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.

Another view of the boot.

Cast pros

• The cast is much lighter than the boot, and the cast size is also considerably smaller. This makes it easier to get around on crutches, and easier to do housework.

Cast cons

• Have to cover it with plastic to shower.
• Difficult to exercise toes, ankle, and foot.
• If there is swelling, the cast needs to be sawed at doctor's office to relieve the pressure (I had to have this done twice last year).

Boot pros

• The boot is removable so I can shower (seated), and care for my skin and and incisions (lotion, Aquaphor, etc.). I have also been lightly touching/rubbing the bottom of my foot, because I could not stand on my foot when the cast was removed after 6 weeks last time. I am hoping this will help prepare my foot for weight again.

Boot cons

• The boot weighs 2½ lbs. and is very bulky. This makes it difficult to use crutches and get around. 
• The weight makes my foot swell and throb when I use crutches.
• Because of the size, I need to remove the boot when I dress, if I want to wear capris or wide leg pants, which go right on over a cast.

My feet at home after second checkup. Cleaned up, and 
small indentation/poke in my toe is now a tiny scab.

Pain and swelling

The burning, shooting pain through my right foot remained severe for 3 to 4 more days after my first checkup. I took extra-strength ibuprofen for three more nights, when I was awoken during the night because of the pain. After this, the pain was still there, although it was a bit different.

My right foot no longer felt like it was burning; however, the pain in the top of both my feet remains pretty high (started on my left foot after my checkup). This may have gotten worse after my second visit to the doctor, because I began more vigorous exercises after that. It feels like a heavy, rough, hard surface is smashing against the top of both my feet. This pressure/pain is pretty constant, and it is worse after I exercise my toes and ankles. I have a lot more bruising this time than I did last time.

I continued to exercise my legs and use ice on my foot, although I did not use the ice as much as the first week. The doctor wrapped my foot with a compression bandage to help minimize the swelling he said, although I thought the swelling in my foot was minimal.

Activity

Although my pain has been worse after this surgery, I have felt less tired and more energetic than I had the first time. I did not sleep as much the second week as I did last time. Too bad the ability to sleep did not work with the pain, instead of against it. 😑

Even though I felt like I had more energy, my activity level at home has not been much different than it had been after my first surgery.  I am able to scooch up and down our carpeted stairs, and clean our floors. You would think after having been through this twice, I would have figured out the easiest way to do housework. Vacuuming and cleaning the floors with a wet Swifter mop are not easy tasks. I used the knee cart instead of the crutches, because I thought it was safer. These tasks are more difficult with the boot, than with the cast or firm wrapping.

Unless I return to the doctor and request a smaller boot, I will be back in 2 weeks after my next doctor visit. I wish everyone reading this and going through the same, a speedy recovery!