3-Day Post-Op Visit After Hardware Removal

October 2018

Blood seepage and doc visit

I am posting a brief update for those of you that have questions about blood seepage after surgery. I wrote in my last post about how I was concerned with all of the blood on my bandage, since I had not experienced this after my first two surgeries. There are photos showing the amount of blood lost in my previous post. According to my doctor, this sometimes happens, and he did not seem concerned. There were two spots on my incisions that had fresh blood spots, which he dabbed, and then wrapped my foot back up. 

I thought my foot looked pretty gruesome when the bandage was removed. My stitches look more like frankenstein than they had before! I am afraid I am going to have some nasty scarring after this heals. My doctor had said I was going to have two small incisions, and I have two large nasty-looking ones.

I removed the photo of my foot showing the stitches that I originally shared because I had a complaint--even though this blog is meant to provide information and not to provoke disgust. Feel free to contact me, if you are interested is seeing a view of the differences between dissolvable inside stitches and exterior stitches. The scarring that I have from these two incisions with exterior stitches is worse than what I have from the dissolvable stitches on my other foot. 

Bunion Hardware Removal and Scraping

October 2018

After my last post in May 2018, my right foot healed pretty much the same as my left had in 2017. The only difference I noticed, is that I had more stiffness in my big toe than I recalled with my left foot, and my foot did not feel like it stepped down correctly/flat on the ground. I am writing this post two days post-op, and this 3rd surgery experience is even more different than my first two. Starting at the beginning...

Pre-op visit September 2018

I have been seeing a different doctor in the office, since my checkup in May when my original doctor had me return to get a second opinion. I am much happier with this doctor. He shows me the X-rays and explains everything, and he is more observant. For example, I had noticed two things after my second surgery, which he discussed with me before I had a chance to bring them up. One, is the way my foot set on the floor, and the second is that the bunion protrusion on my right foot was still pronounced; more so than my left foot after my surgery on that foot. It was kind of like they had not corrected that area as much on my right foot, as they had on my left foot. This is more visible in the photo if you click on it to enlarge it. The problem I have with my big toe pressing against my first toe is that I get blisters between these two toes when I walk or hike a lot.

My feet 2 days before surgery

Ten to Eleven Weeks Post-Op [second foot] and Fifth Checkup

May 2018

I am writing this post one week after my checkup, just over 11 weeks post-op.

Ten weeks post-op checkup

I had hoped to get rid of my surgical shoe after this visit; however, the doctor is having me wear it three more weeks. Before my visit, I had been having some pain that was different than I experienced during my recovery last year; pain on the top of my foot and inside my foot to the right of the incisions. He said my foot was also more swollen in this area than he expected. He felt my foot while asking me questions, and he had X-rays taken. My doctor said the X-rays look like the bone is fused; however, he wants to have me back in three weeks for a visit with the other doctor in the office to get his opinion. 

Although I was disappointed, I had read stories about patient X-rays showing that the bone had fused when it had not. So, I guess I am glad he is being cautious.

Pain and swelling

My ankle is still a bit swollen at 11 weeks, although my foot swelling has gone down some. The picture I took at 11 weeks looks the same as the one I had taken at 10 weeks. The stitch that did not dissolve in my left foot is still there.

11 weeks post-op

After 2 Weeks Weight-Bearing, 8 Weeks Post-Op

April 2018

Activity

I started walking without crutches or a cane just under two weeks after I started weight-bearing. I sometimes still used the cane first thing in the morning, and later in the day. I had pretty much resumed all of my usual inside activities: housework, walking up and down the stairs, showers (standing on one leg with my other knee supporting my surgical side), carrying things, etc. I had been scrubbing my floors before this; however, week eight was the first time I actually moved the chairs and such to the other room to clean the floor, and then back again.

Outside, I have been mostly walking on only flat surfaces to go shopping, and such. I walked to our pole barn one day, which is down a cement hill about 100+' from the house. In a few days, I am planning to walk outside farther than I have, so far. I will let you know how far I make it!

