11/13 -12weeks - The CAST OFF day!!

11/13 <<12 weeks>>

As I mentioned, had to have my son took me to this appointment. By the way, it was only the second time ever I had him drive me anywhere. That with in of itself was emotional to me because I had to come to terms that my baby is all grown up. (what can I say, he's my youngest!)
Back to the best appointment ever...as usual, Evelyn took some x-rays after taking the cast off. She couldn't tear that thing off quick enough! The toe looked awesome, the skin on my foot not so much. days prior there was a lot of flaky dead skin falling out of my cast..gross. There was a lot of that dry flaky yellowish dead skin left on my foot. Not to mention, hair I didn't even know I had on my foot was horrendous. Basically, Doc said it was not 100% healed but I was done with the cast  & he would give me a walking boot. Inside my head I was doing the happy, ecstatic dance. I'm supposed to wear the boot through out the day but can take it off (& I do) while I'm siting or laying down. I am only to put a little weight on the heel  &I have to do the physical therapy myself at home. He emailed me the info because he couldn't find it on his computer at the time of my appointment. He also gave me a special shoe to drive in.  I CAN DRIVE AGAIN!!!....AAHHHH!!!!!! This was definitely a bitter sweet day for me. While I'm so happy here my husband was at his grandmother's funeral :'(

TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!

 Yay! Almost there!

 Oh hello beautiful toe!! I have to admit, I got tears in my eyes when I finally saw it & knew the cast would be off forever.

 I cannot WAIT to clean & shave my foot/leg!!

 That's the flaky skin I was talking about. Thank goodness there wasn't any bad odors accompanying that dead skin.

 Not quite there yet...I'm hoping by my next appointment in December it will be.

 Ta da! The boot. It's warm  & comfy & it COMES OFF! I was at home for a few hours before I realized "I CAN TAKE THE BOOT OFF"! It felt so amazing to have the sun & air hit the skin once again. Everything I read said to wait at least 3 days before shaving because the skin is so sensitive. So, as hard as it was, I did.

I'll write some more tomorrow & put some pics of what it looks like today & talk more about the physical thrapy...that has me in tears.

11/13 12 weeks - Anxious

11/13/13 <<week 12>>

I will be back tracking since I haven't written for a few weeks. Wed., 11/13 is the day I was scheduled to have my cast taken off...FINALLY!! Before I go into that, I hadn't realized how long it's been since I hadn't posted anything. I have to say, the cast was...well, I can't straight say it was "the bane of my existence" because the "toe" was the bane of my existence. So I will just say it was making me crazy in every way possible...for me. I don't know about anyone else but for me, I was at my wits end.

Anyway, I had to go in 2 weeks a head of schedule in October because water got in my cast. My husband joked the I had done it on purpose but I didn't! I had gotten water in it before & that was the LAST thing I wanted because I never did anything about it the first time & when I went in on my regular scheduled appointment the inner sock was stuck to my heel. I was already freaking out about the cast & this just made it WORSE! When they replaced the cast they did so with my heel still damp, the skin wrinkly & I tell you, it was as if they were stuffing me back in the coffin after having dug me out in the first place. So this time I scheduled to go in the very next day which in turn bumped everything up to 2 weeks. It may have seemed like I planned it because it worked out perfect for our road trip. (Yes, we're taking a road trip..yay!!) Before this situation, I'd be wearing the stupid thing all through the trip but with the new schedule it came off a week before the trip. Again, I swear I did not plan that. Simply & mostly because my brain was not in the state of mind to have the wits to plan that out. Believe me. It was a good thing  I did go in the next day though because the water had reached all the way down to my heel again.

