Well, today was my first full day without a cast. Of course, I did have a huge walking boot but I did have the freedom of coming home and taking it off.
After a 6-hour surgery and 11 weeks in a cast, I have no idea what my "new" foot is like. Last night, I washed my foot and took some time to get reacquainted with my foot. Overall, the foot is utterly amazing. The toes, which were once like claws, are straight and separate. The scars are flat and completely healed. The skin grafts are not as "Silence of the Lamb"-ish as they first appeared. If you can't tell, I am thrilled with the outcomes.
For most of my life, I have had little or no feeling in my feet. Charcot-Marie-Tooth is a neurological condition that falls into the category of a peripheral neuropathy. Basically, it means that the nerves that are farthest from the spinal cord are damaged and do not receive from or send messages to the brain. Below my knee, I have little to no feeling. I wouldn't even say that there is numbness. There is just nothing. Except now.
Suddenly, I can feel the temperature of water dripping on my foot. I could feel the doctor debriding my toes. When I put my foot on the carpet, I can feel its texture. This is mind blowing to me. I expected straight toes, but feeling in my foot? I asked the doctor about this strange side effect. He stated that the surgery, technically, could not have done anything to restore the functioning of damaged nerves. But, he also reported that he had other patients had regained feeling in feet with previous neuropathies.
I never imagined that anything like this would even ever be possible. Who knows if this will last, but I am enjoying each drop of water, each loop of carpet, each twinge of pain. I am not taking this amazing gift for granted and I pray that you, loyal reader, do not overlook the everyday miracles in your life.
Thank you for reading and God bless!
Devin
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Steps toward freedom
Today was my 11-week check up on the foot. And things are going better then originally expected.
I got to the appointment a little early and I was able to get back into the cast room almost immediately. The cast tech took off the front half the cast and wrapped the back half back together with ace bandages. Next, I needed to walk to across the hallway to get some x-rays. Hence, the first problem. I jumped off the table and took one step. . . and almost fell on my face. Apparently, I had depended more on the front half of the cast than I realized. Needless to say and I grabbed on to the table and refused to move! So I still need to go to radiology and for some strange reason the orthopedic department did not have a wheelchair. There was a walker that I could borrow. So slowly, heel-step by heel-step, I made it over to radiology.
Once in radiology, another problem arose. The tech asked if I had ever stood on my foot without the cast. Thinking "that's a strange question being that I have been in a cast for 11 weeks," I answered in the negative. The tech then asked "You mean, they just took the cast off and sent you over here without seeing if you can stand up? I am an x-ray tech, not a physical therapist!" Now, I am confused. The tech takes me to the room and goes to speak with her supervisor. The doctor had asked for a weight bearing x-ray without taking into account that I had not stood without cast support for nearly 3 months. The supervisor came to talk to me and I told her that I thought I could do it if I had something to hold on to. The tech said that she was not comfortable with that and that she didn't want to work with me. While the supervisor went to talk to the doctor, 2 other techs came in to work with me. The doctor agreed to do a non-weight bearing x-ray and everything went smoothly.
So, back I go to the cast room, and see the doctor. The doctor is extremely pleased with the foot. He debrided the toes, which are now a beautiful pink and not a dreadful black. He had me wiggle my foot, which I kept doing because I was so excited. The toes can't wiggle yet, but I am taking everything one step at a time.
The surprise of the day was that the doctor brought the brace guy with him to make the mold for the new brace. I was not expecting this until my June visit. The brace will be ready in 1 or 2 weeks. This means that as soon as I have the brace, I can drive!!! YAY!!! In the meantime, I have a walking boot. I will have physical therapy 1 to 2 times a week. I do have to wear a splint at night so that I will not damage the tendon transfers.
Thank you for all the support and prayers over the last several weeks. The end is not in sight but it is closer than ever.
Thank you for reading and God bless!
Devin
I got to the appointment a little early and I was able to get back into the cast room almost immediately. The cast tech took off the front half the cast and wrapped the back half back together with ace bandages. Next, I needed to walk to across the hallway to get some x-rays. Hence, the first problem. I jumped off the table and took one step. . . and almost fell on my face. Apparently, I had depended more on the front half of the cast than I realized. Needless to say and I grabbed on to the table and refused to move! So I still need to go to radiology and for some strange reason the orthopedic department did not have a wheelchair. There was a walker that I could borrow. So slowly, heel-step by heel-step, I made it over to radiology.