7 weeks post-op

7 weeks post-op

Pain and swelling

The photos above show the ankle swelling I experienced the first week I started walking. My ankle was extremely sore and tender. The swelling after walking for two weeks stayed about the same, although the ankle pain and tenderness had lessened. 

Five to Seven Weeks Post-Op [second foot] and 4th Checkup

March and April 2018

It has been almost a week already since my 6-week post-op checkup. I have not been enthusiastic about finishing this post since I started walking, because I had been feeling discouraged, and a bit depressed, which is not normal for me! After some in-depth praying and placing more trust in God, I feel like things are getting back to normal for me.

5 weeks post-op

Pain and swelling

The top of my right foot was quite painful during week five. I was exercising my foot more, and I was moving around on the crutches more, which probably aggravated things. The swelling remained minimal until after my 6-week checkup when my doctor said I could start to put weight on my foot. After I started walking, my foot swelled quite a bit on top and around the ankle. There is more information about the pain and swelling after I started walking under that heading near the end of this post.

X-ray at 6 week post-op checkup

Six week post-op checkup

I had more x-rays taken of my right foot, and the doctor said everything looked good. I asked if I could have a copy of my x-rays, and they gave me a disc with all of them. The red area on top of that foot in the photo below is where the two screws are located. When I asked about the incision bump on my left foot (inside circle), he said that is a suture that had not dissolved yet. He told me it would eventually go away.

6 weeks post-op

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.

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.

#14 ~ 6 Month Update

August 2017

It has been a bit over 6 months since I had bunion surgery, and I am sharing a quick update about my progress, and my decision to have my other foot done.

Current [6-month post-op] condition

My foot and toe have healed for the most part, although there are a few lingering things that have not totally healed yet.  

Ankle still a bit swollen 6 months post-op

Swelling and pain

The top of my foot and my ankle are still a bit swollen. I can tell this is the case every time I remove a shoe that has covered the top of my foot, and my ankle gets quite sore when I walk. I have been doing a lot of walking, hiking, bicycling, and yoga, so I have resumed all my usual activities. I tried to get a photo with both my ankles together so you could see the size difference; however, those pictures did not turn out well. From the research I did online, it does not sound like my experience is unusual. 

Shoes that give me toe pain

I am not able to wear shoes with much of a heel for very long. I have a pair of soft Skecher sandals with a 2" heel (or less), which I have been wearing around the house and yard for short periods to try and get my toe used to flexing in different directions. I frequently feel pain in my big toe when I step down in these shoes. It is tolerable pain, although it does make me gasp sometimes. This also happens with flat shoes occasionally. It seems like I have needed to wear excellent support shoes since having the surgery. I have one pair of flat sandals that I can no longer wear because my toe hurts when I walk in them. I guess they have low quality support. And, they are kind of old, as well.

#13 ~ 14 to 16 weeks (3½ to 4 Months) Post-Op

Before I had this surgery, I had planned to have both my feet done. Now, I am starting to have second thoughts because my foot does not seem quite right. This could just be because I have had time to scrutinize my feet and progress, or because I have not had very good communication from my doctor. Whatever the reason, I have decided I am not pursuing my second foot until I am sure my current foot is back to normal.

Pain and swelling

My ankle and foot are both still swollen, although the swelling around my foot has gone down a little bit. I still wear my tennis shoes most of the time, and I have worn a few pair of sandals and slip-on shoes for short periods. I wore a pair of sandals that covered the top of my foot one time, and I felt like I had to peal the sandal off a few hours later. It was not difficult getting that sandal on, nor was it painful walking in it; just difficult removing it. I measured my feet and ankles a few weeks ago, and when I measured them again this week, my foot was about ¼" smaller than it had been then.

