How did I find my current doctor?
After my disappointing first consultation, I decided to slow down my search for a doctor. I knew that I didn't want to fly to the East Coast or the West Coast. There had to be someone in the Midwest who performed it. I went away on vacation to the Caribbean and once again, like before I hid my feet in the sand, timed when I got in the jacuzzi, and hid my feet from my roommate (my cousin). This was so emotionally draining! When I came back home I was reminded that there was a family friend who was a Podiatrist who could potentially know someone in the field that had some experience and knowledge. I called a left a message on a voicemail service. A day or two later he called me me back I asked him if he knew someone and he told me HE PERFORMED THE SURGERY! I set up an appointment for a consultation and was ordered to bring XRAYS on a disk. Weight distribution tests and many other tests were performed on my feet. None of which were done with the other doctor. We went over my Xrays together, and the rest is history!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Learning to walk on
Hey guys!
Today was interesting.....Because my doctor changed my splints to smaller ones I am able to walk....but only using 10% of my weight on my heels...(not much!) It was hard because up to this point, I never stood up, plus I have hardware running through the length of my bones on the forth toe in both my feet. My PT is very nice but stern. I had no idea they were like drill sergeants. I was tired, but after 3 tries, I got the hang of it. She will be here Wednesday again.........
Since my doctor has changed the splints my feet has been more achy around the bottom of my feet of the 4th toe. He had to manipulate the around the area of the toes...peel off old surgical tape and clean my feet, and of course what he did on one foot he had to do on the other. As I write this post I am constantly changing the positioning of my feet. I think trying to walk on the crutches didn't help the situation.
During the post-op app, I opted not to see my feet. Why? I don't know...I just didn't want to be freaked out. It is a visual thing with me....maybe my feet would have hurt more if I actually saw what they looked like. Doctor said everything looked great and is healing well.
At this point I have not left the house for one thing. My RN, PT and Dr all come to my house. I thank God that my insurance allowed for all this to happen.
Since my doctor has changed the splints my feet has been more achy around the bottom of my feet of the 4th toe. He had to manipulate the around the area of the toes...peel off old surgical tape and clean my feet, and of course what he did on one foot he had to do on the other. As I write this post I am constantly changing the positioning of my feet. I think trying to walk on the crutches didn't help the situation.
During the post-op app, I opted not to see my feet. Why? I don't know...I just didn't want to be freaked out. It is a visual thing with me....maybe my feet would have hurt more if I actually saw what they looked like. Doctor said everything looked great and is healing well.
At this point I have not left the house for one thing. My RN, PT and Dr all come to my house. I thank God that my insurance allowed for all this to happen.
Surgery on both feet
Why at the same time???
This is the question I have been asked time and time again.
I knew that if I had done them one at a time, the second surgery would have been put off, and who is to say that I would be working in the same place a year from now. Who is to say that my insurance benefits will be the same at a different job? and what about getting the time off in general?
I have plenty of help with my family. My mother is retired. I live in a ranch style home (everything is one the main level.) I qualified for FMLA and short term disability through my job. These are the reasons.
The surgery went wonderfully.Surprisingly, I wasn't scared at all. Reading all the other blogs prepared my for EVERYTHING. I already knew what to expect. I knew the questions that they were going to ask me before it left their mouths. For this.....I thank you all.
Let's be honest. It is REAL hard. I cannot walk. I cannot drive. I cannot cook. I cannot take a shower.
I need constant help with things. YOU NEED SUPPORT. I am totally incapacitated. The first 3 days I didn't leave the bedroom. I cannot say I have been in unbearable pain every thing is tolerable. My medication and Ice helped with the swelling and discomfort. At night, I am awaken by some pain and have to shift around. It feels as though the wraps get tighter around the two toes.
Once the wheelchair was delivered..... I have been totally mobile...in the house.
This is the question I have been asked time and time again.
I knew that if I had done them one at a time, the second surgery would have been put off, and who is to say that I would be working in the same place a year from now. Who is to say that my insurance benefits will be the same at a different job? and what about getting the time off in general?
I have plenty of help with my family. My mother is retired. I live in a ranch style home (everything is one the main level.) I qualified for FMLA and short term disability through my job. These are the reasons.
The surgery went wonderfully.Surprisingly, I wasn't scared at all. Reading all the other blogs prepared my for EVERYTHING. I already knew what to expect. I knew the questions that they were going to ask me before it left their mouths. For this.....I thank you all.
Let's be honest. It is REAL hard. I cannot walk. I cannot drive. I cannot cook. I cannot take a shower.
I need constant help with things. YOU NEED SUPPORT. I am totally incapacitated. The first 3 days I didn't leave the bedroom. I cannot say I have been in unbearable pain every thing is tolerable. My medication and Ice helped with the swelling and discomfort. At night, I am awaken by some pain and have to shift around. It feels as though the wraps get tighter around the two toes.
Once the wheelchair was delivered..... I have been totally mobile...in the house.
Clinical Diagnosis
SO....My first appointment with a Podiatrist didn't go so well. I left the appointment feeling as though I wasted my time and felt like I was cheated out of a $20 copay. I already knew that most Podiatrist didn't specialize in my condition and nevertheless wouldn't do the surgery. My hopes on this consultation was to 1.) Be clinically diagnosed. 2.) TAKE XRAYS 3.) To ultimately be guided to a person in the Chicagoland Area in the field that could perform the surgery.
