Here is a short video clip I put together so you could see what my foot looks like in action at 3 weeks!
So as you can see I can move my toes and foot. All my toes do feel a bit stiff and it's sort of driving me crazy. I'd love to do calf raises on my tippy toes or something just to start getting those toes moving, but I'm trying to be patient. I think the thing is I just feel ready to start trying to walk normal and it's bugging me that I know I shouldn't be doing it so I haven't.Hopefully this videos shows you a bit of how far I can bend my toe forward and backwards.
Here are some general photos at 3 weeks!
- The black and blue color is going down in my foot / toes
- I'm totally comfortable standing in the shower normal, but I do find sometimes my scabs will start to bleed more in the shower.
- Toe exercises - are easy to do it's just a matter of remembering to do it. Top scabs will bleed when I bend my toe forward and backwards which I guess would be normal since at this point it's like every other scab/sore that's healing. I'd like to be bending my whole foot and all my toes, but don't know if I should be doing this or not.
- I'm icing less and less - yesterday I did not ice my foot at all and I don't know if it even matter. I did not feel anything different from one day to the next.
- There is still some swelling on top of the foot and in all my toes. Some days it's more noticeable than others, but I'm wondering how long until it's totally gone.
- Still no pain / no pain pills
- Sleeping barefoot now and starting to move around the bed normal and will walk to the bathroom barefoot in the middle of the night or to the kitchen if needed.
- Driving now and it's no problem with the surgery shoe (ask for a surgery shoe versus a boot right out of surgery). I think it made it more pleasant for me all around.
- I am able to put in a good 1/2 days worth of work and can sit in a chair normal now without my foot throbbing, but force myself to go elevate my foot for a while and then go back to working.
- When I'm laying on the couch I put an extra pillow under my foot to elevate it otherwise I'm not elevating my foot any longer.
- I can be on my foot standing for long period of time. I'm usually on my foot from 4-7 at night because of the kids... between sitting and standing with helping with homework, cleaning up the kitchen, playing, etc..
- I have been doing p90x videos (only the weight ones no cardio)
- All and all I do feel good, but want to be doing more now. I'd like to be able to go to the health club and do some of the low weight bearing exercise machines, I'd love to get back into some of my classes, etc... but I know.. patience grasshopper!!
- Weight wise - I have lost a little weight but nothing dramatic. I have eaten very healthy and I avoid salty foods, processed foods, etc.. I pretty much eat fruits, veggies, and lean meats! And I do treat myself to some crap food when I feel like it otherwise I would go crazy! I'm just conscious of my food intake since I pretty much have no activity in my life at the moment.
- Mentally - all and all I've been able to keep my mind in a good place. I have my lovely moments that Steve gets to experience but for the most part I've been proud of myself. I thought I'd go completely nuts and so far I haven't (smile).
- My next milestone is my 3rd post op appointment on Dec. 20! I pray he says I can go back to the health club and do everything except I'm sure running. Which at this point I'll take. As long as I can do spinning, swimming, and some low weight bearing exercise machines I'll be happy for a while. I'm still not sure how yoga or TRX will go over since a lot of it is on your toes! All with time I'm sure!
- Remember baby steps are key! Right!!
So there you have it! I'm at 3 weeks and really do feel like I have my life back except for the fact I am not exercising like I used to do. And I think Steve thinks I'm back to normal too. This a.m. I had to remind him how I should still be resting a little bit. I've been the one up now in the a.m.'s getting the kids out the door while Steve bikes in the basement, I've been back to doing the laundry, and picking up the house. He still is doing a lot, but he is back on his schedule versus allowing me to rest longer in the a.m. etc. All really is good. It was just nice not having to do the bullshit work (SMILE).
Until next time - tootles!
Julie: was your bunion surgery a fusion. Mine was & they told me that the big toe would not bend at the base anymore after surgery. Just wondered how you're doing to exercises if it was a fusion.
ReplyDeleteJoe
BTW It has been 8 days since my surgery & all is really well so far(hope I didn't just jinx myself). I go back to the Dr. on Dec 14th.
No Joe, my surgery wasn't a fusion. I was told I should get my full range of motion back and be able to do everything I did before the surgery. That's great all is going so well. Now do you already have a date set for your other foot or no? Will stitches be removed on the 14th? Have a great weekend ahead and be careful hopping over to your neighbors if they do another campfire : )
ReplyDeleteJulie,
ReplyDeleteYou're ability to bend so much is impressive! I can bend all of my toes forward and backward, but I'm very hesitant because it definitely hurts still.
Did you have any absorbable stitches? Or all regular ones that had to be removed?
Looking good!
Michelle
What a great idea to create a blog detailing your recovery! It makes me wish that I had thought of doing that so I could also better monitor my progress. Anyway, I am 17 days post-op, so you are just a few days ahead of me in recovery, which is awesome! I am going to bookmark your blog so that I can return.