The pain I was experiencing at 14 weeks was minimal, and I think a lot of it was caused by the swelling. Sometimes when I walked, I had ankle pain and pain in the arch of my foot. The pain was not severe; however, it was painful enough that I often felt like I was tensed up and not relaxed as I walked. This was worse at the end of the day. My toe is usually only painful when I am exercising it (or, driving my husband's 6-speed stick shift truck!).

At 16 weeks, my foot and ankle are still mildly swollen. I am not experiencing any pain, although my big toe does not touch the ground like it should, and I can still feel discomfort in my toe, and arch of my foot.

Photo taken at 13 weeks; click on it to enlarge

Scarring

I have two unsightly scars (I have four total) that I am not happy with. One is the spot at the end of the top incision that had not been healed when the cast was removed, and the second is the long scar extending up from my toe, which had rubbed against the cast when I exercised. I think both of these scars would be less, if my doctor had cared for them differently. For example, when I look at the photo I took for post #8, I can clearly see that both of these areas were thicker red with blood than the long scar on the top of my foot, which is only minimally visible. Again, I wondered why no one ever washed and changed the dressing when they checked my foot. This does not seem normal to me, and I would love to know what other patients have to say about their experience. Seems like if the blood had been cleaned out and new strips placed on the incisions, then these unsightly scars would look like the one on the top of my foot. It also seems like the toe exercises I did while wearing the cast aggravated the scars. Again, I wondered why my doctor had put a cast on my foot when I read about other patients who did not wear a cast. I thought I did a lot of research before this surgery, and now I have even more questions before I consider my other foot.

Range of motion

The range of motion on the surgical side of my body is not what it used to be. I have included a few photos that show the difference between my two sides. I have been doing my own therapy and exercises because my doctor did not provide any specific exercises or instructions. Details of the exercises I have been doing can be found under that heading.

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.

#12 ~ Another Checkup, 10+ Weeks Post-Op

May 2017

Checkup and removal of surgical shoe

After my visit to the doctor a week ago, he said I could start wearing my shoes. My ankle and the top of my foot are both still swollen, so I have mostly been wearing tennis shoes with the laces loosened all of the way. I asked him if it mattered what type of shoes I wore, and whether I went barefoot, and he said no. He basically just told me to do whatever I could tolerate with the pain. I had planned to specifically ask him if he had information about specific exercises, and I forgot.

I was surprised to learn that both screws that are in my foot are in the same area where I have been experiencing the pain, redness, and swelling on the top of my foot. I had thought one of them was in my toe. Sometimes, the irritation on the top of my foot is so bothersome I need to gently massage the top and sides of my foot to make it feel better. The redness and swelling is not constant, and the area was not irritated at the time of my checkup. After learning that is where both screws are located, I realized I am probably having a mild reaction to the metal in my foot. I asked my doctor about removing the screws (remember, he had said this is not a big deal), and he told me this is not necessary. I have another appointment in a few weeks, so I am planning to get a couple of photos of my foot when this area is irritated, and talk with him more about having the screws removed during that visit. Photos in this blog can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Scars and swelling 11 weeks post-op;
mild irritation in circle where screws are located

Pain and swelling

Before I went in for my checkup, the pain and tingling in my foot and toes was gone for the most part. After exercise, I sometimes felt tingling along the top of my foot from my toes to my ankle; however, I no longer experienced this from temperature changes. Sometimes my muscles felt like I had a charley horse (muscle spasm). I felt pain in my toes after a lot of bending, and the incisions were still tender.

#11 ~ After Two Weeks with Walking Shoe / Eight+ Weeks After Surgery

April 2017

Yay! My pain and condition has improved considerably two weeks after walking with the surgical shoe. I still have a long ways to go; however, the healing process feels like it is improving tremendously. I was even able to grasp my foot this week to trim my toenails and scruff off some of the dead skin. I had used a dry brush to get rid of the skin on the outside edges of my foot after the cast was removed; however, I had not used a dry brush or exfoliator near the inside edge of my foot until this week. You can see in the photo below that my foot still needs some TLC. Since touching my foot is becoming less painful, I should be able to get it back into shape before summer sandal weather! 😊

Pain and swelling

I am not feeling hardly any pain along the underside of my foot like I did when I first started walking. I still feel some pain; however, it is not excruciating, and I am no longer using the cane. Most of the pain happens when I first stand up, or if I put too much pressure on the bottom of my foot.

