Surgery Complications

Hello blog followers! 👋 😁

*Heavy sigh*

I went for a follow up with my surgeon.

Today I am 8 weeks post op & with 2 of those weeks being in a CAM walking boot.

I wasn't supposed to go for a follow up, for another 2 weeks, but I needed to be seen, so I could get a return to work status
(& paperwork filled out by the doctor.)




When I was called back to the exam room, the MA said, "You're not walking on it yet?"

As I'm struggling walking with my boot on, with crutches.

I said, "No, it hurts too much."



The doctor ordered more x-rays.


 He came in the exam room and said the x-rays look like the bone has all fused back together.
He isn't worried about it breaking or getting damaged, if I walk on it without the boot.

He said," I saw you walking in the hallway with crutches, still."

I said, "Yes, because it hurts too much to walk without any assistance."




I already had my boot off, for him to examine and palpate my foot.

He said, "Can you show me where it hurts??"

I pointed and showed him, saying my heel and all along the outside of my foot.

He barely touched it and I'm refraining from kicking him in the face, from the electric pain!!

He touches different places on my foot, ankle and leg.

*Does it hurt here?

Lateral side of foot- YES

Top of foot? No

Heel? YES

*Here?
Inside of the ankle? No

*Here?
Bottom of my leg? No



He said, "I'm going to put you on a nerve medicine. There my be a nerve that a is damaged or a cluster that is compacted. Physical therapy may help stretch it out and help."


I'm thinking...

"Well fuuuuuck. I'm one of the few percentage of people who have the possible complications that were explained to me and I acknowledged and signed a paper prior to scheduling the surgery."

That's juuuuust dandy. 🙄

So, I traded my original problem and pain for a whole different (worse) pain.


I mean, his diagnosis of the jacked up nerve, makes TOTAL sense.

I remember many shooting, electrical shock type pains, throughout my healing.

It is VERY sensitive to any touch.

I'm trying to keep positive, that the nerve medicine will help.

Because, IF it doesn't.....I don't know what comes next.

Which is not NOT on my mind.

In fact, my mind is spinning out, about the
"What if's?"

Will I always be in pain?

Will I need to be on medication to help the pain, forever??

The red circle, is the nerve that is most likely damaged.

Red circles: where the pain is located.
**Black dog, Bella is the photobomer. 🤷

Yes, my ankle is swollen.



I'm to start physical therapy ASAP.

Then follow up with the surgeon in 5 weeks.


Here's hoping the nerve pain goes away with the medicine.



Bonus:
I am relieved for the following.....

He figured out WHY I'm still not walking without crutches and WHY I kept saying I'm STILL having pain.

The weird thing is, I  kept feeling guilty about the pain.
And, was always reluctant letting them know.

I didn't want them to think, "She's probably just a pill junkie."


Now, they should know, that I have always been in pain. It's real, genuine pain.


P.S.

If you see me out and about, on my knee scooter or especially my crutches....and I'm exhausted and/or sweating from the most basic task, please just act like you don't see the sweat dripping. 😂
Perhaps offer to help in some way. 😁

Xoxo
Kim 💋

Smooth like a Dolphin

Last night I was able to take a real bath!

No more sitting cock-eyed on my shower bench.

Full body in the bathtub.

And...

I shaved!

I shaved places that haven't seen a razor in
7 weeks!

If you've been following my surgery/post op journey, you've probably seen pictures of my hairy-like-a-man legs. 🦍 Gorilla legs.

Mainly, my cast leg. But, let's get real...I didn't feel the need to to shave the "un-cast" leg, all but ONCE during the 4 weeks my other leg was in a cast.

It got too slippery and dangerous to shave on the shower bench. 😳

Y'all, I seriously feel like a new woman!

Smooth like a dolphin. 🐬😁

Then, I slathered my body in thick CeraVe body cream.


Before:

After:

I was really nervous shaving over this incision.
Thankfully, everything was fine.

My skin was in shock, after shaving.
I have sensitive skin.

It's calmed down now, and looks better this afternoon.


Current picture:

My anxiety did get the best of me after my shower, as I took progress pictures of my incisions.

The lateral incision on ankle was red and looked a little inflamed.

I was concerned it is getting infected.

Thankfully, I have an amazing, smart & beautiful friend, who is a Nurse Practitioner.
I sent her the picture, and let her know I already put  Neosporin on it and taped gauze on it.

