At night I got something like muscle stretch of the entire body, which must have stretched something in the wound, as there was some very unpleasant pain. I even thought of taking Percocet, but I did not. In the morning, it was still painful, especially when I was having a shower. Then I started walking around the house (actually I can walk without the post-op shoe, but I do not want to as it makes the dressing .... 'grey'), and the pain was immediately gone. I drove, walked, and functioned all day, and in the evening I was so fed up with constant resting, that I decided to do some DYI... I used power tools, took off the patio door from its hinges, out it back.... just to give you the feel of what it was. It is 8 pm and I am feeling great now.
Tomorrow is the follow-up visit, I hope the dressing will be gone, and anyway I am planning to go to work afterwards and for a business dinner in the evening! I am going to take several pairs of shoes with me to the clinic, and just see what will work...I love the challenge.
20 May, 2012
18 comments :
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Today I plan to finish the mowing (another hour). I continue to do my toe stretches as requested by my Doc.
ReplyDeleteWhen at rest, my pain level in my primary big toe joints is ZERO. No nagging, even-at-rest toe pain. Loving this.
When walking, it's the sutures that cause minor discomfort. My toe joints seem to favor the movement.
At this point, I am looking at having my first unprotected shower in 5 more days, and having my stitches out in 10. I'll be back in my running shoes on that day. Can't wait.
Staying home one more day tomorrow as significant rain is projected and I have no easy/practical way to keep my feet dry in/out of work. Rest of the week looks to be dry. Didn't think of this variable. In a pinch, I could wrap my socked-foot in a plastic bag then put on my Frankenstein shoe. But for God's sake, it's goofy enough to be wearing these shoes, I don't need the addition of garbage bags to complete my look. :-)
Another rough night last night. I don't know why nights are so challenging for me. Pin prick sensation and spasming that kept me up until I finally gave in and took a pain pill at 2:30AM, then slept until 6. Daytime is markedly better. I can now put my cheilectomy foot down with some weight on my heel and midfoot. This in itself has made doing things while on crutches much easier, and makes me feel like I am on the road to recovery. Today I feel the most optimistic I have felt to date and not as much like an invalid. This is huge for me, because there were times I thought I would go insane! Now if I could just get the nighttime issue worked out...
ReplyDeleteWhy not take the pain pill before going to sleep? Better to prevent it than to be woken up at night and wait until it goes away... this has always worked for me with both cheilectomy and some other problems.
ReplyDeleteI will do that tonight, but will most likely wake up every 3.5 to 4 hrs. uncomfortable and needing to re-dose That seems to be the way my body has handled the processing of prescribed pain meds.
DeleteI was hoping to be off the medication altogether by this point, but I know getting adequate sleep is important for recovery and therefore takes precedence.
Day 9
ReplyDeleteAll good and after the stiff morning start, almost no pain in joint. Only problem is the stitches. Like last time the ends dig into my good skin and really hurt. My solution is to use the gauze to bend them back and then wrap with the ace bandage to hold in place.
CR - Day 9
ReplyDeleteHad a nice long sleep, then morning exercises with the sun streaming in the window. It is hard to feel down with the weather being so amazing and sunny. If we had been having the usual cold, windy, rainy winter, I wonder if I would feel any different. Sorted through years worth of stuff in my daughter’s desk area. So nice to get rid of clutter. (still tons to go around the house) Took a break with my feet up, then prepared dinner for some visiting family. They were so impressed to see me up and around. Had a nice visit and enjoyed watching the little ones at play. Then put my feet up and relaxed for the evening. Nothing to complain about today.
This blog has been such a comfort to me as I prepared and experienced my own cheilectomy. I would like to share my experience too, though I wish I had weighed in sooner, because I found it especially helpful to hear a range of experiences. The doctors always say" everyone is different" but we would all like some general guidelines, right? First of all- many thanks to Parsifal! Hearing about your good result was key to my decision to go through with the surgery.
ReplyDeleteToday is my Day 9 too.
