How my journey is going day 0

Foot care
1

I have been feeling a lot of anxiety leading up to surgery. My surgery was scheduled for 1:45 today.  Therefore there was lots of sitting around,no eating or drinking. 

Like having a baby, I had my bag with the special shoes for my feet, health card, toe spacers.  I left everything but what I needed at home.  Brought wide leg pants. PJs might be a better idea.  

I took pictures of my feet for before and afters, but wished I had traced them so I could check the difference later.

My huband and I played scrabble in my phone to keep our mind off the almost 3 hour wait.   

Every few minutes someone comes by to ask your name and what surgery you are having. 

Nothing like walking in to your own surgery.  I dont like that and dont think they should do it, but thats how it went today. I decided to do both feet because I prefer to have less drugs so went ahead with both. 

Upon waking I could feel an ache in my left foot. The anesthesiologist did nerve blocks in my feet so that I would have about 6-12 hours pain free and be good for getting home.  I thought he must have missed the nerve but it kicked in about an hour later.  Because I could feel, it the nurse gave me 2 percocets which took about 20 minutes to kick in.

Surgery was just under an hour. Then I went to post op for about 40 minutes, then the day surgery area where my husband met up with me. 

My feet felt numb and were bright red.  I realized a bit later the red was something to prevent infection and half way up my calf.  An antiseptic.  Still they looked kind of shocking all red. 

The nerve block kicked in and I felt nothing.   It is now 7 hours later and I still dont feel much except tingly feet. 

When I got up and into a wheel chair I felt sick to my stomach and did almost the whole ride home.   I drank lots of liquids hoping to be able to go to the loo before the freezing wore off. I have a walker and it really helps as I feel weak. Walking on heels no problem.   Still feel sick when up.  With feet uo no problem. 

Morphine is the only prescription I got.  I took one after 4 hours.  Likely will take two as freezing wears off. Reading posts people say to take in schedule to avoid pain.  Not going to wait for it to hurt to take the pill.

Thats my day one experience. Not too bad so far.  Feet do not appear swollen. I do feel the pressure when they are down.  

2

Post surgery day one not nearly as good as day 0.  Slept great. Ignored my alarms to take pain pills.

Without n minutes of getting up pain was bad but tolerable. Freezing was wearing off.  I was prescribed morphine sulf. Too two pills and couldn’t wait for the 4 hour mark to take two more. By 5 pm pain was bad and I had a fever 100.  According to post op instructions I should go to the hospital. Phoned family doctor who said to take Tylenol.  But pain in right foor by now excruciating.  Went to hospital.  Our wonderful Canadian system.  Waited 3 hours and was told it would be many more hours so left to come home.  Way to much pain and too uncomfortable sitting in waiting area.

Can anyone comment on whether their pain pills managed the pain the first few days or was it still bad pain even with drugs?

I am concerned because I heard/felt a bit of a clunk so wondering if this is normal pain or if something actually happened. 

3

Day 2

Was kind of rough like day 1.  Likely from the IV I have to run to the washroom often and thats the last thing I want ti do.  My feet get more sore each time.  Trying to stay on my heels means using the muscles in the too of my foot which hurts. 

I can feel the bones moving or clicking when I have weight on them.  

I was in pain almost all day.  All the sudden the pain in the joint will come up.   Realizing sitting for 6 weeks actually means not moving you realize thats not easy when you are a busy person.

I have to rely heavily on those around me and appreciate what they are doing. 

Fortunately by now I am tired.   I slept from 8pm to 5 am just getting up long enough for pills.   My feet had a break. I found that a stiff flat chair cushion worked much better for propping up than soft cushions. I have had a small feber atound 100 since I got home. 

4

After surgery day 3

The morphine makes me pretty dopey but I am more with it than the past few days.

I would recommend having a surgeon who has a pager. My surgeon was unavailable after surgery.  He didnt speak with myself or my husband which is just a common courtesy. 

There was a one pager of instructions including if fever over 100 or new or worse pain go to emerg.  I would highly recommend making sure your surgeon is available to at least answer a question  in case of an emergency. 

Prior to surgery spend a few hours in your space and notice what you need and make sure the room is set up so you have space to get through.  I borrowed a walker. I cant imagine doing this without one.  It is all I can do to stand and sir in the walker. Then somone pushes me to the washroom. Have some clothes and a sweater handy, pen, notebook, chart for meds.  The meds are strong.  I could not recall if I had taken them at one point. Make sure you write it down or better yet have someone else manage giving you your meds.  When my husband is out he puts what I need in baggies and write the time to take it with sharpie. 

Today I am more comfortable. I really think that the 10 hours off my feet and rest helped.   Today the pain didnt get to an unmanageable 10 like it did the first and second after surgery.  

Check for tickets and events you have before hand.  For sure I will not be going anywhere unless in a wheel chair.  

As most other people say, there is a pressure in your feet when they are not elevated.  Even sitting up makes them hurt and throb.   Standing and sitting without walking is extremely difficult. I used big fluffy pillows up til today.  I think that contributed to the pain too. Although my legs were ekevated my feet were down from my knees.  Once I switched to the solid foam seat cushion, I propped it up on one side so my feet were highest.  I niticed a difference within an hour. 

I am writing this hoping it will help people who have either just had surgery or thinking about having it. 

If I were rich, I would fly to a private US hospital or the foot place in LA. You really have to have someone with you the first week.  I am very unsteady and having to do anything other than make it to the loo would be detrimental to your feet. 

Even in a wheel chair, your feet are down. Down plan that.  One of the keys to success is staying off your feet and keeping them up to avoid the swelling.  Unlike most other people I read about,  I have no swelling that I can see.  There may be some under the bandaged but my toes look fine too.