Four Weeks Post-Op [second foot] and Third Checkup

March 2018

Pain and swelling

My swelling remained minimal. My foot mainly just swelled up from the weight of the boot, when I used the crutches instead of the knee scooter. I kept my foot elevated when seated, and I applied ice several times during the day. During week 2, the cold ice had made my veins feel painful, and then during week 3, the ice made my foot pain lessen. I looked forward to applying the ice bag, because it made my foot feel so good. You can see in the photo below that I still had quite a bit of bruising on both my feet at 3 weeks post-op. My right big toe is also bruised, although that is not very visible in the photo.

Both feet at 3 weeks

After 3 weeks, the only pain in my left foot occurred when I touched the top of my foot, or when exercising the foot. When I exercised that foot, the skin felt tight and tender across the top. The top of my foot was tender enough that I had to wear loose shoes, or shoes that did not touch the top of my foot.

The pain on top of my right foot remained; it felt like a heavy, rough, hard surface was pressing down on my foot. When exercising, I felt tingling, rough/ripping type pain along the top of my foot and through the inside to the toe. Occasionally, my right foot felt painful or throbbed when I went to bed, although the pain was not enough that it kept me awake. My big toe knuckle was quite sore, and I wondered if more bone had been shaved off this foot than the other one. When I had asked my doctor about any differences, he said the two procedures had been pretty much the same. He said that even if I had had both my feet done at the same time, I would probably still have different feelings between my two feet.

By week 4, the pain in my right foot had lessened to just the big toe and knuckle area, except when I was exercising. The shooting, tingling, scraping pain was worst when I stretched and bent my toes backward toward my body, or when I tried to point my toes.

Exercises

My doctor had told me that it is best to bend my toes even if it is painful (after I asked him, of course, since he never offered any information on his own), so I did this every hour or two throughout the day. After 5 days, I noticed fresh blood around the incision on my right toe. I cleaned the area, and applied Neosporin and a bandaid. I then discontinued toe exercises on that foot for a few days.

Along with flexing my toes and ankles while seated, I did floor exercises every couple of hours; about 5 to 8 times per day. This was extremely painful when I started the following routine 2-weeks post-op. I gently stretched, flexed, etc., and most of the pain lessened as time went on. I think the leg exercises are especially beneficial in getting the oxygen and blood flowing throughout the body. I found that some of these exercises eliminated the tingling, scratchy pain in my foot and toe knuckle. The pain did not stay gone, although it did dissipate during movement.

For informational purposes, I am sharing the exercises I did, and my results below. Please remember: I am not a doctor. Readers should always consult with his or her physician about matters relating to ones own health.

First Two Weeks after [second foot] Bunion Surgery and Second Checkup

March 2018

Recap, in case you are not reading every post

In February, I had bunion surgery on my right foot, and I had two large screws removed from my left foot (bunion surgery on that foot last year). My right foot is non-weight bearing for 6 weeks, and I left the surgery center with my left foot wrapped and in a walking shoe.

My feet after wrappings removed at doctor's office and 
stitches snipped. Photo can be enlarged by clicking on it.

Second checkup at 2 weeks post-op

An assistant removed the wrapping and bandages from both my feet, and she snipped the stitches. All of this was painful, as the bandages were stuck to my feet (you can see the material indentions in the photo above if you enlarge it). The stitches must have been tight, because it felt like she was going to puncture my skin in the process of trying to snip the ends. When she finished, I noticed a hole in my toe, circled in the photo above. I do not know if this was caused by the instruments she had used; I did not notice it before my visit. When I looked at my feet after she had finished, I said, "Oh, I have a hole in my toe." She did not say anything.

When the doctor came in, he said everything looked good. He put steri-strips over the incisions, and then said he was going to put my foot in a cast. I asked him if he had talked with the other doctor about me getting a boot instead. He gave me the impression he prefers a cast, although he did not say why. He did not explain any advantages or disadvantages of either one; he merely stressed that I still could not put any pressure or weight on my foot. The assistant asked him if she needed to get a tall or short boot, and he said tall. She returned with the boot, which she put on me, and that was pretty much the extent of my visit. I had to specifically ask if I could remove it to shower, or anything else I wanted to know.

Getting around with a cast on my leg verses a boot

I have not decided yet, if I prefer the cast or the boot. I have noticed pros and cons for each (listed below). I think the boot I received is too large for me, which makes moving around difficult, and a bit dangerous. I made an mild remark about the size and weight when I was in the office, and the only response I received, was an agreement that it is heavy. I actually feel like my doctor gave me a heavier, larger boot than I need in an effort to make me realize that the cast is a better option. I got the feeling a cast is his preference, and a boot is the preference of the other doctor in this office. Now, I am trying to decide if I want to tough it out until my next appointment in 2 weeks, or if I want to go back this week and request a smaller boot. 

This is the boot on my leg. My foot is 100% hidden inside. I
rolled the top down after I got home, so I could bend my knee.

The boot weighs 2½ lbs.! That may not sound like much until you look at it this way: 2½ lbs. equals about 39 ounces of liquid. So, take a 46-oz. jug of V-8 juice, pour out a 7-oz. glass, strap the jug on the back or side of your lower leg above the ankle, and then try to walk around on crutches--making sure that your foot never hits the floor or anything else. This is not an easy task. It is especially difficult to get up off the floor (something I have to do every hour or two after I exercise my feet and legs) without letting my foot touch the floor.