Photo documentary

If your squeamish, perhaps this one isn't for you.  I am a photographer and an artist.  I couldn't refrain from documenting such a major experience.  As a patient I had no idea what I was in for.  My doctor is patient, kind, considerate and allowed me to photograph my foot.  He is lucky I didn't ask him for photos in the O.R.  Yeah I know I am a bit crazy... its just me. I will try to add in photos from my cell as I can.

Day dreaming of a better story

A few weeks ago a friend and I had been joking about what would make a better story.  In a lecture I viewed online about Lisfranc injuries he listed off some examples.  I cant lie, that would be such a better story.  For example: when I was on vacation  (insert beautiful location), I was windsurfing....  or was I saling? ...was it that time horseback riding?... so many great possibilities so little time...

Slippery cover

My dear knee walker friends... 

I was using this nice soft cover on my walker but the more I use it the more the worn parts make it a bit slippery.  I dont have a typical cast and its summer time so i am mostly in shorts.  I love my lil walker for getting me around and dont want to complain, its just in this circumstance knowing everyplace I need to use caution is critical. I cant afford another fall.

Ps... i put the cover on because i have issues with textures.  So, no plans to take it off... just to use caution. 

Heres a photo of my soft cast type situation and my beloved cover.

My sister

It was my sister that suggested I start blogging. She knows I love writing and I am creative.  I dont know if she knew what a good outlet it would be for me.  I saved many of my entries, waiting to post until i was feeling better. This is because no one can really help with pain and there is no reason hurting the ones I love. I hope it doesnt bother them to read the truth of how I have been feeling.

I have been reading other LF blogs and have decided us 2%ers need to stick together. This is a difficult injury to overcome.

Post op visit #2

Well.... the good news... no major damage from the fall on Sunday.  My surgery is still holding :-)  My 3rd metatarsal might have moved slightly but not enough to be significant.

I had my stitches taken out. My doctor let me photograph it after. In some respects its so amazing and my mind gleefully disconnects... but pain usually brings me back in to my body.

The problem is every time I see him... my foot gets unwrapped, procedures, and then rewrapped. The night that follows is always a hard one.  I think last night I discovered this one is a nerve issue because I raised my toes providing counter pressure with the ace bandages and the pain kind of quit.  I am going to have to take issue with this nerve stuff but.... not looking forward to it.  The pain is constantly changing and its hard to know what I am dealing with. I also get this weird tingling sensation like goose bumps in a particular section of my leg.  Doctor says that's a nerve issue.

I am tired of hurting and tired of being tired.  Perhaps I will cheer up when my friend comes to visit.

The after surgery fall

I had been feeling so good, 11 days past surgery.  I was lowering the amount of pain meds, in fact this had been my best day yet.  It was late afternoon and I decided to take a shower while our house guests were out. While in the shower i imagined writing this about the ackwardnes of doing the most mundane tasks.  However, while I was dressing my knee slipped and in reflex i put my injured foot down to catch myself.  The excruciating pain had me crying out in agony for quite a while.   My family members were worried and feeling helpless. It took me a long time and meds to calm myself.  About 2 hours later I told my mom I wasnt sure what bothered me most, the foot pain or the Idea of messing up my surgery. 

I keep feeling like I am starting over. My foot was broken July 24th, the pain began to subside and then surgery August 12th.   Now, when I was starting to feel better August 23, another set back.  I am terrified of messing this foot up further.  Normally I am a strong person but this is starting to get to me. 

Endless days of foot elevation........
I find I dont feel like talking to anyone. I want to do things myself and cant. I get stressed out by others. I now constantly fear something happenning to my foot.  I have to plan pain meds around functions.

Medicine Rules

So, since I don't take narcotics regularly I didn't know there were so many rules. The part I hate is learning the rules the hard way. Apparently, I have to get the prescription from my doctor with his hand written signature and take it to pharmacy.  I have 12 hours of pain meds left. There are no refills. The medicine cant be called in.  My doctors office is 40 minutes away from my house and its 3:30 in the afternoon when I discover that my doctor forgot to sign the prescription.  Its fixable, but what if it weren't. What if this was 4:30 on a Friday afternoon or the weekend. 

 

For those not used to taking this type of medicine my suggestion is to be proactive in getting your medicine just in case. Better to have it if you need it than have none and get a major pain flare. Last night the pain flared up so bad I didn't know what I was going to do. I made it through and this morning I had manageable pain again but now I fear running out of medicine. I fear that out of control pain. Interesting new experience that I hope goes away in time.