Six Week Update ....

Happy Friday!
I got the cast off this morning … yeah, yeah! As you can imagine, the foot is extremely swollen and puffy. It is going to take quite some time for it to come down. The x-rays showed that all the bones have healed. I now have a new “boot” type shoe and can begin to put weight on the foot. The incision is still a concern. There is not an infection in the incision, but it continues to drain liquid and we have to watch it closely. It looks very rough from the outside, and there is a substantial amount of healing that needs to take place yet.

As for the positioning of the foot, it is still unknown. My doctor continues to be
“cautiously optimistic” (his words), but this is as positive as it gets at the moment. As of today, the foot looks flatter but it does not lay flat to the ground. The big toe does not make contact with the ground and there is a gap of space, where the foot sits to the right side. The entire foot is very rigid and does not bend or move, as of now. There is also a weird position with my knee/ankle on that side – difficult to explain, but it is not “correct” as it is now. All of this could improve with time or become increasingly worse.

My experience in the past has been that “what you see” after surgery, is what you continues for the future. Just being realistic ….

In the past, the foot quickly began tipping to the right within days after the cast was removed. It came out of the cast somewhat tipped, so hopefully this will not worsen. It is to early to tell whether or not, I can sustain the current position. I am confident that walking is going to be very difficult and painful with the way it is now. The toe deformity definitely needs to be corrected – probably sooner than later. Physical therapy will begin in 4 weeks, if it looks like the surgery was successful.

My third appeal for the bone stimulator was denied by JA, at the trustee meeting yesterday. A second doctor reviewed my case and agreed with the first doctor that it was not medically necessary for my condition. I will never understand why they are not willing to be more proactive, but such is life. I have sent an e-mail to the Chicago surgeon along with x-ray and digital camera pictures from this morning. I don’t think we will do anything else in pursuing the bone device.

Keep praying and trusting that things will improve and look better than today ….

Jenny