A short-fast-small update

My foot is going to be the death of me. I say that in jest and pray that it is not the case. It's been awhile since I've shared any information about my poor foot. So here's the latest...

I have been doing physical therapy and gaining a lot of my strength back, although my tiny calf doesn't show it. Then I was lucky enough to get my screws removed 2 months sooner than I had planned. Finally, on the 26th, I was going to get my stitches out and my boot off for good. BUT, I ended up with an infection and my foot wouldn't fit into any other shoes, so I remain in my boot. Over the weekend, my foot got bigger and more red- even though I'm on an antibiotic. I went back to see my doctor today and it turns out I have MR SA. (A form of Staph).

I'm allergic to Bactrim, so the antibiotic I'm on, is the best I can do. He is confident that it will be gone by the time I finish the antibiotic on Friday. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm soaking it in Epsom Salt and being faithful on my antibiotic- a struggle for me.

So, there you have it. Isn't it pretty? Even little?

Talk about a pretty foot...

Since I haven't put an update out there for a while. Here it is. Love the scar with the holes from the stitches. Love the two little scars that look like the top of a draw string sac. Love the purple color it turns if I keep it down for any period of time. Love the great big boot that insurance didn't cover, so it cost us $130. Love the sausage toes I have every night when I go to bed and should be icing it. Love being asked by strangers what happened. Love riding in the super slow cart at Walmart/Costco/Target/Albertsons- that is when they have them available. Love the millions of snags on my sheets from the Velcro on my boot. Love wrapping my boot in an ace bandage so that I don't add to the millions of snags on my sheets. Love the challenge of cooking while balancing crutches, pans, food etc and hopping on one foot. Love the support my family has given me and the patience they have for the past 10 weeks and the patience they will have for the next 7 weeks. Love holding my girls on my lap while I am pushed around in a wheelchair. Over all, there are many true loves and many sarcastic loves. But, all in all, I am improving and hanging in there. Thank you for every one's support and prayers for our family.

Long awaited Foot Update...

I'm sure you have all been dying to hear the latest on my foot. So here it is two weeks after the surgery. Pretty huh? Look at how skinny my leg is!!! Holy cow. And I still have 5 more weeks of not putting any weight on it. I was really disappointed in the stitching job my doctor did. (Although I think he did a fantastic job on the inside and that is what matters). There are three incisions and there were only 6 stitches on my whole foot. So much for looking hot in black strappy sandals. Spry says no one is going to notice my scar. So, if you see my foot in black strappy sandals, pretend you don't see the big fat scar, please.



Since my mom came with me, she decided to document me at the doctor's. There are so few pictures of me, that I decided to add it. Again, notice my skinny little leg. Crazy stuff.

Well, in 5 weeks I'll start physical therapy and I'm another 6 weeks in a really heavy black boot. Guess we have to get to Disneyland before my 11 weeks are up.

Screw'd

Here are the latest pictures of my foot. Can you get over the size of those screws? HUGE! I have to tell you it hurts today more than it has the past 4 weeks. Yes it's true- tomorrow it is 4 weeks since I did this silly injury.

Here's the timeline for recovery...
In two weeks I'll get the stitches taken out and a new cast put on.
For four to five weeks after that, I will be in a cast boot and will not be able to put any weight on my foot at all. That means I can't even put my foot on the ground without body weight.
Over the course of the next three to four weeks after that, I'll be put in a walking boot. Once I have that on, I will be able to gradually put weight on my foot.

Four months after the surgery, I should be able to wear a shoe.
Five months after the surgery, they will go back in and take out the screws and I'll be back on crutches for who knows how long.

Honestly, who would have thought that stepping off the porch onto a garden hose would cause so much drama. After all is said and done it will be SEVEN months.

My Foot Update....

Lisfranc- have you heard of him? He was a doctor during the time of Napoleon. For some reason the injury that I have is named after him. It's called the Lisfranc Injury.



So tomorrow I will go under the knife. They will put in at least 3 screws and I will not ever get to achieve my goal of one day running a 5k. Apparently, if I were a football star- this would end my career. But, hey, maybe we can make Disneyland happen in October. Front of the line!!!!!

I missed my calling in life..

If I had a medical license, it wouldn't have been revoked. I did break my foot after all.

Yesterday I went and had another round of X-rays and guess what? IT IS BROKEN!!!! No wonder I can't put weight on my foot yet. So, now I'm headed down to the doctor to get a splint on it. A splint? What is that going to be like? Don't worry, I'll take pictures when I get back.



Have a great day!

Update: I will have this plaster splint on for the next 3-4 weeks and then a walking boot (if I can put weight on it by then) for 3-4 more weeks.

One last Lagoon post...

For those of you wondering how on earth I did Lagoon with my foot, here is your answer....

I sat in the shade as often as I could, I wheeled myself around the park, was pushed by my youngest, took a conference call, did a lot of emails, rested with my foot on many fences and enjoyed watching the girls giggle and smile.

There are a few things that I learned...
1. People are extremely rude. I was shocked at how few or how slowly people would move so a wheelchair could fit through.
2. People stare at someone in a wheelchair like they are a freak
3. Clothing stores and gift shops are not designed to accommodate people in wheelchairs
4. If you see someone in a wheelchair wheeling themselves up a hill, it is okay to ask if they would like some help. It is not okay to ask them stupid questions so that they lose their momentum. It is not okay to stand and watch them.

So, Amy, how is your foot?

Well, let me tell you- I'm done with this whole foot thing. I'm calling TOSH today to see about getting in with them. My foot just doesn't feel like it's healing correctly. It is hurting half way up my shin and if I try and put weight on it, it hurts clear up to my knee. The strange thing is that I typically have a very high tolerance for pain. I'd rather do natural labor all over again than do this.

