot turns a really weird reddish-purple color. Obviously something is out of whack with the circulation to/from my foot, but I've noticed that the more I get my foot used to being down on the ground and gently walking, the weird color goes away. By the end of the day my foot is pretty swollen from all the increased walking and usage, but I listen to my body so I know when I've had enough usage for the day.
Now for some miscellaneous bits of info!
--I've been really busy with my two online summer classes, so the emotional impact of being stuck in my house all summer hasn't been too bad.
--Everyday I take a vitamin D 5000 IU (which says it's 1,250% of daily intake), two gummy vitamins (I'm a kid at heart, and they're so tasty!), and a Tums tablet for calcium. On top of this, I do not drink soda and I eat pretty healthy foods. I am convinced that these steps I take have been the reason why my bone regenerate looks so good on x-rays.
--I still elevate my foot, but now I think it's more by instinct than because I need to. My foot always just finds its way up on top of the table when I sit and resting on pillows when I lay down. I still occasionally ice my foot, but only when my foot is really swollen and/or uncomfortably hot and sore.
--I am starting to stretch my ankle, toes, and foot whenever I can. I have noticed that my foot and toes are starting to get a bit stiff from not being used, and it's always a good idea to keep my ankle moving.
I think that's all! Sorry for the long post, hehe. Like I've said before, if anyone is actually reading my blog and has questions, please ask! I wish I had asked brachy bloggers my insane questions before I had gone through the surgery, because once you've actually gone through with surgery and are healing, those insane questions don't seem so crazy anymore.
Hi, I am reading. Please keep posting. I havent got questions yet because i have not had my surgery yet. Its scheduled for 08/29/13. I'm 41. I tried the surgery before, the one stage w/bone graft but it didnt take so now im going w/the ex fix. I'm certain ill have lost of question in the very near future. Thanks again for sharing. BTW Your foot looks great, i know you're excited.
ReplyDeleteHi Mitikia, I'm glad you're reading! I'm sorry to hear that the first procedure didn't work for you. I had always wanted the one step procedure because it seemed so quick and less work to handle, but now that I've had this surgery I realize that the ex-fix method isn't so bad! I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have in the future, and hopefully my blog has given you some good insight so far. Thanks! :)
Deleteyour welcome, I'm glad your blogging. The one stage was alot harder to me because there was no weight bearing at all for 6 weeks and I had a cast the whole time. Once I learned this could be fixed I always wanted the ex fix. it appears to me that the results are better. My first podiatrist said I was too old and my bone growth would be too slow. The new guy is pretty confident i'll be fine. My only concern is my toe sits up high and it may not lay down after lengthening. Did your Dr. say why he didnt put a Kwire in your toe.
ReplyDeleteMy toe sat up above the other toes as well. If you look at my pictures and notice the top two pins with the green tips, those are the pins holding my bone down. My doctor explained that this is the new method and that it works better than a kwire (for reasons I've forgotten!).
DeleteI'm almost at the 3 week mark and I'm starting now to feel pain. I guess this means something is moving around, huh?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on the kind of pain! You should talk to your doctor if the pain is worsening or if pain meds don't help it. Have you been putting weight on it? Doing anything differently? If it's more of a soreness or tightness rather than a shooting pain, it could just be that things are really starting to stretch and start resistance against you turning your device everyday. That happened to me, and by the end of my days turning the device it would BARELY turn and left me feeling a bit sore.
DeleteHi, I am unsure if you still check your blog or respond to comments but with such little information out there on this procedure I find myself searching blog after blog trying to find certain things I can relate to or get answers for. I had this surgery 08/10/2015 and on 08/25 I started turning my device 4x a day every 6 hours, when I went in on 09/02 I was asked to stop turning because the amount of space being created was too great and my dr was worried about non Union, I did as instructed. On 09/09 I was asked to start turning once again but only one time per day. On 09/16 X-rays were good and on 09/21 I had another appointment. At this appointment I mentioned how difficult it has been to turn my device...my dr was unsure why but told me that my X-rays look good and bone looks really solid. I was asked to turn 2x a day a day. I only turned 2x a day for 09/24 and 09/25 and about one hour after my second turn last night (09/25) I can't explain the pain I got while elevating my foot but all I can say is if felt like my bone just fell down inside of my foot.. My dr called me at 12am bc of my frantic text and she informed me that something might have moved the device and I reminded her of how much pressure I have to put on the device just to turn it... I'm now in pain all over again, I won't dare turn it and she is having me come in on Monday 09/28 for X-rays, do you know why the device may have been so hard to turn? I need 15mm and I am no where near that so when I read that your device was hard to then towards the end makes me worried :(
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the late response! What ended up happening? How are you feeling? I can only imagine how stressful that must've been for you :(
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