January 25, 2013 <3 My Bathing Boots

I haven't posted in a few days, probably because I've been feeling better, and probably doing more than I should be. The pain has gone from an intolerable 9-10 to a 3-4 with bouts of 7-8 (on my pain scale) here and there... Mostly at night. Yesterday I tried to go narcotic free, only taking advil, three 200 mg at a time, but I ended up taking a Norco at 6 and an Oxy at 9:30, when the pain was more than annoying.
I've been sewing, placing the foot pedal between my legs and making a "thigh master" out of it, and it's working great. However, most of the time I'm in my wheelchair and my feet are down, and after about an hour, they start to throb and ache. I also do dishes and pick up when I'm rolling around my tiny apartment, I've never been one to keep still.
I took my real first shower last night. I've been giving myself sponge baths and washing my hair with Chris' assistance, but his parents, (Yvette and Bob- who have been so kind and caring, thank you!) bought me special bathing protectors so I can sit in the shower and use the hand held, the cold water signified my time to turn it off.
I can't believe how much pain is in my baby toes compared to my big toes. I guess the nerves are more sensitive. I also am getting random and sometimes hilarious muscle spasms that are never painful, but a reminder that I am healing.

Post Op Day 5

I went to the doctor's office yesterday for my post-op appointment. It was the first time I got to see my scars and my 'new feet'. First thing I noticed was that my second toes are now longer than my first toes, which I have never had, but I remember this syndrome having a particularly funny name.
When I got to the office a nurse took x rays and then peeled off my dressings to expose my feet. I've been waiting for this moment! Not just because I want to see my wounds, but not having the dressing on was amazingly freeing and felt awesome. I was surprised how much blood was in my dressings, and my baby toe on my left foot (which has caused me the most pain) was still bleeding a bit. The doctor came in and compared x-rays. My 'new feet' seem so much smaller, the bones closer to each other and my pinky toes are not curled around any longer. I got to take some pics before the doctor washed and applied the new dressings. After the appointment we pigged out on hamburgers and french fries, Chris picked up my wheel chair for me and we spent another night with my awakening every few hours, crying in pain and having to take more medication. I have a loot I bring to and from the livingroom to the bedroom, which includes my phone, laptop, heating pad, pain meds, water, tissues and the 4-5 pillows I stack to elevate my feet. If I try to stand I get intense pain in both of my pinky toes, and it makes me wonder how long it will be until I can walk normally again.

Without my boots

The nurse removing my dressings

My right foot

My left foot

My left pinky toe looked pretty bad, I started to realize why most of my pain is consecrated to it.

My before and after x rays. My feet are already significantly smaller. 

My left pinky, looks straighter

I love them sooo

I don't know what I would do without them. They keep me going with their funny faces, their unconditional love and respect for me, and their love for life. 
My boyfriend, Chris; the most romantic, understanding and appreciative man I have ever known. He is selfless. He is aware and present and funny and handsome, sexy as hell.
My amazing son Joel, has taught me; to open my eyes, to know true love, to understand humanity and patience, to know what is important and what is not...on a very basic level. He humbles me. I love him more than I ever believed was humanly possible.
The snoring in my house is only amplified by my sweet, ever loving Monkey Rouge... My four year old American Pit Bull Terrier. He's been mostly blind for years now, cataracts caused by diabetes, caused by a genetic disorder. He's the biggest baby I know! A ferocious man-eater, he's scared to get out of the car by himself and sleeps on a heating pad, yawns when we enter the house and barks at the falling icicles outside. He's so loyal, the thought of him running away, never. He's so docile and kind, he's a cat lover and loves little dogs also. I never imagined being this blessed; surrounded by amazing souls, and I am so grateful that I am.

Pain is the name of this game

January 19, 2013

I didn't expect this much pain. I labored with my son for 18 hours before having an emergency Cesarean. After, I didn't need pain medication. I also have had a couple major injuries, including tearing my gastronemius, which was extremely painful, but NOTHING touches the pain I have been feeling for the last 24 hours. 
At times, the pain is a burning and stabbing sensation that is concentrated around my heels, which make no sense to me. I haven't slept more than an hour at a time, usually waking up to extreme pain, sometimes around and under my big toes, which I expected, and also on my baby toes, which also made sense  However, why I have the heel pain and other discomfort is disheartening. Also, although this may seems strange, I want to see my scars and what my feet look like, but Im not supposed to remove my boots or dressings at all. I will have to wait until my first post-op appointment on Monday. I'll be sure to post a pic!
I was taking the Norco's the doc prescribed, but needed to take one every hour and a half instead of four hours. My boyfriend drove the three hour trip to get a script for a stronger pain reliever. I was taking Hydrocodon with Acetaminophen and now am taking Oxycodone, every four hours, but I am still feeling a lot of pain, sometimes severe.   

