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.

Progress, in little steps

Today I realized it was time to remove the spacer that fits between by big toe and the rest. Four weeks post-cast and my left foot is feeling pretty good. The toes wiggle some, the skin is solid, and some days, it's even better than the right one.

The right foot still has its bunion, and the blister I got in Paris is taking its time to heal up; it was pretty deep and is placed for maximum irritation.

I go to see Dr. Gartke in early December and have tentatively scheduled the right foot surgery for June 14 --  but that can't be right. June 14 is a Saturday. Maybe it's May 14, which is a Wednesday. In any case, I'm on the waiting list for cancellations before that.

I've had psoriasis flareups on my ankles and shins; probably not enough sunshine -- and too many hours in shoes! I also have an appointment with Dr. Dossetor late November/early December.  And I will spend a week in Key West this month and hope to expose my itchy bits to the sun!

We went to Paris, Looking for Buffett...

 

 

I walked quite a lot in Paris, as one does!  I would have liked to walk more, but my feet objected. Still, they held up pretty well, and only gave me a big pain one night. I took quite a lot of Advil over our 4-day weekend. My new cane was very useful, especially on the cobblestones, and especially for getting nearer the front of lines.

 



My left ankle got swollen, as did the whole foot, but as the picture shows, it is not far from normal. The old callusses finally sloughed off, and no new ones formed. The psoriasis stayed very calm. On the right foot, however, with its still-crooked toe, I got a big blister just at the base of my big toe. Had to pop it (cleanly, of course) to be able to walk the next day.

All in all, not bad for 10 days out of a cast.

After the cast came off

Last week of the cast!

I will be very, very glad to get rid of this cast. This has been the worst week for discomfort. Lots of rubbing, chafing, itching, burning. And my toes can wiggle pretty well, including the big one, imprisoned as it is. This is Sunday night, so I only need to hold out till Thursday morning. Guess I can do it. But I would like to be able to walk a little farther without it hurting.

September 16, 2013

On the weekend, Rachel painted my toenails for me.... even the one hiding under the cast!

The cast is looking pretty ratty, especially the bottom.