I wish I had something profound or awesome to update. But, I don't really. I've spent a lot of time thinking and reflecting on what the injury has meant for me and what it has changed in my life. I have had plenty of emotional moments over the last few weeks, but that seems to be passing and I'm back on track to being my normal self again. Despite getting all of the "You have memories on Facebook today!" notifications on my phone, and seeing all of the struggles I went through last year during this time. My first trip out with the scooter, the night of my surgery (where I was in so much pain, I posted a billion cat videos on my wall apparently to distract myself), getting discharged from the hospital. I'll be getting those foot memories for a while!
I have seen some really good progress within the last few weeks as well, and I'm still amazed that I continue to progress even a year after surgery. The doctor said one of the last things to come back usually was coming up on the toes, and that has been true. I've seen some awesome improvement in being able to do that - the muscles are finally starting to engage and it is becoming second nature again with minimal discomfort/pain. I thought I was never going to be able to come up on my toes on my right foot ever again. But a year later, I can! It is something so small that you don't even think about until you can't do it.
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| On the left, sitting in the ER shortly after my fall. On the right, 1 year and 3 surgeries later! Toes are still cute AF |
I called Dr. Van Boerum's office at TOSH to schedule my yearly post-op appointment. I've been so excited and anxious to go in, get my x-ray, and just talk to the doctor. He is a really busy man, however, and the first available appointment wasn't until August! So, the post about my year op visit will have to wait until then.
I've also started up my walking routine again. I had stopped for a while, frustrated with progress and feeling remorseful about being unable to run. I really do enjoy being outside and walking along the trails out on the lake near our house, especially with an earful of music and a pocketful of sunshine. When I did my first attempt at a fast walking pace back in March, I walked a 5k in 1 hour, 17 minutes. Now I can do it in just under 50 minutes. I'm hovering just around a 15 minute mile. Pretty good for a lisfrancer and I'm hoping to work at it so that I just get better and better. I think I look kind of silly (I look like one of those race walkers that I've seen during the Olympics!) when I am trying to walk fast. It feels awesome to be out there. For the most part, my foot doesn't bother me during my walk...unless a storm is coming... and I'm not too sore or have much pain afterwards. I'm only going maybe a couple of times a week for now.
I'm also very close to my pre-surgery weight again! I gained quite a bit after surgery being unable to move, walk or be my normal active self. Mostly that's been attributed to the ketogenic diet I am following. That's for sure helped my confidence and physical well-being.
So, what's next? I don't know. I feel pretty normal. Even though my foot feels alien, and I limp sometimes. The new normal. I'm always aware of my injury, but I refused to be defined by it.
Hang in there everyone!
Hi CC
ReplyDeleteGood to get your update. Two things surprised me;
1. You talked about being amazed that progress is still being made. I feel the same as i still make noticeable developments and like you just had anniversary. The strength of the foot and ankles is definately improving.
2. Like you I have been doing a ketogenic diet and the results are brilliant. I have lost a much needed 10 kgs which helps my confidence and my foot.
I like your before and after pictures. I didn't do a straight before and after set of pictures just some middling ones.
Lets hope our improvements carry on!
Karen
Yes! I'm so happy to see improvement and glad you are too!
DeleteAnd yes I think the weight loss helps with all the stress being put on the foot. I love eating keto (I was very surprised how much I enjoyed it) and I don't have really any of the cravings I did before! I will cheat now and then but it is not very often. I also test my blood for ketones to see if I am in ketosis, and that is kind of a fun science element to it!
I've lost pretty much all my surgery weight (about 30lbs) and I am hoping to push through and lose even more.
Hi CC, I just want to say thank you for writing this blog. It has been so helpful to read someones real life experience rather than just a bunch of medical jargon. I injured my foot on 6/30 and will have my first surgery this Monday. It freaks me out a little that the recovery is going to be so long. I'm super thankful to have found your blog if for no other reason I will have realistic expectations which hopefully will alleviate some frustrations down the road. I have a couple questions for you. I would love your advice and thoughts if you have time. I'm waiting for my insurance to approve a scooter. Do you have any suggestions about what type of scooter to get if I have a choice? I am a teacher and I have to be as mobile as possible. I usually get 10,000 steps before ever leaving work for the day. I'm going to have to make some serious changes when school starts. Also, do you have any shoe suggestions? I don't think I have any shoes except for tennis shoes that I will still be able to wear. I love your honest positive attitude!
ReplyDeleteRobin
So sorry to hear about your injury Robin! And thank you for taking the time to read my lisfranc ramblings :)
DeleteI ended up purchasing a scooter through Amazon. It was cheaper than renting one through my local medical supply store for how long I was going to need it. This was the one I bought - it was kind of the middle model, and held up well moving about my office, around the house and going on outings. There are more expensive ones you can get (like the all terrain wheels so you can go on gravel and such, but I never needed anything like that!) It also is minimal assembly - the hubby put it together in about 5 minutes.
https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Aluminum-Steerable-Alternative/dp/B003VMAKVS/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1468613372&sr=1-5&keywords=knee+scooter
I also got several accessories for it, including a bell, a light (late night potty trips) and a furry seat cover (for style).
