The Blackburn Digest

The surgical bandages have been on my feet since October 30th. I got a very brief peek at the surgeon’s work late that afternoon, when both incisions sprung a leak and the PA had to redo the dressings, but it hasn’t helped me to answer the standard questions which have popped up over the past two weeks; questions like. . . .”Why does it hurt way up there?”, “Is that a staple poking at me?”, “Are they healing well?” and “What do they Look Like!?”

Today was “answer day” (and my first time out of the house since Nov. 1st!) - time for the big reveal and answers to the questions. In short: 1) It hurts there because the incisions are longer than I envisioned (about 23 stitches in one foot & 22 stitches in the other). 2) Despite the fact the surgeon said “staples” while briefing DH after surgery, no staples were used. 3) Despite the surgeon’s conviction that I was a very bad candidate for proper healing (because of the Enbrel therapy), I am healing very well, thank-you-very-much! He was surprised, and I sort of had to rub it in a bit

I knew “Dr. P” (my Rheumatologist) was going to be less than pleased to see me in a ‘walking boot’, but that didn’t half cover his mood when I discussed my upcoming appointment with the orthopedic surgeon!

The rest of the “maintenance visit” went fine; we’re both delighted that I have responded quickly (again) to the Enbrel therapy, the Dexa scan (bone density test) read rather well for an old broad and he was impressed at how well the ‘attempted amputation’ had healed.

Then I told him I was scheduled to see Dr. B. on August 13th, to discuss surgery on both feet - that is when he began to growl! I understand (and agree); we’re both expecting the proposal to be joint fusion, and that’s a very bad idea on so many levels!

We’ll see:)

When you think you have a handle on things, that handle is going to break off! (I’m sure this observation appears somewhere in “Murphy’s Laws” - LOL!)

I haven’t been able to wear a shoe, slipper or ACE elastic bandage on my right foot since my July 9th encounter with the vicious & anti-social dining room chair, but frequent cleaning, salt water soaks and triple-antibiotic ointment had allowed the deep split to close without any sign of infection. I’m beginning to suspect that the fourth toe (neighbor to the “baby toe”) was & is just badly sprained, but the fifth/baby toe is definitely broken. I suspect it isn’t a nice, clean, non-displaced fracture, either. Still. . . .with every toe dislocated prior to this injury (thank you, RA), there’s little point in seeing an orthopedic surgeon! The overall swelling was nearly gone. . . .the deep blue/purple purple band under all five toes was fading. . .I just needed to be patient. Right? Um- - -wrong!