The incisions are still tender, and the top of my foot closest to the ankle is extremely sore and tender. I have begun to wonder where the second screw in my foot is located, and whether this area being so sore has anything to do with that. The sore spot is where I placed the circle in the photograph below. The top of my foot is swollen, although not as much as it had been a week ago. I am continuing to use Aquaphor on the incisions. There are four incisions on my foot: two straight line ones on top, one around the inside of my big toe, and a small curved one along the side next to where the bunion had been located. The incision that had not been closed all of the way when my cast was removed (top of my foot closest to the big toe) looks nasty and jagged rough compared to the scar farther up on top of my foot. This is the area that was aggravated by the cast when I exercised my toes, and I hope I did not damage the scar tissue so that it heals less smooth. My husband seems to think it looks worse because it is not as far along in the healing process as the other longer incision.

8 weeks post-op

The swelling in my ankle has gone down in the last week, although you can tell by the photo that it is still swollen. I am continuing to elevate it, and I put ice on it several times a day. The ankle pain I am experiencing feels like the kind of pain one would have after twisting or spraining the ankle. I am no longer experiencing pain rising up my leg from my ankle.

#10 ~ First Week with Walking Boot

April 2017

I had heard that bunion surgery is painful, and before this week I felt like comments I had read were overstated. I had quit taking my meds within four days of surgery, and I did not experience a lot of pain immediately following surgery. Yes, I had swelling and discomfort; however, I did not have extreme pain. I did not realize the more intense pain would be during the recovery when I started walking again; not the surgery itself. 

Activity and exercise

My doctor had not given me very detailed instructions about what activities I should be resuming, and he had not really discussed any exercises to assist with the healing. He basically told me to wear the walking boot when I was putting weight on my foot, to walk/do what I could tolerate, and continue bending my toes. I mentioned in my last post how severe the pain was when I tried to stand up, and this did not lessen any in the first week.

Although walking was painful, it was easier to do things around the house. I went up and down the stairs (walking, rather than schooching), vacuumed, washed the floors, prepared meals, etc; pretty much all of the typical household chores. I did yoga, toe bends, and ankle stretches daily. I always felt better after gently stretching my body. 

#9 ~ Week Six Checkup and Walking Boot!

April 2017

Cast comfort

I am providing a brief recap of the cast comfort first, as I think some of the pain I experienced this week was a result of the way the cast fit. The cast was tight around my ankle and front of my leg (just like the first one had been), and around my entire foot just above the toes. By the time I returned for my checkup, I had cut off a couple of layers of cast wrapping, and I had made a couple of cuts in the material above my toes. The wrapping ended at the top, so removing a bit of material relieved that area; however, it did not do anything for the area above my toes where the wrapping started.

The shorter cast had a few good points: less weight, and because it ended just above my ankle, I did not need to worry about where it hit the pad on the walker. It hung off the end of the walker, whereas the taller cast had rested partially on the pad. If the cast had not been so tight, it probably would have been quite tolerable.

Pain, tingling, blue toes

The tingling in my first two toes started to decrease after five weeks post-op. I could gently squeeze, massage, and bend the ends of these toes with my fingers. Before this, I had not been able to even clasp my toes between my fingers because the tingling pain had been so severe. I had frequent tingling from my big toe and up the top of my foot that was quite bothersome. I think my cast being tight aggravated this, since my toe knuckle rubbed tightly against the cast when I bent my toes forward. I also experienced mild pressure on other areas of my foot from the cast when I exercised or moved. This felt similar to the way your body feels when it starts to "fall asleep" from pressure on a nerve. Areas that was especially bothersome were the ball of my foot below my big toe, and the top of my foot.