The doctor seemed cool at first. He asked about my level of pain, asked about the shoes I wear, but told me basically that I should live with the condition since my pain level was at a 4. He explained that I should try inserts in my shoes, wear shoes that were a little deeper and had more width. He told me that he had only seen my condition in one other person in his 15 years of practice, and had never performed a Brachymetatarsia Surgery. I asked him did he tell that person the same thing he told me... his answer was yes. I explained to him that besides the pain that I am feeling that I was very embarrassed of my feet. I had explained that I had done lots of research on the web.. and this for some reason soured his attitude. As if you cant find credible source materials i.e. Medical Journals there. He gave me a website to buy the inserts at.... sent me downstairs to take my XRAYS.... I came back up and said he wouldn't do the surgery (which I figured out at this point), didn't know anyone who performed the surgery, and asked me to go to his colleague who worked in the same office to have a second opinion. He was very adamant about not performing a surgery for cosmetic reasons and actually told me that it should be out of the question.
I was upset, not because he wouldn't do the surgery.... but he totally disregarded the pain that I had mentioned to him, physical and emotional. He never gave me a thorough exam ( I would come to learn about at a consultation with my current Podiatrist) and he was quite sarcastic. My xrays showed that I had a bunion, semi- dropped arch and that my toes on one of my feet where turned to help support the weight on one of my feet. He mentioned none of this IF YOU DON'T DO THE SURGERY JUST SAY YOU DON'T AND HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN THE SUBJECT. DON'T TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY SHOULD LIVE WITH .....JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
I booked the appointment with his colleague and left and walked away from the surgery hunt for a couple of months. I was disappointed....but an upcoming vacation to Miami, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Islands would light that fire under me again.
Two good things came out of my first consultation...being clinically diagnosed and taking Xrays.
Reading other brachyers experiences, lots of consultations usually go like this........don't let it deter you.
I was upset, not because he wouldn't do the surgery.... but he totally disregarded the pain that I had mentioned to him, physical and emotional. He never gave me a thorough exam ( I would come to learn about at a consultation with my current Podiatrist) and he was quite sarcastic. My xrays showed that I had a bunion, semi- dropped arch and that my toes on one of my feet where turned to help support the weight on one of my feet. He mentioned none of this IF YOU DON'T DO THE SURGERY JUST SAY YOU DON'T AND HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN THE SUBJECT. DON'T TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY SHOULD LIVE WITH .....JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.
I booked the appointment with his colleague and left and walked away from the surgery hunt for a couple of months. I was disappointed....but an upcoming vacation to Miami, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Islands would light that fire under me again.
Two good things came out of my first consultation...being clinically diagnosed and taking Xrays.
Reading other brachyers experiences, lots of consultations usually go like this........don't let it deter you.
About me
Hello world!
I'm writing this blog to document my experiences with living w/ brachymetatarsia and the surgery that I have received. I am answering the call of other bloggers who; 1.) wish for more people opting for the one-stage surgery write about their experience 2.)have bilateral brachymetatarsia and 3.) have both feet corrected at the same time using the one-stage proceduure. I first noticed my toes becoming shortened around the age of 7-8 years old when a cousin pointed it out to me. At this particular point the 4th and 5th toe were the same size. As I got older, the toe got shorter.
Growing up, I was very embarrassed of my feet. I would barely spend any time with my feet exposed.I would plan for anything and would bring extra socks " just in case". Being a young single female, I would make up all types of excuses to why I wouldn't let my "boyfriend' rub my feet, or even take bathes or showers with me. Going to the Caribbean, in which I love to do, could get tricky when you go to the beach. Shoes... the agony of picking sandles in the summer.......and why won't gladiators sandles go OUT of style!!!!!.....lol. Pedicures... I still would get not normally but I would get them....close to closing hours on an off day like a Tuesday and only at the seat closest to the wall.
I lived with this condition for over 30 years before knowing that it had a name. I just so happened to be watching the show THE DOCTORS and saw someone on the show with the same type of feet I had. Her pain and sadness was the same as mine and when I found out that they could correct this with surgical intervention, I was elated. Later on that same day, I went to the Internet. There was so much information, videos, and even blogs of people who were going through the surgery. Hell, there was even a facebook group!!!! I was so happy. You see, I thought I was the only one with this condition. The very next day I scheduled an appointment to see an Orthopedic Surgeon.
During the time that I had to wait around for my appointment, I read up on all types of medical journals on the subject and blogs. I understood that there were two different procedures used to correct Brachy: one-stage surgery and external fixation. I also read up on other peoples blogs. There are so many but two in particular are "Living with Brachymetatarsia and coping with surgery" by Nadia and "Brachymetatarsia: A Transformational Journey" by DNC.
During the time that I had to wait around for my appointment, I read up on all types of medical journals on the subject and blogs. I understood that there were two different procedures used to correct Brachy: one-stage surgery and external fixation. I also read up on other peoples blogs. There are so many but two in particular are "Living with Brachymetatarsia and coping with surgery" by Nadia and "Brachymetatarsia: A Transformational Journey" by DNC.
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