Milestones

This summary post will be ongoing and updated until my foot and toe are fully healed. Please let me know if you are interested in something specific that I have not listed here.

• Stopped taking Norco pain medication: less than 36 hours after I returned home after surgery.
• First checkup: 3 days after surgery (I had taken my last Norco pill overnight before this visit).
• Light housework: within the first week.
• Increased housework: week 3, and more during week 6. Pretty much all resumed during week 8.
• Sleeping usual amount: week 3 (I slept a lot the first week, and a bit more than usual the second week).
• Schooching up and down [carpeted] basement stairs: once within the first week when my husband was home with me, and again the second week. During week 3, I did this more frequently. During week 6, I did this as often as I wanted and when home alone (I just had to slide the crutches up and down with me).
• Made homemade bread: week 2.
• First outing, other than doctor's visit: week 2 - about a 2 hour trip including the ½ hour drive each way.
• Longer outing: week 4. 
• Stitches removed (ends snipped, so they could dissolve, actually): 15 days after surgery (originally set for 14 days, but visit was rescheduled because of a change in the office).
• Wrapping removed and cast put on: 15 days after surgery.
• Started toe exercises: after cast was put on, so 15 days. Added more vigorous toe exercises after 10 weeks; next time I will begin these sooner while still walking in the surgical shoe.
• Shopping: week 3. I used the store cart in one store, and my knee walker in another store. This became much easier during week 6 because my foot was no longer throbbing as much.
• Showering: week 4 with a bag over cast. No bag after cast was removed at 6 weeks (surgical shoe was removable). Standing without needing a seat or removable shower nozzle at week 10.
• Tingling in toes: decreased enough to gently clasp toes between fingers during week 5.
• Cast removed, and replaced with surgical shoe: 6 weeks after surgery.
• Walking in surgical shoe without cane or severe underside of foot pain: week 8.
• Taking stairs one foot per step: week 8.
• Bicycle riding with surgical shoe: short distance week 8 (no uphill takeoffs, and painful when stopping); 6 miles week 9 with less pain, except when trying to stand while pedaling.
• Hiking: week 8 it took 40 minutes to go 1 mile in surgical shoe. Hiking as usual at week 14.
• Tingling pain on topside of toe and foot: pretty much gone at 9 weeks.
• Walking to mailbox (500', gravel and hilly): 9 weeks.
• Swimming: week 10 (I could have done this sooner, if I'd had access to a pool).
• Wearing my own shoes: tennis shoes with laces loosened all of the way at week 10. Slip on dress shoes with low heel at week 12.
• Walking in my shoes: 1 mile in 23 minutes on flat surface during week 10; 1 mile in 20 minutes at week 12; just a tad faster the following week; 1 mile in 17 minutes without pain at week 14.
• Yard work: week 10.
• Bicycle riding after wearing own shoes: After 12 weeks, rode 12 miles on a mountain bike type trail with virtually no pain; up and down a few mild inclines, stops and starts, and able to stand up while pedaling. 
• Standing on a hard surface with no pain at 13 weeks.
• Range of motion has increased in my leg on surgical side, although ankle and toe range is still lacking at 13 weeks.
• Walking a mile in 18 minutes or less.
• Standing on tiptoes without pain: week 14.
• Caring for my foot without worrying about tenderness - applying lotion, cutting toenails, exfoliating: week 16. My foot is still slightly tender on top around the scars; however, I am able to apply lotion and such as usual.

See the Blog Archive if you are interested in more details about this surgery or what to expect. Let me know if you have any questions!