In two short weeks I'll be having more foot surgeries, primarily due to my osteoarthritis.
These will be my 7th and 8th operations due to this challenge. I wish I could say I'm excited and pleased, but not really (and I know many of our readers fully understand)!
The hip surgeon, after loo...
Fractures, Fusions and Friends
6/24/11 10:07am
my response to this post is 2 years later - just wondering how the toe fusion went? I have been putting it off for years but is very painful presently. However, I am very afraid of it - afraid I will be less mobile not more - after.
Nan
6/24/11 1:53pm
Much to my amazement and surprise, the fusion went really well and I have few limitations---I no longer play racquetball but haven't done so for 15 years!!! I climbed in the mountains of Madagascar, to reach the rainforests in February, and climbed 1/2 of Mt. Kilimanjaro in January (both in 2011). I had little post-op pain and a short recovery. I am 68 years old and have had 9 joint surgeries/replacements. The pre-op pain is REALLY not worth putting up with. Do the surgery and start living life!!!
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I will be very interested in hearing how your foot surgery goes as my doctor has told me the only thing to be done for my feet if fusion.
Dear Eileen---I have had 5 surgeries now in my feet due to OA. The first 3 were on my right foot, and I've done well with them. I'm only 2 days post-op on the 2 most recent surgeries, so I don't feel good enough (YET) to be objective!!! I do know that I'll permanently lose some flexibility, but at my "old age" of 65---no big deal (besides, I'm the one that with 2 artificial hips and all of the other surgeries on my right foot, managed to spend my 65th birthday about half way up Mt. Kilimanjaro, a life-long dream). For me, I've had to choose a surgeon I trust, and go for it! I'll let you know how my foot is doing after a couple of months.
pattye
Thank you for that. Would it be possible for you to tell me exactly what you had done to your feet? I was diagnosed with nerve damage 15 years ago and my feet have been very painful since and find it hard to walk a long way and can not stand on them for very long at all. I had new nerve test done this year and they say i have no nerve damage, go figure. My feet are full of O A. I am interestered in any information on feet and surgeries on them. Hope your post op goes well for you. Thanks.
Eileen---I've found, over my years of surgeries on my "OA feet" (6 operations), that sometimes, I have to get a second opinion---or keep nagging the first doctor until I get more concrete answers. I'm sure you are like I am---I can deal with darn near anything as long as I'm living in a solution and NOT the problem!!! I have lots of OA obviously, but have never been diagnosed with "nerve damage". So far, on my right foot/ankle---I had to have a steel plate put into my ankle because artificial ankles were not very successful---then I had the base of my big toe replaced with a titanium joint---then, because my toes began to grow crooked because of the steel plate in my ankle---they removed 9 joints from 2 toes and permanently bonded those toes together---they also later had to go back and sever the tendons on the undersides of my toes---the surgeries I just had---they replaced the base of the toe on the left foot and bonded it permanently---then they severed tendons under 2 toes, straightened the toes and put in surgical pins to hold them in place---recovery will be at least 2 months without walking (except for bathroom stops) These surgeries have definitely NOT been fun, but I'm a professional nature photographer, and my feet are very vital to my work (by the way---both hips are artificial too!!!). Don't be afraid to get at least 1 second-opinion---in my case, I study the situation a lot before going into the doctor to be as informed as I can---life's tooooooo short to be confined to a wheelchair at this point for me----------GOOD LUCK and keep me informed!!!!!
pattye
Pattye, Thanks for the info on your feet. You must have had a lot of pain in them.
What country are you in ? I am in Australia. Eileen
Eileen---yes, I've had quite a bit of pain in my feet, as well as ankles, hips, knees, and 1 shoulder. I live in the USA where modern medicine (particularly good orthopedic)- help is readily available. I had already endured similar surgeries that I just went through, on my right foot---I also have a steel plate in my right ankle. I've also had total hip replacement on BOTH hips. Because of my work (I'm an international professional nature photographer)---it's extra important for my legs and feet to be in "good working order"!!! In fact, I tell my family and friends that I only return to America to get new body parts as needed!!!
In fact, God willing (and my surgeons agree), I will be returning to my volunteer work in a prison for teen-age street kids in Tanzania, E. Africa this Fall!!!
Good luck on your upcoming decisions-------
pattye