She said, to keep an eye on it and keep putting Neosporin on it. 😊




I'm still struggling with putting weight on my left foot.

I am trying to stay positive and tell myself, one step, one day at a time. It will be a long road ahead.


Xoxo
Kim ♥️

Cast Away....

Today I woke up very EXCITED!

Sidenote:

I'm also having a FANTASTIC hair day. 

I used a new curling wand. 

I only burned myself twice. 🙄 

Why you ask?

It's cast removal day!


We drove to Wichita, grabbed lunch at Wendy's.

Finally got to the doctors office. I'm grinning ear-to- ear as we pull into the parking lot....knowing in a just a bit, my bulky, heavy, dirty cast, will be GONE!

The MA called me back to an exam room.
Quinn wanted to come back with me, however, with the Covid-19 thing....the MA suggested social distancing.

I told Quinn that she will not be able to come back with me. She hung her head in sadness.

I went into the exam room, got up on the table (awkwardly) and the MA began to use the vibration saw to cut the cast off, in an L shape on both sides of my cast.

She proceeded to yank on it, (THAT hurt, BTW.)
Then, decided to use a crowbar type tool, that pried the cast open.

Then she used "safety" scissors to cut the cotton, underneath. She was a little hasty... almost cut me, twice. 😳

The moment of Truth.

The cast is off.

My leg is SO small! Withered away. Hairy. Like a man's leg. Or Maybe even a non-shaving feminist. 😂

A little bootie was put on my foot, then off to wait for the x-ray tech to call me back.


I got called back to get a NWB x-ray.

The first position required me to lay on my back with my foot straight up and down.
Heel touching the table.

Oh. My. Gosh.

PAIN.

I ended up holding my leg above the table, levitating it, due to the pain.

Back to the waiting room, to get called back to another exam room.


"Kim?"

Off I go to another exam room.

A few minutes later the doctor comes in.
He lets me know that the x-rays look fine.

He pokes and prods my heel.

I about jumped out of my skin, it hurt so badly!!

I tensed up and pulled my foot away, letting him know THAT (freaking) HURTS!

He immediately stopped touching the area, and apologized.

I'm fine to get my CAM walking boot.

I asked him about the pain, when walking....since it was already sensitive and painful without putting any weight on it.

He said that he is fine with giving me pain medication.

I am to wear the CAM boot, weight bearing as tolerated, when I'm up and about.

It can be off during:
Sleeping, showering, resting in a chair.

I can already tell you, my skin is so sensitive, there is NO way I'm sleeping with nothing on.

I haven't put any weight on /in my boot. It hasn't touched the floor. Therefore, I will be sleeping in the boot tonight.

Waiting on the boot fitting. This is the only comfortable way to lay, without pain.

Then, the "boot guy" comes in the room.

Puts on a new cast sock, then the boot.

Honestly, it was quite embarrassing having a relatively handsome gentleman, applying the sock and boot...since my leg looks like THIS.



Oh, and my mom measured both calves.
Left: 12.75 inches
Right: 15.5 inches.

Almost 3 inches lost! 😳☹️

Boot is on!

Next check up, 4 weeks.

Doctor is hopeful, I can get in regular shoes and then start physical therapy.




Time for dinner.

Carlos O'Kelly's. My favorite ❤️.
 The best salsa, ever!


Ordered it to go, because that is the only option now, then drove to a parking lot to eat and get some fresh air.

Time to head home.

Took a detour, and decided to surprise my parents. A late birthday surprise for my mom, if you will.

They were definitely surprised. 😁

I took off my boot and cast sock, to show my parents.

My mom was thoroughly pleased...since she is a retired RN.

She inspected it. But, I remained on high alert.
I know how she also likes to poke and prod.
🙄😂


My dad, bless his heart, got some CeraVe lotion and Q-Tips- to apply lotion to my dry skin.
It was so sweet. ♥️

Until next time.

Xoxo 💋

Kim   

7 days!!!

I'm counting down the days until my cast comes off!

I was able to move my appointment up, to the original post op date.
I
couldn't make THAT appointment, because Chris would have been out of town.

Thanks to the Covid-19 virus, his trip was cancelled.

Luckily, the doctors office still had the original date available! Yippee!!

1 week from today, I will have my cast off!!

