A change of cast and time to wiggle my toes

Yesterday I went to the Plaster Room and had the first cast removed, my foot inspected, and a new one applied. The technician was charming and efficient and the doctor was pleased with his work and my healing.

On Easter Sunday, Rachel, Cole, Beatrix and I did some decorating.

On Monday, Laura  took a picture of my toes so I could see them.

And she added her freehand map of France:

The technician (Martin) carved around most of the artwork, but did not give it to me, after all.
I have the pictures, which is better.

Here is my foot, from my angle:

And from Neil's:

 

Doctor Brunet admired his stitching and bone-adjusting, and said it was coming along well.

The psoriasis on my shin had faded away, so that was good. No need to be itchier.

 

Then Martin wrapped it all up in layers and applied fiberglass (Ms. CanoeFoot!) and we were good to go. Georgeanne was a valuable driver and navigator.

 

Here's the foot at home:



It hurts a little more now, because the angle has changed, but the cast is lighter and that makes me more nimble. I got my own breakfast (yogurt and cereal) using the wheelchair, and that worked fine.

I go back in 2 weeks for a new cast and a look at progress. In the meantime, no weight-bearing and no bathing. But I am supposed to wiggle my toes as much as as I want!

Days in the sunroom

April 16

April 17

On the left is my foot when I first got home from the hospital. Nice neat tensor bandage around the end. (The very end is open and my toes are available for touching.)

After a day or so, the capping bandage had been mussed up a little, and I had given up on long pants. 
In the second picture you can see how high the cast goes--nearly to my knee.

You can also see that I am well-equipped with a walker, my computer and my favourite chair, as well as pillows to keep my foot elevated. I also have my cell phone and the landline right at hand. And the Sirius radio with a remote control.

Doing very little makes me incredibly tired. When I do get up to hop to the bathroom or to watch TV, my left leg and my arms say, "Whoa! What's happening?" And my right leg is very, very heavy!

About the only thing I'm doing really well is sleeping. Both an afternoon nap and a good solid night. Nope, not enough pain to keep me awake at all, and that's with just Tylenol 3 and Naproxyn. Haven't had to resort to the opiates. Yes, it hurts, but it's an ache with a kind of twinge, so it's quite bearable.

Neil is taking on the burden of household chores as well as moving his office to home, as scheduled earlier. He skipped two days of trial-watching in Montreal to be home with me, and may miss some more next week.  I'd like our daughters to come by and help...maybe on the weekend. He keeps me fed, and fetches a few things, but is not very conversational.

Bored and uncomfortable

This is my second day in the anchor cast. Think cement shoes for the mob.
Neil has been looking after me, fetching a wheelchair, groceries, etc. and doing all the household stuff. I can't carry anything around by myself... not enough hands or feet.
My foot is twinging some, as the injected freezing wears off. Not as smooth a system as last time, but I guess it will be okay.
I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. And anyway, I'm committed now!

Big news on the foot front

I'm surprised and excited and a bit nervous.  Tomorrow I'm getting my right foot done! It is a bigger operation than I had on the left-- more bones to be realigned.  And a more thorough rest... a bigger cast and no weight on the foot for 6 weeks.

I had my first meeting with Dr Brunet yesterday (Monday) and he explained what he could do. Then he offered me the cancellation spot for Wednesday!

The operation will be done in Kemptville, out of town. Neil has decided to come home from Montreal 2 days early (tonight) so he can take me to the hospital and otherwise take care of me. Very sweet. I had Laura lined up to take me and Sue to bring me home, but I won't need them after all. Although I will need friends and minders from time to time, I'm sure!

Left foot doctors, right foot doctors....

Well, there has been change but no progress. The surgeon Dr. Gartke wanted to send me to for my right foot problems does not want to take me. His name was Laurent, it turns out, and he is more interested in ankles!
So now I'm being referred to Georgeanne's favourite orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Brunet.  I think I've been here before, because I asked my GP to refer me to him several years ago, but I could not get in.
Heaven knows when I'll get to see him or get anything done. In the meantime, my foot gets worse.

Complicated bones

I went to see Dr Gartke today. She thinks my left foot is healing slowly but making progress. I told her the right was feeling worse these days, so I had that x-rayed, too, and she confirms it is getting worse. So bad, in fact, she doesn't want to do the same operation as on the left. Something more is required (bones to be fused) and she will send me to a colleague instead. I've already forgotten his name, (Labelle, Lalonde, Laurent....?) but I know he works at the General. I have to go to Dr Gartke's office to pick up today's x-rays before I see him. I also have to go back to Dr Gartke in August to check up on the left foot (but no x-rays needed this time).
She says I have noticeable arthritis in my feet, so fusing a bone won't make much difference.

She was mostly concerned for my memory today be cause I couldn't remember details about our last visit, and I couldn't remember my dermatologist's name or the one I gave up on previously.

Sun, sand and surf

My week in Key West around Nov. 1 was both good and bad for my feet. As usual, sun and water improved my psoriasis. But not as much as I would have liked. When I saw Dr. Dossetor in December, she changed my prescription, saying the Dovobet was too strong for my shins and was thinning the skin too much.
Besides swimming, I did some walking, lots of standing, and lots of bicycling in Key West. It might have been a little too soon for the biking (although the flat landscape was wonderful!), because Dr. Gartke said my foot bones had not healed as straight as they should have, or as they apparently had on the last x-ray.


I took my dermatologist's advice and went back to the land of sunny weather and salt water. This time, it was Mexico's west coast, where we visited our son and went diving. The sunshine did good work on my itchy shins and rough feet. Changing to the new cream had already made a difference to my shins in December.
As for the mechanical issues with my feet; here's the situation. The left foot, with its straightened toe bone, is getting more and more solid all the time. There are very few twinges anymore, and it seems to work well. I go back to see the orthopedist, Dr Gartke, in March. The right foot, however, is often sore and weak. I am looking forward to getting it straightened out, too, although I may have to keep the cast longer this time.