Needless to say, those last 3 weeks of the last cast were the longest & hardest EVER. Days before Wed., 11/13 I was a mess & the night before...sigh. Well, there are no words. To make matter worse, my husband's grandmother passed away so he had to fly home that Wednesday morning & I had to pull my son from school so he could take me to the appointment. You wanna' talk about stress & emotional levels being up there! I was on over drive. Now, I feel I have to confess something...as a result from all my insanity with the cast, I started smoking again. :/  I tried so hard not to but it was stronger than me. What's horrible is that I know, I KNOW, that smoking slows down the healing process.I suppose it was counter productive to take my Calcium & other vitamins AND smoke. Ill add the last pictures I took at the Doctor's office & I have to say when the x-rays went up & I noticed the bones were not 100% healed I panicked because I was so afraid he'd come back & say, "Well, we have to put on another cast".
Ill write another post about that day..so this one doesn't turn into a book. Meanwhile, I thought I'd add some pics of my toes before the last cast came off.

10/17 - Article on speeding up bone healing

10/17/13
 As I am desperate at this point to get this process moving along, I came across this article & thought I'd share. Of course I am not a doctor & you should always consult with one but...food for thought, as they say!

Learn how to speed the bone fracture healing time — simply and naturally

10/15-8 weeks - Time wounds all heels.

10/15/13 <<8 weeks>>

On a daily basis there doesn't seem to be any changes but looking back, man, my surgery was Aug 20th! That seems so long ago. Anyways, the toe..the cast..my state of mind. I went in & had my cast changed last week, I'll write about that in a moment.
First...My toe feels like a have a band-aid wrapped around it. It feels stiff & can't move it. It's also kind of curled downward, as I mentioned, the doc overextended it so that it wouldn't stick up once I'm up & able to walk again. Which I wish could happen...yesterday! I can report that I don't feel pain, per say. Soreness maybe would be the proper way I can describe it. That & stiffness. My pinky toe is quite numb & since this cast is a bit more looser that the past 2, I have more wiggle room (not sure if I am supposed to wiggle around in there but I can't help it sometimes). Well, when I do move the foot, in an effort to stretch it out , the bottom of my operated toe rubs on the inner sock & feels very...weird. It's obviously still also very numb & actually, now that I think of it, feels like when someone steps on your toe. That feeling of swollen, numbness. If you never had anyone step on your toe(s) or stubbed a toe, you are very lucky.
My heel feels healed or at least I don't feel any pain/discomfort anymore. When I had the cast taken off, which by the way, is still the most dreadful thing I've had to get done, the inner sock was actually stuck to my heel! My husband & I remember that one night after a shower, I felt some water got inside on the back of my leg but had no idea it went down that far. The heel, that area, is also still very numb but I think that may have been some of the pain I had felt. So now as a result I'm freaked out to wear the stupid rubber boot & have decided to continue taking baths. Every now & then, depending on the position I sit/lay in, I can feel the scar on my heal but it doesn't hurt. It does feel a little sore if I'm in the same position though, resting it on my heel for too long.
As I'm sure I mentioned in a previous blog, the night/shower time is the worst for me. If I shower, I have to use the rubber boot which in order to work has to have the air pumped out of it which causes a lot of pressure that on days is unbearable. If I bathe, not only do I have to move the chair & soap, etc to the tub but also the wicker bench to rest my foot on while wrapped with a towel. The towel I tuck all the way around & cover the whole cast so as to not get wet or splashed. The worst part is that I FREEZE & I really really dislike being cold.
The cast...I was going to go purple, for Halloween, but they were out so I went with red.  I learned that no matter the color, I still absolutely hate it.

As for the Dr visit last week, as I said, went in to have a new cast put on, oh joy, & had x-rays taken. The x-rays looked pretty much the same to me as I am obviously not a professional & don't know what to look for but the Doc said the bone started healing. He said the part of bone that will begin to heal quicker is the one that is closest to the heart. What I could tell is that the bone closest to the tip of my toe was still not healed/fused together. That part of my leg & foot looked retched! Discolored, wrinkly, very dry, ugh..it was horrible to look at my poor little leg/foot. I also inquired about the pain & hot feeling I was experiencing. He said I have to elevate the foot more. In asking, he also mentioned after the cast comes off, because that's all I can think about, I'll wear a boot for 2 weeks & will need to continue using the crutches because I still won't be able to put weight on it. I don't care about using the crutches, as long as this cast comes off my foot!! It wont be till the 3rd or 4th week after the cast comes off (yay!!) that he said I will be able to slowly start to put weight & begin to walk/do physical therapy. I just can not WAIT to clean it really good, moisturize it really good, shave, feel foot freedom & stare at it for long periods of time.

