Infected!

Sooo... It's been hot and red and swollen. A neighbors sister is a nurse, she took one look at it and said they'd infected! I called the clinic and they said come in. Went to see Dr P. It's definitely infected. I've got lots of antibiotics to take - 3 a day for up to 6 weeks! Need it to hurry up and get better really soon as I'm off on holiday on Sunday! 

Taken Monday 4th May - 5 weeks and 3 days

Still very swollen and sore hardly any movement 

The current state 

The right foot at the same stage 

Pics

Last fracture clinic appointment one month since op

Soooo pretty pointless going really. But the bandage is off! He had a very quick look at it and said to book in with physio and then make an appointment to see him in 4 - 6 weeks. Miserable nurse was her usual happy rude self. The rest were lovely as always. Trainers on! Time to get it better! I can't wait to get it clean in the shower! 

Some left foot before pics

4 weeks one day

The bandage comes off now but not permanently yet. I go on Monday to fracture clinic. See pics below. The right foot was in a trainer by this time. Hopefully the bandage goes Monday. 

 

17 Day - 2nd Fracture Clinic Appt

Soooo. Dr P was there today. He took the dressing off and the stern strips. It's grim but looks like the right foot did, maybe a little worse. 

As with the right foot, the incision is white as the humidity here makes it that way. Plus all the sweating. He said like he did last time, wounds in Bermuda are always like that BUT the nurse accused me of getting it wet! She was very accusing even when I said firmly , no I had not. She then said have you had it in the bath?!

  So rude! When I've got a special plastic bootee thing to wear in the shower. I'm fuming but I said to her, the Dr just said why it's like that AND the other foot was the same! Cheek! See pics 

First dressing change and first glimpse

I'm pleased! I have a nice new dressing, put on properly and with care! Go back a week today to see Dr P. Looking good though! 

One week later

The pain is easing but bad at times. Still nothing like the right foot was. I'm currently sunbathing , it's 72F and there's not a cloud in the sky. Shane I can't drink alcohol as the pills say noooo! 

Update

So... Nobody told me that you can get really sick on Morphine! I spent all Saturday feeling sick and was soooo sick all night it was awful! That morphine has a lot to answer for! 

The pain medication also got thrown up so the pain came back and to be honest, although no way near as bad as the previous foot, is still really painful and at night especially. The dressing is crap and I can't get through to the fracture clinic at all. I'm meant to book two appointments! 

Showering is easier this time around . I don't have the terrible blood rushing sensation as much this time.

 Funny thing is, my right foot, which has continued to be swollen and painful has just started to behave. The swelling seems completely gone where as the other day it was still big. The pain in the bones is still there but not very painful  at all. 

I'm sooo glad it's over and am looking forward to it recovering as the right foot has. Matching feet! No bunion pain anymore ! Yay. 

I'm not managing the pain well. Tbe Gabapentin aware 600mg pills and for night use. I used one in the morning in despair and spent the entire day feeling like a drunk zombie! 

Round 2

Soooo...needed to be there at 11.30am.Checked in and they told me my op would be at 12.30pm. They actually didn't take me to theatre until gone 2pm. I could not stop crying because  I hate the feeling when you go under so much.  I woke up at about 3.45pm in recovery and in agony! Where as the other foot I had no pain on waking other than a headache.  They gave me Tylenol and then morphine which eventually worked. I had to ask for the black shoe, the woman was like oh you want one of those? I said well of course, I had one last time. Did she honestly expect me to walk on just a bandaged for after having it sliced open, bones cut out, sawn off and pinned etc lol.

 Went to X-Ray and then home to bed. Dinner was a tofu takeout which was yummy. I didn't sleep ALL night! Went off at 6am until 8am. I can still feel the morphine. 

No pain so far as I'm managing it better than last time and I have Tramacet this time and Gabapentin too. Determined not to have a break through. I can even walk! Badly but still. I'm so glad it's over! 

