Ankle Talonavicular joint fusion scheduled Nov 23

[MissFanny]

Yay! Love that you are getting out and sitting is going better!

 

[Annie N]

Oh bum, I've got crutch hands.
One hand has swollen up in to half a golf ball on my wrist & is very sore. Oh I need that hand! What to do?

 

[MissFanny]

I am struggling with this, too. Soreness and pain cropping up in the overused parts trying to compensate for loss of use of an entire leg! Hang in there!

 

[Lindylee]

Ouch! Ice and Voltarol? Might that help? Otherwise less time on crutches maybe and build it up gradually. Hope it settles soon.

 

[Annie N]

That knee crutch seems to be the only way of avoiding a crutch in my hand, but putting it on just to go to the loo at night is waking up the other half. I need a crutch in my hand for balance from time to time anyway. I'm not really supposed to put much weight on my leg so it's difficult. I've got some tape on the wrist now to keep the swelling down & having to be very careful. Himself thinks it's tendonitis, hope not. Hurry up foot, heal, do it now!

 

[benne68]

@Annie N I wore a wrist brace while I was on crutches to help with that swelling and pain. Do you think that might help? Have you tried icing it to get the swelling down?

 

[Annie N]

It's strapped at the moment. I've got some kinesthetic tape which is very helpful. The trouble is it's painful to use much with the crutches, but fine otherwise. The swelling comes & goes sometimes it's very swollen, sometimes there's very little swelling but some tiny hard lumps, all very odd. I'm going to protect it for now & if it doesn't improve see a physio to get it diagnosed

 

[Lindylee]

I hope it settles soon. I get where you’re coming from re nighttime loo visits. That’s why I hung on to the knee scooter to avoid putting any weight on the foot once the boot was off. It can go back now.

If it is tendinitis would voltarol or ibuprofen gel help? I use turmeric for my inflamed tendon and it works brilliantly, not for everyone though and you have to be careful to seek advice if taking other meds.

 

[Annie N]

I've been told to avoid my usual dose of diclofenac (& any other anti inflamatories) whilst this foot is healing, but I've had to take some in recent early mornings to reduce the pain & swelling (Very effective). I'm using the gel when the strapping is off but the strapping is pretty good in the main.

 

[Annie N]

Yesterday was wonderful.
I went to the local RHS garden in Wisley with 7 pals in my garden visiting group, the garden couldn't have been more accommodating, found me a powered buggy to ride around in, it took my crutches, my knee crutch & my backpack. We went to various gardens, exhibitions, the glasshouse, the cafe. It was cold but brilliant, everyone was so helpful. I can even now drive the scooter pretty well, that took some doing! Life felt so normal again.
Today is another day, I'm really miffed.
Well the NHS finally woke up, & sent me a pre-op appointment for my foot surgery for 5th February, that's not scheduling of the op, that will be at least 5 months beyond this date, & by then 2 , yes TWO, years after i first consulted them about my foot injury, & 15 months after they finally diagnosed the injury & suggested i needed a fusion. What is going on? By that time I will be out of my boot & well onto recovery.
The hospital physio team have approached me twice in the past 3 months to prepare me & my home for this surgery, both times thinking my surgery is booked and coming up soon! It's cost me a fortune to sort this out myself as the pain was beyond coping with any longer. I wouldn't mind but this is the second two year wait I've had for surgery from this hospital. I can feel a complaint letter coming.

 

[Lindylee]

Oh dear, you haven’t had much luck there have you? I can’ complain as it was my decision to wait not anticipating how waiting lists would grow in the interim. If I’d had it done when it was recommended in November 2021 it would have been a 2 month wait so I don’t understand what’s taken so long for you. Good luck with the complaint.

I’m glad you enjoyed your day out despite the cold.

 

[MissFanny]

Your day out sounds delightful! What a wonderful reprieve from recuperating.

The situation with the surgery and wait list, on the other hand, sounds super frustrating! I too would be disheartened preparing for surgery only to learn the wait will be that long. Hang in there!

 

[Annie N]

My physio finally managed to get to me yesterday & told me the swelling lumps are just where the swelling is getting out, not where the issue is. It's not tendonitis, nor ligaments damage but an overuse reaction & it's in the thumb/wrist joint so needs resting & massage to recover. Recovery of this will be months apparently.
The thumb joint is heavily strapped now & I've got pictures of the strapping stages so I can replicate it, I've been told to order some compression gloves to go over the strapping to prevent arthritis.
I need different crutches so my thumb is taken out of the loop & it's a forearm crutch or fischer crutches which uses other side of the hand instead. I've tried to get these crutches from the hospital (they don't seem to have them) but may have to buy online (not cheap). She's told me to email the surgeon with pictures of my hand to see if I can weight bear now & take antiinflammatories both of which will fix this a lot faster. Good advice lots to do to help these final few weeks non weight bearing incarceration.

 

[MissFanny]

Wishing you fast healing on the hand and wrist issues, and hoping your doctor gives you the okay for weight bearing so that you can avoid the additional cost of new crutches. And to give that hand a break! This sounds hard. Hang in there!

 

[Annie N]

Well I leaned on the local hospital physios saying it was the least they could do since they seemed unable to schedule my surgery. They came up with a spare gutter crutch.

It really helps but boy do I feel like an old lady!

 

[MissFanny]

That looks like a much better alternative to leaning hard on your wrist. I hope it works out for you!

 

[Lindylee]

The important thing is that it’s helping but I know how you feel. I felt like that when I had the walking frame. It doesn’t seem fair when aids to help you recovery from one problem create more in another area. Good luck with both recoveries.

 

[Annie N]

Excellent news the surgeon has approved me for weight bearing, lightly as needed as long as I'm in my boot & having no pain. That will help the wrist, due to see him late this week for x-ray review.

 

[MissFanny]

Yay! That is fantastic news! I hope your wrist heals up quickly with the change!

 

[Lindylee]

That’s great news Annie. Good luck with the x-ray.