Husband took me to get work out clothes so I can join him on his walks. Since the weather is gorgeous now, I can't wait! Shoot, I will go out there rain or shine after this whole experience. Which brings me to my state of mind...lol! Look, I'm turning 41 Friday & sitting/laying with my foot elevated is no simple task. Not only do I feel claustrophobic from wearing the cast but I also feel trapped in my own house. I can't stand long enough to clean the bathroom, if I don't use a Solo cup it's hard to carry a drink to the couch, let alone a plate of food. I can carry the Solo plastic cup in my mouth. I obviously cannot drive, therefore I cannot leave the house. I depend on my husband for just about everything. I feel so unproductive just sitting/laying here. Not to mention, I've had heartbreaking problems with family.

I try & focus on positive things like, oh yea, my toe is healing because I had the surgery of my dreams, I have a wonderful man, my husband, who works at home & wouldn't be able to do this with out him, I went to my grand son's first little t-ball game & celebrated his 4th birthday, my son got accepted to NAU & get to celebrate his senior year with him like Senior Night this Friday at his football game, my best friend is far but makes me feel so loved & I've been researching a few jobs I want to pursue when I'm up & able. I get to eat candy apples, my favorite this time of year.

10/8 7 Weeks - On a good day...

10/8/13 <<WEEK 7>>

Wow! How time flies...it's already OCTOBER!!!! I've been trying to keep busy. My latest project...I asked my mom to bring my dads' old projector, slides & negatives. The first 10 years of my life are basically on those & it's been so fun reminiscing & going through the pictures.  My husband bought me a device that converts them & saves them onto a memory card. (thank you husband!)

I've also been doing a lot more reading. Anything that appeals to me but also motivational stuff. Soon after my first cast came on I tried doing yoga stretches but because things were too fresh it didn't feel so good. I started up again recently & now feels really good. It feels great to stretch my leg muscles & since I can get on my knees, I've also tried some booty exercises. I've gotten pretty good at getting around with the crutches.

It's lonely & I get bored but I decided a few weeks ago that being miserable & negative isn't going to make the time pass any faster. Besides, I have plenty to be grateful for. For one, the weather in AZ has been gorgeous & of course theirs my kids & grand kids & birthdays! My husband, bless his heart, who works from home has been so awesome. We both agreed that although we love one another terribly, we are also sick of being around each other 24/7 ;)

Only 2 more casts to go & I'm done. Yay!! Sure, there's a lot of days in between but who's counting! ;p  Actually, I am! I decided to post a calender on the frig & I "x" each day that goes by. As a very visual person, this helps me. What ever works, right! Quite honestly, I really really really hate having this cast on. I may have mentioned this one another post. Not only am I pretty useless with out the crutches but I still can't stand for long periods of time, I can never find a comfortable position to sleep in, to shower or take a bath...sigh. That with in of itself is a struggle. If I shower, I need to put on the rubber boot which in order to work we need to pump the air out which on certain days I can't with stand the pressure. If I bath, I just wrap a towel around the cast, propped up on a bench outside the tube but I half freeze to death. No, suffice it to say night time is not one of my favorite parts of the day.
As for the status of "the toe"...I don't want to jinks myself but surprisingly enough, it hasn't been too itchy. I've asked my husband to clean my toes with wet wipes & I've cleaned them & in between my toes as well. Knowing my foot is not 100% clean has done a number on my OCD. As for the level of pain...well, on a level of 1-10, on a good day is 2-3. It's not so much pain I feel, it's more discomfort. The pain I feel on that toe is the same as when you stub a toe. It hurts but it's bearable, you know. Also, I swear, I can feel the hard ware in there. Some days what really hurts is my pinky toe. On a bad day the pain level is definitely a 10. On a bad day I feel as though my pinky toe is being torn off my foot. I still feel discomfort on my heal & really feel my scar. On a bad day it's hard to rest my foot on my heal. This presents a big problem because I am then forced to sit on my left side.Last night I was really struggling. Inside my cast felt SO hot, I felt claustrophobic, I went into a panic attack. It felt like a shoe, a boot, I couldn't take off!! AAHHH!!!! I even placed ice pack on my toes to help cool it down!