Six Weeks Post-Op: Recap of Things I have Learned [so far] and Suggestions for Next Time

April 2017

Before surgery

• I stocked the freezer with over 10 meals, and I wish I had prepared more.
• Remember to stock the pantry, too. I had our cupboards well-stocked; however, there were a few things I did not think about. We eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, and we do not consume many potatoes or convenience foods. Since my husband is not going to take the time to cook like I do after working all day, I should have picked up a few convenience-type pantry products that I do not always keep on hand: canned vegetables, instant whole-grain rice and quinoa sides, and more soups for his lunches.
• Spring clean, if you can! I cleaned the entire house beforehand, yet there were still a few things I did not think about since they are not daily or even weekly tasks. If you are particular about keeping a clean house, these little things will drive you nuts six weeks later, when you are not able to reach them.
• Exercise to strengthen your toes, ankles, legs, and balance. You will be surprised how much you will need to accomplish on one leg. You will need a good amount of strength and balance in your useable leg to perform even simple tasks, like getting up from the toilet. Most handicap restrooms in public places do not have a place to rest your knee while you get your clothing back in place after standing. So, you will either be doing this with one hand, or while balancing on your good leg.

Things to clarify with your doctor

About five weeks post-op, I had questions about things I had not thought of before surgery.

#8 ~ Week Five and Extra Checkup

March 2017

Recap of my injuries [from post #7] after surgery

The first time I fell was at home about 3½ weeks after surgery: my toes hit the floor with force. The second time I fell was on concrete porch steps a few days later: the bottom of my cast thudded down on the cement. I had become quite active on one leg before my falls: vacuuming, cleaning the floors with a Swiffer mop, going up and down the stairs, showering at least twice a week with a bag over my cast, yoga, and more. Both times that I fell were a result of being careless, rather than from doing too much. Neither fall happened when I was performing any type of feat; I was standing in the living room next to the knee walker the first time, and I was going up two porch steps the second time. I had done both of these things numerous times before.

Pain

The pain and tingling in my foot was much worse after my second fall. The fall itself did not hurt as much the second time; however, the pain got worse as time went on, rather than better. In fact, a few days after this, I took a couple of Norco pills I'd had leftover after surgery, since I had not taken them all then. My foot throbbed when I first got up in the morning, and it throbbed within five minutes anytime I got up to move around. I could no longer bend my big toe without using my fingers, and I had been able to do so before my falls. 

Initially, I thought the pain and tingling was just a setback in my recovery because of the trauma to my foot. After the third day, I thought the pain felt worse than it had after surgery. It was actually difficult to judge the pain for sure, since I had been taking Norco for three days following the surgery, which dulled the pain. I called the doctor's office five days after my second fall, and they scheduled an appointment for two days later.

#7 ~ Week Four, Injuries, Second X-ray (third checkup)

March 2017

Blue-gray toe color and exercises

My fourth week started out great. I had increased my toe exercises, and I was keeping the blue-gray color in my toes under control. My toes still got discolored after I had been on my feet for over 30 minutes, and the color returned to normal after I did the leg and toe exercises. After I whacked my toes (details under next heading), my toes turned purple within 5 minutes every time I got up. The color still returned to normal after the exercises. Before my [first] injury, I had started to wash my big toe area as best I could around the stitched area with a cotton ball, and I was applying petroleum jelly or aloe to the toe. This helped with the cracked skin feeling I had when I exercised that toe (part of the reason I was afraid of scarring). I also continued yoga daily, except for two days following my toe injuries. I was afraid to do much of anything after my falls.

Injuries ~ twice this week!

