foot bone 🦴 fusion

[deejojo08]

I’m due to have a foot 🦶 fusion and I’m very worried about it

[sule]

I had a partial fusion of my right ankle nearly 28 years ago. The pain went, after six weeks in a plaster and six weeks on crutches, to leave me able to walk. Uphill walking isn’t easy but just about possible. The operation isn’t painful (compared to a total knee replacement). Just do what the physio tells you and be patient. You’ll be fine!

[annegodley1-one in reply to sule]

so have you had a total knee replacement Sule would you recommend that?

[sule in reply to annegodley1-one]

Well, it’s not for the faint hearted! Painful and it took me a long time to recover. Some of my regular medication was stopped and I got an infection. However, I followed the physio, even though it was tough going and I’m glad I did. My total knee replacement is now 25 years old!

[bpeal1]

What part of the foot are they fusing? I’ve had mid-foot fusions on both feet. I’m really pleased I had them done. What are you worrying about? The procedure or the recovery?

[deejojo08 in reply to bpeal1]

it’s the not being able to put pressure on it and the surgery itself is worrying me 😟

[bpeal1 in reply to deejojo08]

Yes it’s not easy but it’s doable if you prepare in advance. The best thing I got was a knee scooter. You can either buy them or rent them. You can get them second hand on eBay etc. Depending on how long your recovery will be it might be better to buy one and then sell it once you’re finished with it. I bought an orthomate one so that I could take it outside. I used it to scoot around the village which really helped me- I would have got cabin fever if I had to stay in. However, it was also really useful inside, I could make a coffee/ meal and carry it in the basket to eat in the other room. I went up and firm the stairs on my bottom and had a frame I left at the top of the stairs and my scooter at the bottom of the stairs. I also bought a pair of smart (gutter) crutches which were useful. Have they given you an indication as to how long recovery will be?

As for the surgery, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive but it was absolutely fine. The first one they did with a nerve block and sedation and the second with a general anaesthetic. Both were equally good.

[deejojo08 in reply to bpeal1]

I think it’s the recovery I’m worried about

[allanah]

I've had it . Surgery is horrid full stop . The usual take your time to recover is hard at times. But physio helps and in the long run it helps.Mine actually was not to bad. Knee surgery was much harder !

[cyberbarn]

Surgical techniques and anaesthetic ones too have greatly improved over the past years. I had two lots of foot surgery when I was a teen 40 years ago then another three more recently, and the difference is amazing. For one, as direct comparison, 40 years ago it was plaster cast for 12 weeks, the same one now was a huge bandage and one of those 'slipper' boots for a month.

And 40 years ago it was a general anaesthetic, this time nerve block and sedation which I hated so the next two I had I was fully conscious with just the nerve block and it was great fun! The theatre staff including the surgeon were discussing their hobbies and I asked if they all had risky hobbies. The whole room roared with laughter and told me no, one surgeon is into model railways! It was great fun having surgery!

Recovery of course is different, you don't have a whole team of people making you laugh. I always have my 'station' by the sofa including cushions to elevate my feet. I have remote controls, phone, radio, laptop and charger, books, one basket for rubbish and another for bringing food. I had a set routine of getting up and carefully going down stairs after getting dressed, and doing a single circuit of the house to get to my station, making sure I picked up everything I needed until lunch time when my son got up. Some prep for breakfast was done the night before, eg coffee already ground and in the pot waiting, filter jug full and right beside the kettle, that sort of thing. Then everything went into the basket (think shopping basket with a big handle) which I could use with my crutches. Then off to my station for the morning.

One thing to watch for is what I call the one week post surgery blues. I always felt this, just as things were getting better I would start to feel depressed. It turns out that inflammation gets through to teh brain and can cause depression. So if you feel the one week blues, don't worry, it isn't you, it is the inflammation and it will pass.

And laugh. Often. Preferably with loved ones. Laughter has the effect of blocking pain. When your brain is busy with laughter it doesn't have the time to process the pain. I watched the boxset of Green Wing with my adult son. We had never seen it before. We watched a couple of episodes every evening when the pain was at its worst (there was a complication with one of the recent three where they nicked a nerve and painkillers weren't working) and while I was watch, processing the excellent script, and laughing, the pain centre of my brain didn't get a look in. In fact I would like to think that bit of my brain was watching too!

So good luck and have fun!