ReplyDeleteI had an Austin Bunionectomy on November 21 and am getting around great in my boot. I started wearing my walking boot on November 30 and am supposed to wear it all the time except when I sleep. This morning when I was sleeping, my great toe attempted to bend (or so I assume) and the pain woke me up as it has at least once a night since surgery. This time, it was different...I heard and felt a pop and the sharp pain happened at the same time. When I got up and checked on my foot, I noticed that my great toe was tilted toward my second toe (as it was before surgery), but to a much lesser degree. I will note that following surgery, there has been a large space between the first and second toe..that space was maintained until this morning when the pop happened! Needless to say, I am pretty freaked out and a bit worried. I called the doctor's office and only got to speak with a nurse who just said to put gauze between my toes as a spacer. Have you had any strange popping noises?!?! Also, you don't appear to have that gap between your first and second toe like I did from days 1-16 post-op...did you have a gap earlier in your recovery.
Just looking for other experiences. Thanks for reading!
Melinda
Michelle, I had regular stitches that were all taken out at the end of November. When I wiggly my toes/foot on my own then I feel stiffness/tightness, but I would't say it's painful. When I do the toe exercises it does not hurt either. Not sure why not, but even when my stitches were out and the doctor showed me how to do the exercises it didn't hurt at that time either.
ReplyDeleteMelinda: No, I have not heard or felt any popping noise with my toe. The space between my toes has been consistent. I do wear a toe spacer and was given that to me at my last doctors appointment. I have had one or two nights where I felt burning throughout my whole foot and was told that was because I over did it and within a few days that pain did go away and hasn't come back (knock on wood). It's good you called your doctor and I hope everything is okay. Please keep me posted. I'd love to keep hearing how you are progressing forward. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Julie,
ReplyDeleteDid you happen to inquire about the purpose of the toe spacer? I am wondering how it actually helps since the toe can go back to laying the way "it wants" after removal of the spacer. I wish I had thought to ask what it will actually do for me in the long run....
I have started my toe exercises and can bend the great toe down a lot more than up. When I try to go up the pain is horrible and I can only move it like a millimeter. Please give me hope on how quickly the mobility will increase. Your pictures are awesome in regards to mobility! I am looking forward to being able to move my toe that much.
I can't wait to heal. I play soccer...it's my addiction. Instead of going to the gym, I play soccer on organized teams six night a week! I also enjoy P90Xing in my free time and I am soooo looking forward to starting that again. I have been The Ice Daughter to my mom who had bunion surgery this past Monday so I am not home and forgot to bring myP90X with me. Of course surgery was on my right foot, so I am stranded until my husband returns from a work trip! Not working out is brutal. I see you enjoy it too, so I will mention that I have been able to do squats in the boot (hold for one minute and rest for 10 seconds) for a total of five minutes of holding, push ups, sits ups and triceps work outs. Is there anything else you have been creative enough to do in your work outs?
Joe: My mom had an MTP fusion when she had her Bunionectomy on Monday, December 5. I believe they did the Austin/Chevron procedure, but then scraped the joint and prepared it for fusion and included a plate with four screws. We joke that our bodies are becoming junkyards. She is a couple of days behind you in terms of recovery, but I might be able to answer questions.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, have you guys been to YouTube and watched videos of the procedures? They are fantastic!
Melinda - yeah not sure on the toe spacer he just said to wear it between now and the next appointment to help keep the toe straighter as the bone continues to heal. I had a friend that claimed that years ago so wore a toe spacer because her bunion hurt her and the pain went away and never came back again - go figure! I was surprised at how far I could bend my toe and just keep trying to be religious with the exercise and if it's not helping request to see a PT sooner versus later. I keep forgetting to do my exercises religiously but I crank on it a few times a day. You'll get there don't worry!! I think that will just take a little time and right now the bone needs to heal more than anything. I've just been doing the p90 videos that you mentioned above but I also did the core one last weekend and that worked too. Last time I did the leg workout one I did it with my surgery shoe and I couldn't do a lot of the exercises but I think I will try it in the boot. Honestly I almost slipped on my boot when I was doing the wall squat and that sort of freaked me out (smile) and I thought... really Julie WTF are you doing (smile). You don't realize how much you use your toes when you exercise. Part of me wants to jump on my husbands bike and spin away on the trainer, yet I'm trying not to do that quite yet, but I'm tempted!!! I can do most of the exercises now on those DVD's, so that has kept me going for the most part but I hear you... I want to get out and RUN, JUMP, and just MOVE!!! That's sweet you have a bunion partner : ) Funny! I bet your mom is forever grateful!! Did you hear back from your doctor on the pop.
ReplyDeleteJulie: your foot looks like it's healing & moving well! I hope mine turns out as good as yours. My sutures come out on the 14th. I haven't set a date to get the other one fixed yet. Janet(my wife) thinks that I am putting too much weight on the foot while using crutches, I don't think that I am though. Jan has been really great through all of this, I'm lucky!
ReplyDeleteMelinda--hore that your mom is recovering nicely.
Melinda: I meant HOPE! Sorry :(
ReplyDelete