On a good day...the good day will come when I finally have this thing off! Other than that, everything's great!

9/25 - Corn bread in my cast

9/25/13
Been a few days since my last post...gotta admit, going a little stir crazy at home. I mean, there's only so much I can do...with a CAST! As I mentioned somewhere in past posts, my husband works from home...mixed blessing. Decided to go in the pool yesterday...even though we're home at least we're out side. Unfortunately, the water already got cold! However, I did get in, well, on a raft...with the "boot" on. It was a nice change.

Well, about the foot!...how can I put this?....having the cast on really sucks. That's the best way I could put it. (& of course this is just me) As far as post surgery feeling & the toe. Well, it feels uncomfortable, a little pain & last night the incision on my heal decided to get itchy for the first time in the middle of the night. The nights...sigh...it's still hard to fall asleep & still  hard to find a comfortable position. My toe & heal feel tingly & numb. My pinky toe is very numb. My toe feels stiff & I swear I think part of it is from the hardware. I'd love to speak with others that have had this surgery to ask them if they felt this. This & what in the world did they do during this period. During the 3 months of wearing the cast to not go crazy!

Today husband & I decided to go see the daughter & her babies. When I'm around them, all my trouble melt away. Always. Today's visit made my heart swell. My gran daughter was so curious about the open toe area of the cast. So much that during lunch she wanted to share her bread with me & stuck some in the open part of the cast...right onto my toes. Oh my little love! It was funny after I was done having a heart attack.

I wish I could take the cast off & really clean my foot & toes really well. It would relieve my OCDness greatly.

9/20 4wks, 3 days - Corner between crazy & anxious

9/20/13  <<4 weeks>>
I went in yesterday, one week earlier than originally scheduled, to change my cast. I was very nervous because I wasn't sure what to expect. What to expect of how it was going to feel when the first cast come "off", whether or not I'd have movement in my foot & what the operated site would look like.  Just to mention a few things I was freaking out about. I have to say...the removal of the first cast was terrifying to me. The reward was having it off for that short period of time. I felt like I could breath, although my foot was swollen & wasn't a pretty site. While in my cast I had been trying to flex as many muscles in my leg as possible. I had movement, a little up & down of the foot but it was something. It felt good, amazing, tingly, but it kind of hurt to have the strips of medical tape come off & my foot cleaned with the gauze. Not only was my foot swollen but there were areas where it felt numb, hence the tingly feeling. The operated toe & pinky & around the heal & incision on my heal are the areas that felt numb. Once I was cleaned up, it was time to wrap it up again. This time when she pushed down on my foot before & during placing the cast on, it felt good because the muscle behind my leg was being stretched but tugged on my incision which did not feel so good.

I'm struggling today so I'll leave you with this for today & I'll include the photos of this visit. One thing I am looking forward to is my son's football game tonight.

 If you could only see my face!..I was so mortified.

 Felt so good to see my foot & feel & touch my leg/foot.

 Before tape came off...

 After tape came off...Also, the toe is over extended because once I begin to walk, it will not stick up but be even with the rest of my toes.

 Pretty swollen, right? It was explained to me that it was a result of not using it & not putting weight on it.

 Both incisions are going to look really good. Very happy with the way Dr. Lee approximated the skin like that.

 Once I begin to walk, the tendons/toe will align with the rest of the toes. Also, the toes next to it will get used to a toe actually being there.

 Cast back on...this time for 3 weeks for sure :/