Well, there's the update on the foot. (Sorry, Mom, still no pedicure).

Went to the doctor...

Well, I'm really not very happy with what the doctor had to say today. He said that I probably tore some muscle as well as ligaments. He said that I will need to stay on the crutches for a while. I can gradually start to put weight on it with pain being my guide. Josh pushed on my foot and manipulated it in ways that made me suffer the rest of the night. Fortunately, he gave me a new pain medication. Unfortunately, he forgot to write the strength, so the pharmacist couldn't fill it.

Bottom line- in 4-6 weeks I will still be feeling pain, but by then I should be off the crutches. If I am not feeling better by Thursday of next week, we'll get another X-ray and just make sure that nothing is broken.

My goals now are to cheer up, start putting putting some weight on my foot and gear up for Lagoon next week.

Sunday/Monday Foot Update

I wanted to show you the status of my foot. I know, I know- enough about the foot already. I'm sorry it is so much of what is on my mind. Maybe that is because I'm sitting on my fanny all day long. When I do get up, I am constantly reminded why I've been sitting so much. I was reading on the Internet about torn ligaments in feet. What I read was extremely discouraging. They said to expect 3-6 weeks before you are able to put any weight on it and to expect 6 months before you return to normal activity. Guess I won't be running that 5k with Melissa in September. Ugh.

Anyway, below the first two pictures show how my foot looked on Sunday morning. The second two show the progression as of this morning. I think it's safe to say it's maxed out on the swelling. I'm sure the discoloration will continue as the bruising progresses to the next level.

No more pictures. But I will give an update tomorrow after I go to the doctor.

Swelling and Aching

Well, the coloring isn't as bad today as I expected. But the swelling is worse. Aren't you so glad that I'm confined to my bed and you get to see pictures of my lovely feet. Still not manicured.

The first two pictures were taken at 10:30 in the morning

The second two pictures were taken at 6:00 PM. Can you believe that it just keeps getting worse?

The progression of my foot...

This is the second time in my life that I have torn a ligament. Years ago, I rolled my ankle on the laundry pile. I tore the ligament that goes right beside your ankle bone. It took months to heal well enough that the ligament quit hopping my ankle bone. It was painful. It bruised. It swelled. They gave me an ankle brace that I got to wear for months. That pain was NOTHING compared to the pain in my foot.


Immediately after it happened, you can see some slight swelling on the top of my left foot.

By the time I got to the hospital, there was more swelling and bruising on the top of my foot and the right side of it.

Here is what it looks like today. I cannot put any pressure on it. I have to use crutches. I can't carry anything. I can't use my left foot at all. The pain is shooting up my shin. My arch looks like it's fallen. And I just want to cry. So if you have any funny stories to tell me- that might cheer me up- please post a funny story in the comments - or call. :)

The side view of my non-manicured foot. I promise, Mom, I'll post one of my feet after they've been manicured. ;)

My medical license has been revoked...

This morning Scott and I were rock climbing. We do that, you know. While we were climbing, my big toe got stuck in a narrow foot-hold. I was trying to pull it free and my hand slipped and down I went. Fortunately, my foot came free and there was sagebrush below me to cushion my fall. Although my foot came free, I dislocated my big toe and tore several ligaments in my foot.

Now if you don't believe that, here's the real story...

Yesterday, I planted some beautiful day lilies. This morning the first one bloomed. When Kim got here this morning, she told us that it was so beautiful. Jade wanted to see it, but she wasn't dressed, so I picked her up and carried her outside. I stepped down from the front porch and landed on the hose. I heard three loud pops, and I went to the ground. I carefully put Jade down, looked at my foot. My big toe was on top of my second toe. I said, "Oh crap, I just broke my foot." I moved my big toe, laid down and out I went. I came to with Kim and Jade looking down at me.

Kim called Scott to take me to the hospital. While I waited for him to pick me up, I sat on the porch and elevated my foot. There was a bright red bruise on the top of my foot and it was looking a little mangled. I called my folks to let them know I was headed to the hospital. Once Scott got there it was really really hurting. Scott had to carry me to the car. On our way, my foot kept hurting more and more. Finally we got there.

I was certain that it was broken. I told the doctor that it was. He looked at it and acted somewhat concerned about what he was seeing. He gave me two choices for pain meds but acted a little hesitant to have me do either until he knew what we were dealing with. I passed on the shot or the IV and had an x-ray.

They wheeled me back to the Emergency Room. My Dad, otherwise known as the birthday boy, joined us there. Finally the doctor came to tell us what was going on.

"Your foot is not broken. The popping that you heard was ligaments and muscles tearing apart from one another. Unfortunately, the pain is going to be much worse tomorrow and the next day. So, I'm sending you home with pain medication, but you will also want to take Ibuprofen to help keep the swelling down. You will need to stay off it for the next few days and keep ice on it and keep it elevated."

So, there you have it. Guess I'm not a doctor and can't diagnose a break. Either way, the next few days are going to suck. I can't put any weight on my left foot and I hate the feeling of lortab. I've already taken as many Ibuprofen as possible (for the day) and my foot is very swollen and bruised. Ivy has fallen on it once, birthday boy touched it once, Scott has rubbed it several times and I've shed many tears- mostly because I didn't get to go to "girls night."

A few good things...

- I got to see both of my parents at the hospital
- They gave me two new day lillies
- Miss Kim and the girls made me cards and got me a beautiful purple orchid.
- Scott worked from home