Background: I am a 50 year old woman- 5'8" and 140 lbs. Always active. I am a really healthy person- I drink very little, eat well and get enough rest. The only medical problems I have ( besides the foot- are migraines and some sinus issues. About 2 years ago I noticed stiffness and pain at the base of my left toe. The pain was intense, like a hot knife. Sought treatment from a podiatrist about a year and and a half ago. Diagnosis: Hallux rigidus+ bone fragments in joint of toe. Treatment: Orthotics, cortisone injections, and topical pain relievers. 4 months ago it was decided that surgery was my best option, as I now had practically no flexibility in my foot.
My surgery was performed by my podiatrist in a surgical center. I had general anesthesia and the surgery took about an hour. I was home and sitting up in a chair within a couple hours of the surgery and feeling surprisingly well. My foot was in a cast, with the lovely big sandal over it. I had been given a nerve block, so I couldn't feel anything for a day after the surgery and thus did not need pain killers. I was given dissolving stitches, so I will not need to have them removed. I was given Nucynta to take for pain, which I started the next day, when feeling returned to my foot even though I had no pain, just in case. The meds were making me a little too relaxed and sleepy so I only took them for a day. I took Ibuprofen the 3rd and 4th day, but really because I had a toothache! I was told to stay off the foot except for bathroom breaks and to get a bite to eat. I followed all instructions.
On the 6th day I returned to my podiatrist, she took off the cast, checked that the foot was healing, but did not take off the gauze dressing that covered the wound.
She then re-casted the foot, and I am to return to her a week from Monday. I was told that I could walk a bit more- do little errands etc. but to rest and elevate as much as possible.I feel great and have no pain whatsoever. I am lifting dumb bells and doing floor yoga, crunches,etc, whatever I can do without engaging the foot.
So far So good!
I'm pretty sure I've overdone it on my foot a bit these past few days. Since being back at home, I haven't been icing/elevating as much. I'm working from home this week, so I'm a bit more distracted than I was last week. I'm also finding that the rest of my body is quite unhappy with all the sitting around. So I have been attempting some exercises at home, including weighted squats with a weight bar over my shoulder and my weight on my heels. I've been using my step a bit, slowly, again with weight on my heels. And I've also put 10-pound ankle weights on both legs and flexed my leg in different directions while sitting, and then also walked around with the weights on, too. And now I'm probably paying for that a bit with a sore, cranky foot. Nothing major. Just a reminder that it's only been a little over a week.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I will say is that the aggressive icing I did that first week, and need to get back to, is probably the best decision I've made so far. Other than the bruising, my foot really doesn't look bad. It's a little swollen, but that swelling is not even really noticeable unless I compare it with my non-surgery foot. Remarkable.
The only other item of note: The steri-strips came fully off today and I saw my incision and stitches fully for the first time. That is going to be a heck of a scar. Minor, as life problems go, but goodness.
Well having said yesterday that I wouldn't want to drive yet, I drove to the shops and did a bit of grocery shopping, all fine. Think I will try going to work tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time, when I got out of bed, put on the boots, and started walking, my feet weren't as "stiff" as they've been. That was a good sign. I've been walking around with less stiffness than yesterday. My feet still feel swollen, and I continue to have a sharp discomfort / mild-to-moderate bilateral pain in my big toe when flexing up or down, but it's been improving, and I'm trying to be patient. The dressing feels icky.
ReplyDeleteMy feet fatigue pretty easily, but tolerate me walking around. I'm nowhere near normal, but functioning reasonably well, and feel that I can drive, go to the store, do whatever I need to do. I feel that I'll be able to start walking more "normally" in a week or so, but will try not to set an expectation that might be realistic. Slow + steady winds the recovery race.
My follow-up is scheduled two days hence. I think the bandages will come off at that time, and I'm hoping that I'll be returning to the office (and my normal-ish routine) at the two week mark.
Am surprised that my biggest discomfort is still on the non-surgery side of my foot. Feels like a stone bruise under my little toe. Gave in and took an anti-inflammatory at lunch and it helped. Will stay on one a day for a little while longer. Did take a break from yoga today, but my new yoga mat came in (crazy, I know) so I will roll it out and break it in today in some small part. Also got out to lunch at a restaurant. Other than that, took it easy. Just a reminder to anyone reading, I had both a cheilectomy and a decompression osteotomy, so your mileage will definitely vary. Finally sleeping a little better with out the boot.
