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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 19, 2009 - 07:33pm PT
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hey there crimpie/callie... best wishes and happy prayers... wow, (edit) ooops, i DID know, i saw her post... opps, but i did not know these new pics were up... sorry.... glad it is now into the healing pretty steady... whewwwwwwwww....
hugs, too... :)
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Dec 19, 2009 - 08:11pm PT
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Things continue to go really well. I guess it has a lot to do with a great surgeon and some other factors. Whatever it is, I'll take it! I get to get in the pool one week from today - can't wait!
My toes are all green now. I keep trying to get a photo of the cool bruising, but it just doesn't photograph worth a darn.
Looking forward too correction on hoof #2...
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 21, 2009 - 01:50pm PT
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what's the word?
too quiet... hope you're not as depressed as I am on rehab/recovery...
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 21, 2009 - 02:05pm PT
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Don't let Ed fool ya, he was up and jolly just the night before last. I bet Callie the one legged wonder is, as well.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Dec 21, 2009 - 02:35pm PT
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Hi Ed! Things continue to go really well. No joke - this is less pain than I've had in a while. The bruises are cool (and hard to photograph). I'm wiggling my toes a little. Moving my ankle as much as possible. It's amazing how fast the calf has disappeared. In five days, 1" of circumference was gone! Gack.
Wednesday the stitches come out and the unveiling happens (the bandage acts as a cast of sorts so it's not been changed since surgery). I CAN NOT wait to see it! Dave will take photos and post them.
Last night, I saw a photo of us from August. the first thing I noticed was how gross my foot looked. Never noticed that before! Now I see why that little boy (and the pre-op nurse) was so grossed out. It does look gross!
Can't wait to get foot number two done and enjoy climbing and biking again!
How is your recovery Ed? Maybe what you need is a trip to Colorado to visit. We'd all love to have you here! :)
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 21, 2009 - 03:10pm PT
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my great milestone was driving up to Berkeley on Sunday, 40 minutes, without excruciating pain at the end points... although on getting home I had to do my little climb down from the Vanagon driver side.
Driving to Denver would take a bit of time if divided up into 40 minute segments. And flying is equally problematic.
Walking is an option... If I could walk 100 miles a day, I would probably be there by the middle of January if I start out after christmas. Assuming I don't get distracted along the way.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Dec 21, 2009 - 03:29pm PT
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Ah Ed. I wish it were going better for you. :( That really sounds like it sucks - a lot.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Dec 23, 2009 - 01:33pm PT
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A TR of sorts.
Edit: Some photos at the bottom are a wee bit gross. Avoid if you are prone to queasiness! (sorry L!)
Several people has asked exactly what work I had done on my feet. And they've asked to see photos. Many thought that my bunion surgery consisted of just removing the bump on the foot and that it is done for aesthetic purposes. For some, that may be the case - there is a wide range of surgeries that are done depending on feet. Dr. Shonka says bunions are like snowflakes - no two are alike.
My surgery was a bit more involved and it was done because of serious pain. I'd gotten to where I could walk slowly. No more. No biking. No hiking. Almost no climbing (I could climb on the outside of my feet only. Difficult to find climbs that lend themselves to that). Aesthetics were not my concern (though I feel bad for scaring the people I did with my bare feet).
I had four things done to my foot. First, a neuroma was removed from the foot. This is a scarred and inflamed nerve - the nerve that runs to toes three and four. This is the cause of the cut you see more in the middle of my foot. (DISCLAIMER: I'm certainly not a podiatrist so I may have some terminology and stuff off here).
Second, I had the foot bone (the one that goes to the big toe) cut in half, and shifted back toward the rest of my foot. You can see the degree of shifting done in the 'after' x-ray.
Third, I had the big bump - what people refer to as the bunion - sawed (yes, sawed) off.
And fourth, a wedge was cut out of the big toe bone. The remaining bone was pushed together and screwed into place. This allows the toe to be realigned in a straight fashion instead of trying to hide under toe two.
