It's Amazing!

I'm happy but confused!

Okay . . . me being confused is definitely not the newsflash of the year!!  I'm spent a good part of my life trying to figure out what just happened!!

But today I'm just plain pleasantly confused!

This last surgery was really quite a bit more extensive than my first one.  My doctor worked on two toes this time as well as two metatarsals!

And honestly . . . I'm having way less pain and discomfort than my first surgery!!

Maybe it's not having the pin.  Maybe it's that I'm 20 pounds lighter and in better physical shape this time.  Maybe I'm just in a better mental state!!  I honestly have no idea but so far I'm pleasantly surprised!!!

I went to my doctor for a post-op check . . . actually never saw the doctor but saw the nurse and took some more x-rays.  I mean . . . what is two more x-rays in the overall scheme of things!  My foot already glows in the dark . . . giving me my own personal mobile night light!!  But getting to see the "after" x-rays was pretty cool!  The night of my surgery the doctor call to see how I was doing and he told me what he had done . . . but some it just didn't  make sense to me at the time.  Now it all makes more sense! So here it is!!

First a little education on the bones of your feet!

 

My foot problems came when I dislocated the two joint between the 4th and 5th metatarsals from their respective proximal phalanges.  This is really the ball of your foot!  My doctor set the 4th about 4 days after the accident but missed the 5th.  That was set by surgery in June (by a different doctor!!!)

So what happened since the surgery is the 4th toe developed a "hammer toe" where the toe curled and the middle phalanges was pushed "up" and forced the metatarsal "down" causing pain in the ball of my foot again!  Got really bad after 4-6 miles and was getting worse and worse every day as the hammer toe continued to get worse.  As a result of the hammer toe the metatarsal / phalanges joint dislocated again.  Adding to the problem, the 5th (little toe) also developed problems . . . the freakin' toe pointed "down" not "out"!! LOL!  Additionally, the middle phalanges was not properly aligned and it caused the 5th toe to start migrating towards the 4th toe, exaserbating that toe's problems. 

Education complete.

Okay . . . here is one of my post-op x-rays.  They didn't remove my cast so this shot was taken through the cast and all the bandaging on these two toes.  These are the two toes he worked on.

The 4th toe has the screw in the metatarsal head where it connects to the "toe-bones" (or phalanges)  that he put in to help hold it in place (it has dislocated again).  Also, the white in the bone above that screw extending to the next bone is some sort of an implant to keep those bones aligned.  Got to admit this 4th toe still looks pretty crooked here, and I'll be talking with the doctor about it.  It may simply be the bandaging that is causing it to appear this way.

To the right is the little toe.  If you count toe bones you'll find one is missing!  He removed the middle phalanges . . . that is the dark space where it use to be!)  What you can't see is that he re-set the metatarsal / proximal phalanges joint on the little toe and he also cut the tendon on the bottom that was making my toe stick down rather than stick out straight!!  LOL!

All in all he did quite a bit of stuff.  But honestly my pain is virtually gone unless I move these two toes!!

Stitches come out the day after Christmas and I'm guessing I be getting another cast then . . . but maybe a boot!  Guess I'll just have to wait and see.  Until then at least . . . no weight-bearing.  Love my crutches!!


After my doctor's appointment I went to Target to solve another problem.  When I go outside . . . my freakin' toes get cold!  I think I came up with a great solution . . . a baby's hat!!

Quite the conversation starter!