cheilectomy-diary

 Really felt like I turned a corner at 9 months. Walking is up to 8 miles - not every day, but still good. Foot is pretty good on that toe now, a little swelling in mornings if I've used the foot for lots of walking or on uneven ground or driving, but generally all good. Only problem now is I've been struck down with plantar fasciitis 😱😱😱😱😱😱 Having suffered from this in the past - about 14 years ago on the other foot, it took 2 YEARS!! to clear up - you'd think I'd be prepared, but it's easy to forget when you're not in it. I'm thinking that the causes of this onset in the post-operative foot are likely to be:    1. General loss of fitness and strength due to the long period of time from injuring the toe thru rehabilitation following surgery     2. Correcting the gait following surgery. Previously, I was rolling my foot along the outer side due to the pain from the bone spurs ( supination). Once the foot was recovered from the surgery, I mindfully bega...

 Six months is the point at which, according to the literature: you may reasonably expect to be back to 'normal' any swelling will likely have subsided you can wear 'normal' footwear  you can resume 'normal' level of activity and sports such as running. The literature also states: you may still experience limitations - especially where an osteotomy was part of the procedure swelling can continue for up to 12 months you may never be able to wear the same shoes you did before you may never be as active as you were before In my case, I know that I can't expect to resume all the 'normal' activity I enjoyed before the procedure because before the procedure was the injury and the time during which the cartilage in the joint was diminished.  Based on my particular set of circumstances, I can report my progress. First, a reminder of MY circumstances: Age 53 at time of surgery (now 54) Trauma injury which flattened the 1st MTP joint 3 years prior to surgery D...

 As each month milestone approaches, it feels like the toe is worst than the month before, but when I read back, I can see that's a fallacy. I guess, as it gets better, I just measure its progress day by day, so some days it feels worse and some days it feels better. And that's kinda the lesson learned in this post.  For example, the last couple of weeks we've had a cold snap in the UK (temperatures down to -2 in the daytime), so I've had to swap the trainers to more suitable walking boots (something I couldn't wear last month). I've been in the walking boots every day now for a couple of weeks. It feels roomier than when I tried the boots last month, so that indicates the swelling (from Covid probably) has gone down. It's more comfortable to wear the boots now, so clearly that's progress. I've been doing around five miles in them, but do find that it's a matter of one day on, one day off. So if I do a five mile walk one day, I'm not up for a...

 Gosh, four month mark already. Well, here's the update: the toe seems worse than it was at 3 months. Though in a way I think it's hard to tell whether it's just worse, or just different. The obvious clanger has been Covid-19 which I caught at the start of November and which had me off my feet (and pretty much in bed) for the best part of a week. After that it was a further week or so before I started to feel fit enough to resume the daily walks. Right away the toe was niggly. In fact, during the peak infection time with Covid and while I was laid up, I had stabbing pains in the toe joint where I had surgery. I also had similar in odd joints around the body - left shoulder, right knee, left wrist - which cleared up after a few days once I started to recover. I've read that this can be a symptom of the Omicron variant of the disease, so I'm guessing Covid is the chief suspect in all of this. Maybe also, being suddenly laid up and off my feet for almost two weeks at a...

Main things to report are continued exercise regime of walking and PT exercises (going up on the toe and 'bouncing' - this can be painful, but that's normal), scar care (I use Hustle Butter which is actually marketed for tattoo aftercare and contains shea, coconut, aloe, vitamin E and so on), and scar massaging using castor oil. The walking gives some pain - mainly in the bone around the MTP joint (and the osteotomy site on the proximal phalanges) and all the way up the metatarsal bone along the foot. I'm guessing this is normal and I just need to ease off if it gets too much. It's a bit off-putting though because it feels like a burning pain much like I had before the operation (caused by the bone spurs). I do have a fair amount of diminished space between the proximal phalanges and first metatarsal due to loss of cartilage, so this may also be a factor (I will have to have a fusion at some point when this becomes too diminished). Image source: https://en.wikipedia...

Have come away on holiday - a three hour drive in a manual car with plenty of motorway queuing, which went fine, though the under part of the MTP joint was a bit achy by the end. I'm hoping to be able to do a little walking next week, but for this week I'm happy pootling around on the bike.  At home I'm in a cheap pair of flip-flops. I couldn't bear flip-flops before the op - the bit between the toes drove me mad. But I reckon the numbness I've still got on that toe, or the op itself, is making it fine wearing them now. I actually think they provide some good PT as well, as the toe performs a little dorsal flexion - sort of gripping the sole - as I walk in them.  I was able to be pretty much back to normal at the weekend, with plenty of time on my feet, swimming and kayaking. I'm using the bike mainly rather than walking, which I would have done before the op. Otherwise, I did a lot with very little pain or discomfort. The beach here is very stony and there'...

Today I got a letter from my consultant podiatric surgeon confirming my "uneventful recovery" from a right-sided 1st MTP joint cheilectomy with proximal phalangectomy, and conditionally discharging me. To celebrate, I've ordered a new pair of shoes. I've been going through my shoe wardrobe and reluctantly realising that my days in my lovely leather soled Loakes, Brogues and Chelsea boots are probably long-gone. In reality I haven't been able to wear any of them since I had the accident on my foot three years ago (bar the recent funeral of a dear friend - and then I had to send the mourners on while I hobbled my way from the church to the wake in my brogues).  Maybe one day, I'll be able to wear them for special occasions. Meanwhile, a different approach is needed. A sturdy sole, supportive and cushioned - and some modifications to the flat leather soles I've been used to. I've decided (rather reluctantly) to invest in a pair of rocker-soled sports shoe...