Extreme Bunions: One Year Later

It's been a year since my bilateral bunionectomy, Scarf-Akin procedure.

On the eleventh day post-op, it was time for a followup visit. They x-rayed my feet, and removed swathes of bandages to expose a set of purple-blue-black-and-green hoofers complete with stitched-up taped-up incisions, healing "nicely" (according to the doc and the pt).

The surgeon's office is co-located with the physical therapy practice, so I was immediately walked over (hobbling in my surgical sandals, now fitting slackly without all the mounds of cotton and gauze that had encased my feet for 10 days) to my first pt appointment. There were 6 different exercises, for each foot, with repetitions anywhere from 10 to 25 each, to do 3 times daily, for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Apparently the red TheraBand was to be my new best friend for several weeks to come. Carmen, a motherly type of woman with a kind face and a deceivingly sweet voice, dished out the torment with unflinching calm. I hooked my big toe inside the elastic loop to create resistance for a sort of "toe curl," and damn near came to tears at the sharp pain that ensued. I held my Frankenstein feet in my own hands one at a time to manually flex and curl the 'great toe' as far as I could, and then Carmen urged me to do a bit more. I flexed and pointed, flexed and pointed. She measured, poked, tested, and instructed me...recording R.O.M. numbers before and after the session.

Next, she helped me into my shoes. My old favorite, New Balance. I had brought cushyfluffy socks for this occasion, only to discover that no way in HELL would my swollen feet fit in these shoes while wearing such thick socks AND the gel-pad scar cover. Carmen suggested I find some thinner socks soon and, for now, simply do with the gel-pad sock. Slowly, 1/4 inch at a time, in disbelief (should I REALLY be doing this if it hurts like S**T to flex that toe joint that way?), I got into my shoes.

The main purpose of wearing one's own pre-worn gym shoes after this procedure is to reduce swelling. I was to be allowed to stand or walk only up to 10 minutes at a time, followed by 1 to 2 hours of rest and elevation,throughout the day. No more than 1 hour per day on my feet, during week 1. Week 2, 2 hours. Week 3, 3 hours. And so on, to tolerance with the goal of minimizing swelling. At the end of our appointment, Carmen got me standing upright, had me walk a bit this way and that, and congratulated me on my performance.

And then, she gave me a stern warning. It was the only time during our whole interaction that her voice dropped to a tone of consternation.

"Now, remember. To the outside world, you look completely normal, but you have just had a major medical procedure. You have a lot of recovery to do. Your bones are securely fastened with the pins and screws, but will need a full 6 to 12 weeks to truly knit together. People will bump into you, and could even step on your foot. Keep your distance. Remember to protect yourself. Take precautions, especially in public places."

Little did I know at the time that her warning foreshadowed certain events in my personal and professional life for the coming year.

No one informed me that the year of the Fabulous Foot Repair would also include some traumatic home remodeling, a big disappointing breakup, the need to divorce a few "friends," the worst economic times seen in the US since the Great Depression, the worst year I've personally had in business in 10 years, a year of double work and zero dating, and a sort of "early mid-life-crisis" in my career. :| Of course, the year also included some fantastic moments; shopping for flipflops with my sister in NY, dancing in dresses and sandals during summer, feeling my big toe planted firmly on the ground and the awesome muscle contraction I can get in my quads now (it's all related), New Year's Eve dinner parties in a dress and heels...

I really wouldn't change a thing about this surgery, other than to have done it 10 years earlier.