I felt like I was doing very well, and then I got overconfident and careless. One morning, I misjudged the location of the knee walker, and was not able to catch my balance in time. My toes hit the floor with tremendous pressure and all of my weight before the rest of me then hit the floor. Even though I was on carpet, I should have had the walker locked, and I should have been looking down at it before attempting to drop my knee onto it. The fall was painful, however, the pain was overshadowed by the extreme fear I had about whether I had done any damage inside my foot. I stayed on the floor about 20 or 30 minutes - gingerly checking my toes and foot as best I could, and praying. I was not uncomfortable on the living room carpet, and I was not unable to get up. I was just afraid to move. The most pain I felt when it happened was in the arch of my foot, except when I tried to move my toes. My big toe was very painful when I tried to move it back and forth. I also felt mild pain in the ball of my foot (more than just the discomfort I had been feeling), and in the knuckle of my big toe. This fall/toe stubbing happened only a couple of days after my last post, when I expressed how carefully I had been taking care of my foot! I guess it was a good thing I had a cast on after all. 😓

#6 ~ Week Three After Second Checkup and Cast On

March 2017

Pain, swelling, and comfort

The minimal pain I had been experiencing did not change much. Since I could now move my toes, and the doctor had told me I should, I started toe exercises. I must have overdone it the first day, because in the late afternoon I had a lot of pain and tingling along the top of all of my toes, which also extended up the top of my foot from my big toe. The pain lasted for about an hour. I had thought about putting ice on my toes, but then the pain subsided before I did. I had a similar feeling the next day or so, although not as severe, since I cut back on the exercises a bit. After this, the only pain I felt when exercising my toes, was with my big toe. The entire end/tip of my big toe hurt when I bent it, along with the area where my big toe connects to my foot. It looked like a cut had been made almost all the way around my big toe in this area. This is visible in the last photo in this post, and in previous pictures of my foot with the bandage removed.

The cast was initially uncomfortable around the ankle area, and on the second evening with the cast I noticed a new problem. I loved that my toes were exposed so I could move them; however, I had not thought about the comfort of where my cast ended until I experienced the discomfort 24-hours later. The cast ended at the start of the ball of my foot, when it seems like it would have been more natural to extend to where my toes connect to my foot. The purple in the photo below is the cast. A full cast photo is visible in previous post #5. The cast was made by the doctor hand-rolling the cast wrapping around my foot, so it seems like it could have been made to fit my foot. You would not think having something rest on the edge of the ball of your foot would be bothersome; however, after a length of time it is! In fact, I considered going back to the doctor a couple of days later, as I was not sure I would be able to stand it for two weeks. Even though I was not standing on my foot, this end of the cast pressed against my foot at all times, even when my leg was elevated.

Underside of my cast

My ankle no longer felt swollen at the end of the third week, and this area was not bothersome. The top of my foot was uncomfortable instead. Even though there was soft gauze around my foot under the cast, the top of my foot was sore. It felt raw, as though the tender stitched area was rubbing against the rough cast. The ball of my foot where the cast hit underneath was also sore, as if this area around my foot was now swollen instead of my ankle. I did not understand why my podiatrist had chosen to fully cast my foot when I saw many more comfortable looking foot wrappings online. If you do an online search for "foot cast after bunion surgery," you will see many options. I thought the type of covering in the photo below looked the most comfortable. This would not be as protective as the cast; however, I would have preferred it. I was extremely diligent about the care I gave my foot, and about not putting any weight on it. I had not thought to research foot coverings, and I had not specifically asked my doctor about what kind of foot cast I would have before I had the surgery.

Photo from Margaret River Correspondent blog

Exercise

I continued the same yoga and leg raise routines, along with the added toe bends. I did the leg raises more frequently, and I added a few more leg exercises after my toes turned blueish gray in color (more about this under the next heading). I did about 10 minutes of leg exercises every hour or so. After my toe pain the first day, I initially cut back on the toe exercises, and then I gradually increased the amount I did. I did not stretch my big toe as much as the others; not only because it was painful, but I also wondered if the activity might increase scarring from the cut around this toe.