ReplyDeleteTrying not to get impatient with my 'stone bruise', but my husband would tell you that is not my long suit. By afternoon and a dose of anti-inflammatory (and maybe a little yoga added in) foot feeling a little calmer. This has definitely been one of the more challenging days. Got to hold on to the fact that it will get better.
ReplyDeleteWow I wish I had found this site earlier! I had a bilateral cheilectomy (both feet) on June the 5th. Other than the inconvenience of the experience it has not been as bad as i was expecting. I had my first post op visit with the doctor yesterday and so far so good. I was told to start manually moving the joints a small amount each day and i start physical therapy on Thursday. I will continue to read everyone's experiences with interest thanks everyone for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteBacked off the Aleve last night and today, might have been a mistake. Oh my the stiffness has set in. I didn’t I’ve or elevated as high today either. Need to get back to Aleve, ice and elevate again. Trying to loosen it up with movement but painful. Lesson learnt.
ReplyDeleteI have been walking up and down stairs quite a bit and yesterday the dressing pretty much flipped out from under the bandage. Took it off and wife rebandaged with gauze. Last night when off the foot looked pretty good. A little swelling but no blood and I had 7 stitches. The opening is from the first knuckle to 2” behind the joint. Only puffiness around the joint. No real bruising.
I’m hoping to get a surgery at both big toe to remove the “spurs”
ReplyDeleteI want my go to send me to see à different surgeon because this one wanted to murge all together! Probably with a pin! Anyway he scared me off,
I’m very open see for a second surgeon opinion
I have awful pain I cannot walk 3 feet that my toes hurt and my feet as well
ReplyDeleteI’m seeing my GP on Monday and I’m hoping she could direct to the right surgeon to get the surgery on both feet to remove the spurs.
I’m going to speak to my GP because I don’t want to go see the same surgeon she sent me to. That orthopaedic surgeon offered shot in the bone ( NO WAY) or to do a drastic surgery well I would not be using that articulation anymore! No no all I want, is the spurs sanded dremmelled to flush.
**Since this blog is pretty old, I originally posted my comment on the summary page. I’ve decided to post my comments under the appropriate day/week heading moving forward.**
ReplyDeleteHello, Everyone. I’m late to the party, but I think it’s good idea to keep the conversation going. I’m Day 9 post-op, and doing well. Had a Cheilectomy to remove a bone spur on the right big toe plus a reduction of the medial eminence (a bump/bunion *not* caused by a crooked joint; it’s simply genetic/anatomy). I’m feeling great and have been off pain meds and walking in the ortho shoe since Day 3. Unlike many of the people who have shared here, I did not have arthritis in the joint. After the Cheilectomy, my surgeon commented that my joint and cartilage look excellent; very healthy. The bone spur was pretty large, however, and it was causing a good amount of stiffness and pain. I tried steroid injections, which did little to alleviate the problem (likely because it wasn’t due to arthritis or inflammation). I decided to move forward with the surgery because I am active. I like to hike, workout, walk, garden, etc. I took the prescribed Oxy through Day 3, then switched to regular Tylenol and Advil 2x a day for days 3-6. Since then, I’ve taken Tylenol only about twice. My most alarming effect is bruising. I am very bruised and a bit swollen. But I bruise very, very easily, and Advil is a blood thinner, so it makes sense. I have been keeping my foot elevated as much as possible and sleep with my foot elevated each night. I had a minimally invasive procedure and will have sutures removed at 3 weeks. Hoping to be allowed to drive at that point—and attempt to wear a regular shoe. I have been instructed not to attempt to move my toe/stretch intel my 3 week assessment. I believe this will ensure proper healing. I hope to update everyone after that appointment. xoxo Luciole
Today is day 9 of my recovery. I have had a good few days, still resting and keeping my foot elevated most of the time. Yesterday I decided I really wanted a nice soak in the bath and wash my hair. I managed, I kept my foot completely out of the water and managed a quick bath without getting my foot wet. I have no pain while resting and walking with crutches is definitely getting easier. I have read the comments for day 9 and feel I am getting a bit left behind but I feel a few more days of rest before the weekend and then I have a few trips out planned for next week, the main one is getting the stitches removed. I’m still on no pain killers, find it better to get about the house without the boot and just use crutches. I am also sleeping well at night. It’s really not been that bad, just a lot of patience with resting the foot needed. I will update when the stitches come out.
ReplyDelete