Once in radiology, another problem arose. The tech asked if I had ever stood on my foot without the cast. Thinking "that's a strange question being that I have been in a cast for 11 weeks," I answered in the negative. The tech then asked "You mean, they just took the cast off and sent you over here without seeing if you can stand up? I am an x-ray tech, not a physical therapist!" Now, I am confused. The tech takes me to the room and goes to speak with her supervisor. The doctor had asked for a weight bearing x-ray without taking into account that I had not stood without cast support for nearly 3 months. The supervisor came to talk to me and I told her that I thought I could do it if I had something to hold on to. The tech said that she was not comfortable with that and that she didn't want to work with me. While the supervisor went to talk to the doctor, 2 other techs came in to work with me. The doctor agreed to do a non-weight bearing x-ray and everything went smoothly.
So, back I go to the cast room, and see the doctor. The doctor is extremely pleased with the foot. He debrided the toes, which are now a beautiful pink and not a dreadful black. He had me wiggle my foot, which I kept doing because I was so excited. The toes can't wiggle yet, but I am taking everything one step at a time.
The surprise of the day was that the doctor brought the brace guy with him to make the mold for the new brace. I was not expecting this until my June visit. The brace will be ready in 1 or 2 weeks. This means that as soon as I have the brace, I can drive!!! YAY!!! In the meantime, I have a walking boot. I will have physical therapy 1 to 2 times a week. I do have to wear a splint at night so that I will not damage the tendon transfers.
Thank you for all the support and prayers over the last several weeks. The end is not in sight but it is closer than ever.
Thank you for reading and God bless!
Devin
Sunday, May 3, 2009
On Energy
I had a realization today! Since the surgery, I am always tired. Not just tired, though, exhausted. Everything seems to take so much more energy than it used to. I am talking not just about physical energy, but also emotional energy.
Today, I went to church and was able to walk in without the assistance of the walker (although, fear not, loyal readers, I carried it with me)! I was able to talk to many people. For the first part of the service, I was even strong enough to stand for the hymn and the opening prayers. I was good and stayed put for the Passing of the Peace. (Well, I can't really say I was good. Honestly, I was already too tired to go anywhere.)
When the service was over, I was already beat. Of course, being out of the house for the first time since Thursday at noon, I wasn't going to waste a chance to be out. Court, my chauffeur of the day, and I went to lunch, the produce market and Wal-mart. (Also, many, many, many thanks go to Court for taking out my trash and recycling.) Of course, I fell asleep about 2 seconds after I stretched out on the couch.
What blows me away is that I have been resting for 2 1/2 days, and my reserves are drained in less than a 1/2 hour. I just can't believe that a cast on my foot can wear me out so much. I know that part of the exhaustion is emotional because of the frustration of not being able to do what I used to do so easily. I know that I should be proud of the accomplishments I have made in the last several weeks, but there is so much more I want to do and that I think I should be able to do.
Thank you for reading and God bless,
Devin
Today, I went to church and was able to walk in without the assistance of the walker (although, fear not, loyal readers, I carried it with me)! I was able to talk to many people. For the first part of the service, I was even strong enough to stand for the hymn and the opening prayers. I was good and stayed put for the Passing of the Peace. (Well, I can't really say I was good. Honestly, I was already too tired to go anywhere.)
When the service was over, I was already beat. Of course, being out of the house for the first time since Thursday at noon, I wasn't going to waste a chance to be out. Court, my chauffeur of the day, and I went to lunch, the produce market and Wal-mart. (Also, many, many, many thanks go to Court for taking out my trash and recycling.) Of course, I fell asleep about 2 seconds after I stretched out on the couch.
What blows me away is that I have been resting for 2 1/2 days, and my reserves are drained in less than a 1/2 hour. I just can't believe that a cast on my foot can wear me out so much. I know that part of the exhaustion is emotional because of the frustration of not being able to do what I used to do so easily. I know that I should be proud of the accomplishments I have made in the last several weeks, but there is so much more I want to do and that I think I should be able to do.
Thank you for reading and God bless,
Devin
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