Bunion Surgery and Hardware Removal ~ Second Foot, First Week, First Checkup

February 2018

Surgery

On the day of surgery everything went pretty much the same as it had last time. We arrived at 6:30 AM, and we were on our way home before noon. Both surgeons were present for the operation, and I ended up with two screws in my right foot. The only difference this time, is that my left foot was also wrapped because the screws had been removed from that foot. I was given a walking boot for my left foot.

My feet the day of surgery

Pain and swelling

The pain in my right foot has been much more severe than it was after my first surgery. The Norco prescription I had filled did not seem to relieve the pain, and I did not sleep well. Last time, I slept a lot the first two weeks, and I had stopped taking the Norco medication by the third day because I did not need it. This time, I stopped taking it about the same time, because it did not feel like the medication was relieving any pain. For two days (after the medication from the hospital wore off, and while I was taking Norco), I had severe pain in my right foot, which was not from swelling. If I had any kind of movement or tensing of muscles in this foot, I experienced shooting pain through my entire foot and bones. The entire top of my foot was also painful when my foot was relaxed.

The pain felt like it was subsiding the day I went to the doctor, so I did not specifically bring up the pain, although it was discussed briefly. The evening after my doctor visit (third day after surgery), the pain became unbearable in my foot again. Oddly, it actually felt like my foot was on fire. It throbbed and burned all evening and overnight.

My stomach muscles became quite tender from all the leg exercises I did. I exercised and did yoga before surgery; however, I think I overdid it a few days with leg lifts and such in an effort to try and relieve the pain in my foot. I am sure all the exercises kept the swelling down!

Getting around at home

Preparing for Bunion Surgery ~ Second Foot

February 2018

Well, it is time to have my second foot done, which I am having done at the same time of year as last time. I initially wanted to have it done last fall; however, my first foot still felt a bit odd 6 to 8 months after the surgery. One year later, it feels mostly normal. Rushing water against the scars on my skin does not feel as tender as it did a few months ago (it is still tender; just not like it was a few months ago), and I can pretty much walk in any type of shoe now.

Pre-Op visits

Nothing was different in regards to my pre-op doctor visits. The procedure I had last time was listed as Lapidus Bunionectomy Hallux on the billing. Most information I had read about this procedure advocated partial weight-bearing as soon as possible, so I asked my doctor about my need to wear a cast. He said that my situation would be the same as last time. He explained how my bones would be re-aligned in a way that could not risk any pressure or weight on them until they were fused together. He said they prefer to do it the other way [weight-bearing right away]; however, in my situation, putting weight on my foot would not be pushing the bones together.

Photo of diagram in doctor's office

The images I have marked in the attached photo for Hallux Valgus and Kalish Modification of Austin are similar to my situation. I have two screws in my left foot, similar to the ones in the diagram, which I am going to have removed when the bunion is corrected on my right foot. My screws are criss-crossed from front-to-back, and back-to-front, rather than both in the same direction. My doctor told me the screw removal procedure is pretty easy, and that I will be able to stand on that foot right away.