All of this work required a lot of soft tissue manipulation as well. Soft tissue was tightened up and loosened up as needed. The seismoid bones (two little roundish bone that go beneath the base of the big toe (you can see them on the x-rays)) needed to be pulled via soft tissue back to place under my foot. In bunions, they tend to rotate around and get out of place.
The surgery was great. The recovery has been great. The x-rays taken today look great. I have three new titanium screws in my foot which increases my net value. :) I am looking forward to having the second foot done as soon as possible. I am however, afraid of PT that starts on Monday. While all feels good, I fear a therapist railing on my big toe. Ew. We'll see if I sing the same tune about doing foot 2 asap after Monday.
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L
climber
A place with poppies & flying monkeys...
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Dec 23, 2009 - 02:06pm PT
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Well...I just almost heaved...but thanks, Crimpie, for the FrankenFoot Picture Show! ;-) (My feet look a lot like yours did, but I'm focusing on a few more natural ways of returning them to normal...being the surgery-phobe that I am. Besides...having duck-feet really help with those one-legged standing poses in yoga!)
I don't have the pain you did as far as walking/biking, etc., so I'm less motivated to go under the knife. However, jamming cracks...ooolala! That's some pain!
I'm glad your tootsie's healing nicely...and the fact that you're looking forward to doing the other one says a lot for your doc's expertise.
Keep getting better, and happy holidays to you and BN!
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Dec 23, 2009 - 02:15pm PT
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congrats on the new foot.
a few years back, i was afraid i was headed toward something similar. too many years of forcing my asym wide forefoot into cowboy boots (no point in wearing them unless you're also running the under-slung heel and xx toe), ultra-tight climbing shoes, and symmetrical runners.
at least you'll have some moderately attractive options for comfort shoes-- danskos or whatever works for ya.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2009 - 03:31pm PT
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EWE!@!!!!!
Those pictures are . . . yucky!
But I'm really glad you're close to pain free, and healing
fast!
The green is not the green I wanted to see. . .I was hoping
for more like 'forest' green. . .
tee hee hee. . .
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 23, 2009 - 03:59pm PT
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Excellent Crimpi
Now I fully understand the whole thing and what was done to correct it.
Thanks for posting that surgery trip report.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Dec 23, 2009 - 04:06pm PT
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It looks like you got a nice cosmetic result, even with the stitches. I hope it gets stong and feeling good quickly for you. I've heard from a lot of people who've had it done that they never knew was good feet felt like until they had the surgery.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Dec 23, 2009 - 04:29pm PT
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Thanks for the comments. It's cool stuff I think. My feet already feel better. It'll be cool to have 'good' feet finally.
For those in this area (or willing to travel), I really believe the great outcome is in large part due to the surgeon: Thomas Shonka. He's the go-to guy as far as I'm concerned.
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drljefe
climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
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Dec 23, 2009 - 04:33pm PT
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Thanks for this, crimp. Keep on healin'.
Now that I'm not surfing everyday I don't experience much pain so I probably will never get mine fixed.
Just think- shoe shopping time!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 24, 2009 - 01:55am PT
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hey there crimper/callie... oh, so wonderful your foot is healing well...
oh my--sure wish my mom's feet were okay... but she insists that she can walk, and she feels she is far to old to do this now...
thanks for all your sharing... :)
god bless... :)
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Mar 15, 2010 - 01:09pm PT
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so crimpie.... after they finish your other foot are they going to move to your thumbs?
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Mar 25, 2010 - 02:01pm PT
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Three months out, I thought I'd post the completed foot. It is fully functional including climbing! Of course, now we are waiting on foot two to finish healing. I'll be ready to go when the weather finally improves.
Compared to the before photo, how do you think it looks? Feels better for sure!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Cool stuff!
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 25, 2010 - 07:36pm PT
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I like much better, C!!!!!
(no bruises, no blood). . . hee hee hee. . .
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