Shoe suggestions - I mainly stuck to tennis shoes with ortho inserts for a long time, but once I started to transition out, the more supportive the shoe and thick-soled the better. My hiking boots were great (Ahnu or Merrell brand), and I invested in some orthopedic flip flops (Merrell & Aetrex) because I just have to have them for summer! I have also heard that the Drew brand is a good pair (the Mary Janes) but I have not purchased them yet! My doctor always said you get what you pay for as far as comfort and quality, so try not to cringe at the prices and consider them a long-term investment :)
I sadly not worn heels in over a year! I really miss my Louboutins :'(
Good luck with your recovery! I hope your students give you lots of positive encouragement too! Attitude is really everything. You may be depressed, or sad, but it will come to an end. You are strong and you will get through it!
Hey CC how's it going? I know it has been a hot minute since my last post to you, sorry. Things have been crazy for me. Ok well basically me I have been a crazy emotional mess. My pins came out on July 8th. I am officially pin free... YAY! This is wonderful. I have also slowly started weight-bearing and attempting to walk. However my surgeon does not want me to do PT at this point he only wants me to do some little excersies he has shown me and then me learning to walk on my own at home mind you with no guidance. I have already talked to his nurse twice. I started the weight-bearing/walking on July 21st. So I have only been doing it for a week. I can now put 100lbs on my foot this not even a half of my body weight and I still have to have my walker to walk. Talk about discouraging. At this point I am so frustrated and upset. And holy SH*% IT HURTS! I did not realize it was going to feel this way. I can feel stuff move in the top of my foot I don't even know if this is normal. Almost like bubbles popping. It is the strangest thing I have ever felt. Also swelling for 2 days now. I have been trying to stay off of it some and elevation, compression, and ice. Thought I was done with all that... guess not. And shoes I am sick because I can not wear my shoes. I so want to wear shoes. I am going on a cruise in 38 days to the Carribean, me & my boyfriend, our first one ever and I absolutely have to be walking by then. The emotional stuff is just as bad as the trying to walk. I hate having to depend on people to do things for me. I am ready to be completely independent again, my family does not understand this. And my car oh my car she is sitting in my driveway (a 2016 mustang gt, manual trans) and there is nothing that I can do but look at her this is so so so hard for me. Yes I am whining I know. At this point you are the only person I have to talk to who understands what I am going through. Anyway enough about me how are you doing? Good I hope.
ReplyDeleteHope to hear from you soon,
DixieMedic
BTW if I haven't told you before my name is Amanda
Hi Amanda! Glad to hear that your surgery went well. I, like you, was really excited to walk again and just wanted to do it. But, it sure was painful. I think the feelings you are having in your foot are totally normal. My nerves were basically shot for the first 8 months or so. It would feel twitchy, or like shocks or would feel extremely cold or hot. You have to remember a lot of damage was done to that area and the nerves have to rebuild and retrain themselves, so don't stress. I am pretty sure that will go away soon and you won't even be thinking about it anymore.
DeleteI also want to say to not make the mistake of trying to come back to normal activities too fast. I put myself in a pickle once I started full weight bearing again and almost gave myself a stress fracture because I was just trying to do too much and my foot was just not ready for it. It landed me back in my boot for a bit. It will come, just be patient.
My foot hurt for a really long time after I started to bear weight on it. I would be walking around my office at work, and look at the long hallway I had to walk through to get to my desk. It seemed to go on for miles and miles and felt like it took forever to reach my destination. It will get better. Soon you'll start to walk without that pain and it will start to feel normal again. You just have to push through it, although not too much, just find that sweet balance.
I completely understand what you are saying about your independence. People kept wanting to do things for me for a long time after surgery. Even though it was going to take me four times as long to do it myself, I still wanted to do it ON MY OWN.
I just posted an update - my 1 year post op visit with the doctor. Things went really well, better than I thought!
So... you just hang in there!! I was really glad to hear from you!
BTW I have found some orthopedic shoes.... Vionic shoes...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vionicshoes.com/
I just ordered my first pair so I am not sure how well they will work out but they are expensive. I cringed and wanted to cry when I paid for them but if they work for what my doctor has told me to wear in a shoe it will be well worth it to me. Tennis shoes are out for me along with well pretty much everything. He wants me in a good thick-soled stiff (does not flex in the toes) with good arch support as well shoe. Do you have any idea how hard that is to find. Anyway I wanted to share the shoe site, there are a few cute sandals to be orthopedic I guess. I will let ya know how it goes once I get them in. They do offer a 30 day money back so that's good.
Amanda
Did you get your shoes yet??
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