The next bunch were a bit embedded - ouch! She said someone else closed up that side. I think hers will leave a nicer scar than those on the outside.
As the nurse was finishing the stitch removal, the doctor came in. This is the first time I've seen him since before the surgery. Let me just stop here and say that I hope his nurse is paid well, because she is the one that does all the work. Anyway, while I had him cornered, I told him I had a list of questions.
"What exactly did you do in this surgery? Do you have a foot model you can show me?" He left the room and came back shortly with a model and showed me the 3 joints that were fused and where the 5 screws were placed.
"Just because one foot has arthritis, does that mean the other foot will have it as well?' He said, "No." Whew that was a relief!
"I've had so much trouble with this right knee, how long would I have to wait to have it fixed once I'm over this?" He said that once I was walking again, probably 3 months. Hmmm....I figured I might have to wait a year. At least with a knee replacement, you are not off your feet for long. I know that when I was going to physical therapy last year for my foot, I asked them how soon after a knee replacement do you start PT. He said almost immediately. If you don't, the knee with freeze up on you.
"Is it OK to take naproxen rather than ibuprofen? I've only been taking one at night now." He said that if I needed something, he would rather I take Tylenol. The anti-inflammatories sometimes can cause the healing to slow some. Yikes! I'm not taking any more of anything! My regular doctor told me, in general, he preferred naproxen over Tylenol because it was easier on your liver. I'm just not going to take anything right now. My foot no longer hurts; I was just taking it at night because it helped my hips not to hurt as much during the night. But I'm not taking ANYTHING that might slow the healing!
"After the cast comes off, will I be in a boot, and will there be PT?" He said, "Yes, you'll be in a boot, and you'll go to PT about 2 months." I forget now how long he said I would be in a boot, but I think a couple weeks.
He then told me that the x-rays looked fine. There was no bone growth yet, but it was not expected this early. Really?? OK. He said she would put on another cast, and I was to come back in 3 weeks. At that time, they would recheck the x-rays and recast for another 3 weeks.
"Now, wait a minute!! It's been 3 1/2 weeks since the surgery. 3 1/2 + 3 + 3.....that equals 9 1/2 weeks. You said I would be non weight-bearing for 8 weeks." He said, "Well, we say 8-10 weeks." I can tell you that I know I heard him say before surgery, it would be 8 weeks. If I didn't remember anything else he said, that I remembered! SIGH! Well, what can I do.....nothing! Just wait it out.
Now I'm calculating the time and the calendar. This would make me coming out of the cast on August 26. That leaves me no time to get any PT in here, to speak of, before we wanted to make our trip back to Kansas. The Kansas State Fair is Sept 6-13. I knew I wouldn't be able to walk those grounds even if all went well, but I was willing to go in a wheelchair. But if we still go, I'll have to have all my PT in Hutchinson. That means a drive of 30 miles one way, and I'm sure it will be 2-3 times a week. I really like my PT therapy team here. I just don't know if this is going to work. PLUS, now Guy is not sure he is going to be able to get off the month of September since a job time line change at this work. Well, we are just going to have to wait and see. Maybe it's not our time at the Fair this year......but I had SO planned on it this year.....Jeannine was going to come and bring the girls.
Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans.
*sigh*