(If everything looks good.)

I googled what skin looks like, after it's been suffocated for 7 weeks.

Let's just say I'm excited to peel the dead skin off! 😁

Also, I don't know what the bottom of my feet look like.

Chris ever so kindly told me they were "nasty".

Of course it piqued my interest. I said, take a picture, so I can see it.

Disgusting, right?!!? 🤢 

I didn't know it was so dry and cracky. 

NOT really "foot fetish" material. Amiright? 😂

I will make another post, when the cast comes off.  Videos and pictures to come.

Get EXCITED, y'all.


Xoxox
Kim

Accident Yesterday

In 3 days I will be 4 weeks post-op.

I will have been in my cast for 2 weeks.

I'm rollin' around on my knee scooter like a boss. I've only almost bit the dust a couple of times.

However, TODAY....
I worry I may have fucked up my surgery foot.


It happened in a parking lot.

I shut my car door and Chris opened it again,
I turned around to see what was wrong.

Next thing I know, I'm losing my balance and the only thing I could think to do was to put my surgery foot down to help catch myself from falling on the pavement.


It was more like a "slam my foot down."

It. HURT.

I immediately regretted it.

I'm in pain, dropped a few frustrated f-bombs.

Some stranger was gawking.

I didn't care.


Fast forward to now, as I'm laying in bed, trying to get to sleep, which BTW, nowadays doesn't happen until about 3-4 AM.

* I just can't sleep or get comfy.
I still get random, shooting electrical- type shocks of pain.*


My foot STILL hurts from the incident today.



I'm a worrywart. I always have been.

I can't help but wonder if I did any damage, or if I set back my recovery.
Which would mean, more time in a cast. ☹️



I have already been dreading when the cast does come off.
Then, I'm in a Cam Walking Boot, & have to put weight on it. 😳


Note to self*better start eating healthier* = less weight on foot. 👍


Will it be painful? 
Will it be tolerable?
Will I cry like a whiny bitch? -most likely, Yes. 😂

I HATE not knowing.



If I had a super power, it would be:

To see into the future, only at certain times when I'm worried about something specific.


But, my REAL superpower would be:

Mind reading. 🧠💭🤯

Not everyone, & not all the time.

Just certain people/certain times.



Wouldn't life be easier if people had "thought bubbles"?

Just so you'd know if you're on the same page as them, on what they are thinking.

With this superpower, the movie with
Mel Gibson"What Women Want" comes to mind.

Obviously, I  wouldn't want overlapping voices of every person in the vacinity of me, in my head.



Where was I?

Ah. Yes, wondering if I caused any damage to my foot.

I guess time will tell. If I'm still in pain in a couple of days, I will call my surgeons office.

Otherwise, I'll wait until my cast comes off.
I think they will take an X-ray, to determine if the bone has healed.


In closing, if you're awake before 4 a.m....holla at me.

Here's hoping that everything is fine.

Xoxox
Kim

Splint OFF & Stitches OUT!

Tomorrow I will be 2 weeks post-op.

I had my appointment today.

The car ride to Wichita wasn't fun.

When my foot is down on the floor board or down in general, it starts to get painful and swollen.

We get to the doctor office, I'm nervous.

I've never had a plaster splint, or stitches removed.  I was worried about it hurting my incision(s).

The MA that removed my splint really nice!
It kinda hurt. Not much though.

Then, the doctor came to inspect my insisions. He low-talked/mumbled...

"Hello, Kim. How are you doing today?
*He bends over the exam table to look at my 3 separate incisions.

"Everything looks good
 and is healing nicely."

I told him about my intermittent pain. Especially at night, when it's really elevated.

He said, he will prescribe some pain meds, the same kind as before.

He literally was in the room for MAYBE 2 minutes!!


I'm going to advise my children to become surgeons.

Sure, it's a lot of schooling, long hours at first, and of course; a LOT of student loans.

However, it seems to me, once you're established/have you're own practice....
if you're only in the patients exam room for
2 mins. .....that's a heck of a lot of $$$$$.


After he left the room, he sent in yet another MA to take out my stitches.

Again, I was nervous.

Once she busted out the rubbing alcohol to wipe off all the excess cotton, that was stuck to my leg....

I mentally freaked out. PTSD.
I immediately thought of when I had to have my I.V. for my surgery.  Ugh. *Shudders*
I HATE NEEDLES!!