January 17, 2013

Today was the day. I got my son Joel off to school and took my dog, Monkey to his nanny. I arrived at the surgery center starving hungry, since they wouldn't allow me so much as a sip of water past 7am this morning, or any food past 7 last night. My surgery was at 12:45, so I spent the morning listening to my stomach's demands, and it was painful. More pain than I am currently in, which at about 4 hours post op,  the numbing is almost wearing off, and I am starting to feel the tingly sensation of the numbing agent wearing off, as you do after dental work. When I first arrived they had me change into a gown and asked me a series of medical questions. Then the nurses realized I still had my toe nail polish on. Nobody had explained to me that this would need to be removed, so the nurse and I went at it and she followed by washing my feet in an anti-septic solution. The anesthesiologist talked to me and told me that he would be using a mild sedation and that the doctor would be using a local to numb my feet. I was unaware. I told him my concerns because I have had local's "wear off" and not work, and he agreed to put me under general anesthesia due to the complexity of my surgery and my history (while in labor I had two epidurals that did not work). The nurse started an IV and after I talked to my doctor, was wheeled into the operating room. After getting situated in the operating room, the anesthesiologist put a breathing mask on me, and the next thing I knew I was being awakened in the recovery room. 
To my delight, I did not have to be casted. I didn't even have a huge walking boot, only two walking shoes, which look ridiculousness, but I'll take all the smiles I can. After eating a huge sandwich, Chris drove me home and went to the drug store to get my prescriptions. I am expecting to get my wheel chair tomorrow, Chris has been piggy backing me around from the car and to the bathroom. 
As I am writing this, I am starting to experience the first little bit of pain in my heel on my right side and my outside edge of the left. I just took half a painkiller. Doc prescribed hydrocodon. 

January 16, 2013

Last night I took Chris out and we had an amazing dinner, possibly a little pre-payment for his job to come....He doesn't seem too worried or stressed about the surgery or my recovery, I see it as the calm before the storm. I've been in contact with my insurance and have arranged for a wheel chair and other necesary items for my recovery. I'm hoping to know more after my pre-op appointment today at 3. My doctor has me scrubbing my feet with a surgical scrub three times a day and never going barefoot (which in Mt.Shasta at 20 degrees, I rarely am without socks anyway!). 

At the lake with my son Joel, looking forward to summer already :)

Imagining how it will feel to run with my 'new feet', here I am wearing men's quad wide running shoes for the Mud Run in Mt.Shasta in July 2012

My favorite end of summer activity, picking fresh wild (organic) blackberries near the clean water of Mt.Shasta's creeks and springs. 

Having fun with my sis at Hurricane Harbor June of 2012. 

Pre- Op

January 13, 2013

Today will be my last day of work until I am healed. I currently work at Wayside Bar and Grill. I usually work a few days a week, bartending and waitressing, and it's normally very busy. This means that I will have to go on 'Disability' for my recovery, and I am not excited about the process one bit. 
I'm also starting to think about the logistics of having both feet in casts. How will I be able to bathe? Get in and out of the Jeep, especially since I live in Mt. Shasta where we already have a three to four foot snow pack and it's only January. More than the logistics, I worry about my eight year old, autistic son and my four three year old blind dog, Monkey.  How will they be cared for? My son does have some of his father's family around, but his father is currently in Afghanistan. I am fortunate to have a caring boyfriend, but this burden seems like a lot for a relationship of only four months.  

January 14, 2013

Today I just took it easy, did a little sewing and made dinner for my boyfriend and I. Tomorrow I am excited to go snowboarding with my friends and have at least one more day of freedom before the surgery. My pre-op is scheduled for Wednesday. 

Pre-Op T-6 Days

January 12, 2013

       Today I traveled to Redding from my home in Mt.Shasta, CA to see Dr. Tae Joo Song, DPM, about the pain in my feet, mostly under my big toe on my right foot. 

       I should start by saying that I have always had wide feet, or "Flintstone Feet" as my mom would call it. Growing up in southern California, I was a gymnast and a swimmer, and rarely did I wear shoes. I loved flip flops and sandals, the comfort far out weighed any discomfort I had on colder days. US Navy boot camp was a different story. 

      I recall standing at attention and being in a huge amount of pain from the Bates boots that were issued to me, in a men's quadrupedal wide. Although I had a fair amount of pain, I never realized that there could be something structurally wrong with my feet. I assumed it was my genetically wide feet, which is partially true, since bunions are passed down through generations, but worsen with activities such as my gymnastics, and excess strain standing and walking; I've worked as a waitress and bartender for years. 

    Two weeks ago, I went snowboarding and had so much pain in my feet that I called and made an appointment right away. I noticed the bump under my big toe on my right foot was swollen and felt like it was out of socket. My boyfriend Chris rubbed it with some intense arthritis ointment (he's the best :) and I continued to work for the next two weeks. 

    At Dr. Song's office he examined my feet and took x-rays. It was totally clear from my examinations and then made evident by the x-rays that not only did I have a bunion on my right foot, but on my left as well, including bunionettes on both feet, hammer toes, and stress fractures. Without surgery, the bunions would continue to get worse, affecting my quality of life and making recovery more extensive and painful.  Both the doctor and I agreed that having both feet operated on at one time would be time efficient. Surgery is scheduled for both feet on Thursday, in 6 days. 

    I am quickly starting to realize I will be immobile for weeks, completely helpless, not able to work, drive, stand or walk, let alone do the things I love. So with these thoughts I decided to write a blog about my experience, and plan to update it frequently. I searched the web for bunion surgery, but rarely came across a person who had both feet done at the same time. I hope to offer others in my situation with  my experience so they know what to expect.