I have to attend the fracture clinic on Tuesday 7th and Tuesday 14th April.

All gone!

So today was the left foots turn! Photos before and in the shoe. Too tired to write up the details, will do tomorrow though. Right foot is 12 weeks post op today. 

Confirmed

Forgot to post that I saw my lovely Surgeon and yup, March 27th it is! Nervous of course but not as much as before the first one. He asked me about pain medication and has already given me two lots of different ones. I collected them and went to the hospital to have my Xray of the left foot done. It's 9 weeks today since my right foot operation and will be 12 weeks to the day of my left foot. I'm due to travel to North Carolina in mid May so my foot will be at about the 7 Weeks post op stage by then. They should both be relatively pain free for summer. I know what to expect this time. Lots of pain and lots of TV! 

Comparing the before and after. Day of op and today. Still very swollen. 

News

My foot is super painful today! The receptionist from the Clinic called, she said they need to change tomorrow's appointment to Wednesday. She said well lets pencil you in a date anyway and the first date was 27th March! Eeeeeek! 

8 Weeks & 2 Days Post Op

Sore and stiff but getting there! I have an appointment on Tuesday morning to book a date for the left foot! Eeeeek! It's painful anyway but relying on it more has taken its toll. I'm scared still but know what to expect. Will report back after the appointment! See pics for update, taken today. 

Update

Still very stiff. I can pretty much curl my toes under now but it's too stiff to bend up. The scar leaked a little blood and puss out of a little hole at the top. The bottom where the lumpy bine bit is, that's still sore. I am wearing wide ballet flats which is fab after living in my Crossfit trainers. Still swollen.We went for a beach walk yesterday and I walked in the water to try to make it feel better. Too much walking still hurts. 

7 Weeks tomorrow

So as the header says - it's 7 weeks tomorrow. I have got a little more movement but it's still painful and swollen. There seems to be a bit of bone poking through the bottom of the scar. See new pics. 

5 weeks, 3 days

So...update! Walking more, driving more, moaning less (ish) 

It still hurts but is much much better. The bone/s very achy. 

The wound is healed, scab all dropped off other than two tiny bits. The foot is still swollen and the big toe very stiff. I have not got Physio until next Monday. To be honest the lack of Physio has really surprised me. 

It's sore if I walk too much or spend too long on it. It gets very hot very fast. It hurts at night still where I flex it in my sleep and it really really hurts -  I wake up with a scream! I'm having warm soaks none of that ice bath shizzle! I can only wear my Crossfit trainers as they're the only things wide and supportive enough. 

Photo taken today - the peeling of the skin of my entire foot is annoying and though I'd read about it, it's worse than I thought and a bit grim to look at lol - still ready for round two though! 

One month exactly!

So it's now one month to the day, boy that's gone quick! I had a physio today which was just as well as this morning I noticed a bit of stitch stick out! Well I'm pretty squeamish so that was a bit yuk! 

I am driving and walking in trainers (sneakers) which is great! See before and after photos -  still swollen but getting better. The other bunion will be soon as it's hurting more and more. 

         2nd January       2nd February

 

Stitch sticking out 

Clearer shot of stitch

     After Physio today 

Day 24

Good news! I went to the clinic. No new dressing required and so got rid of the horrible one I have had for the last two weeks. When getting it off she commented how thick it was. The physio girl surprised me when asked what I'd had done and when! Er should you not already know that?! 

She wiggled my toes a little and gave me an exercise sheet. Told me to have two ice foot baths a day! That I do not like the sound of at all, she says it can get wet now but I want to wait until the scab has come off first. It's very dry and I want to keep it that way as I don't want it getting all soggy! 

She put a small dressing over the round

 ( see pics) just to get me home. Also she said I can walk around barefoot at home and wear wide trainers now. That is great as I loathe the black shoe bit feel strangely dependant on it too. 

I'm due back in a week exactly. Loving the free foot feeling. It's very sore and stiff and if I move it too much it lets me know - painfully! No driving yet it seems!