I told the med aid that I needed to lay back on the exam table, so I wouldn't pass out.

**Chris in the chair next to me, laughing.**

*He isn't laughing here. IDK what the heck he is doing. 🤷


Yeah, yeah..
I KNOW I'm a big baby when it comes to certain medical things.

I lay back, and she begins removing my stitches.
One incision at a time.

I'm SO HAPPY that it didn't hurt!!


*Not pictured....putting the Steri Strips on.*

Thankfully both MA's were different than the one than I have interacted with before
(that had an attitude.)

Me waiting for the MA to come back, to apply the cast. 

Had to decide which color to choose.

All wrapped up, read for the cast !

I chose Royal Blue. 🙂

Bonus picture.
My sausage toes.
"Tattoo" that the surgeon wrote on me pre--op that reads:
"YES
KH" - Dr's initials.

My hairy, itchy leg. Ingrown hairs. Fun 🙄


Cast is all done. Still NWB.

More time on my knee scooter.

Next doctor appointment:
4 weeks, to have the cast cut off.

If there are no complications & the bone has healed, I will be in a Cam Walking Boot.


Xoxox
Kim

I have 3 other videos, but they are too big to post on my blog.

I will post them on my FB page.

1 Week Post-Op Shenanigans

I am officially 1 week post-op, today!

My mom is here, helping me survive...since my husband is back at work, or as he so nicely puts it "on vacation." 😂

Apparently, it's not a fun time, taking care of your one legged wife. 🙄🤷

Anyway.

I woke up at noon today.

I had something exciting to do today.

Something to look forward to.

I had an appointment to see a man about a one-eyed cat 🐈.

No, it's not a euphemism.

Yesterday, while I'm killin' time, watching "Sneaky Pete", all while I'm leg is hoisted in the air....

Chris sends me a message on Facebook.
I open it, and it's a picture of the cutest little one-eyed Siamese cat, at the local animal shelter.

Chris and I like to send each other pictures of animals that are cute, but ultimately we will never get, because we already have:

1 dog
2 cats
1 guinea pig

But, there is something about is Siamese cat.
I didn't just think: "Oh, how cute." Then dismiss it.
I said, "I need dis!!"

I've had a few Siamese cats, growing up.
They are very vocal & have their own personalities. 😺

You see, it really SUCKS being cooped up in the house, with minimal human interaction.

Sure, I have a couple of people check in on me....but when I reach out to others, they seem to just ignore me. 🖕

It would be special to have a new kitty, cuddling with me, while I'm at home. 😍

I called the animal shelter, a volunteer called me back. Told me all about the cat.
I set up an appointment to see her today at 1pm.

My mom helped me down our 2 front steps at my house, loaded up my knee scooter in my Honda, and off we went.

BTW- it had been an entire week, since I've felt fresh air on my skin/in my lungs.
I loved it!

(The ride was a trip in itself.) 😂
 I may have whiplash.

We arrive at the animal shelter, and the fella brings the cat to me. I wheel into the lobby and hold her.
She immediately loves on me, purring and walks all over me, so relaxed.

There is a "clinic cat" that is kinda like a mascot.

They interacted. It was positive. Yay!!

There is a "clinic dog", also a mascot.

They interacted. It was also positive!!

It's all turning out better than i could have imagined!

I spent time loving on her, and said...
Yes, I want this cat!

I filled out the paperwork, and will picking up our new furry family member this Friday, after she gets spayed.

Last night, Chris, the kids and I went over a few names for the kitty.

I decided on.....Suki. pronunciation (Sue-key)



Next, adventure... Walmart.

Mom went to get a motorized shopping cart, for easier mobility for me in the store.

Mom trying to pick out a garment bag, for the girls daddy-daughter ball dress. 

#rocketscience 😂

Me, waiting for Mom. Also, me in pain. 

Foot throbbing, shooting pain.

My foot propped up on the motorized cart... with a classy waterproof garbage bag, to keep it dry from the rain.

My mom getting the motorized cart. 😂
I love this video. It makes me laugh!!
We have a good time together. Always make each other laugh.

I love my mom (& dad). My whole family.


So....to wrap it up, i got out of the house today. That was nice.
However, my foot is paying the price.

Back to watching Sneaky Pete, and eating a salad. Nom-Nom.


Xoxox
Kim