6 Weeks Post Op: Into Shoes We Go

I’m now 7 weeks post-operation for my bunionette surgery on my left foot. Last week I had a visit with my orthosurgeon as well as x-rays. I also finally asked my doctor about my surgery and the procedure. He said the cut the bone, repositioned it and held it in place with a plate and screws. The remaining bunion was then shaved off. I saw the plate on the X-ray in the corner of the room and it’s kind of cool. I wonder if I can ask for a copy of my x-rays.

Last weeks appointment was monumental because it was the cusp of healing. It takes 6-8 weeks for bones to heal and for them, doctors, to transition you to of the aircast and back into your shoes.

Truthfully, I was terrified of going into a show. I finally got my grove of getting around in my air cast. My hips and pelvis hated being off kilter but it was relatively painless. Until you start doing the stairs, the stairs are hard no matter what.

I am now in a shoe.

I was cleared to slowly transition into a sturdy and supportive shoe – don’t go wearing flip flops or barefoot.

I’m not sure what slowly transition means but it took about 2-3 days and I get around now exclusively in my shoe. It’s exhausting so don’t think I’m now grocery shopping or even tackling the playground solo. I’m just doing my thing, my appointments, and maybe stopping into the corner store for a jug of milk.

I was scared about how to walk and about learning to walk again and about putting pressure on my entire foot. I was told to still baby it a bit and be cautious of walking and the weight I put on my feet, and just that entire process overwhelmed me.

I bought new shoes.

My really awesome and wide shoes that I wore last year and complained about crapped out in March. I knew my surgery was supposed to be in April (actually May), so I didn’t go spend $250 on a new pair of shoes. Instead I bought the cheap sketchers from Costco and lived with the discomfort.

The doctor suggested a sturdy supportive running shoe so I went to my local shoe store and bought the running shoe I always buy – It’s Brooks Beast ’18. It’s an amazing shoe with a high amount of support. It’s not very wide which is why I stopped wearing it but I figured I can endure the discomfort on my bunion right foot for the support and comfort on my new trim and slim foot.

I don’t have a lot of swelling so I haven’t had any problems with wearing new shoes. I know a lot of people on the bunion support groups complain that they can’t transition into a shoe because of the swelling but that’s not the case. I do feel that my foot is tight at the end of the day because of swelling but I can still put on the shoes.

Grateful but Frustated

I want to be grateful that I can now wear shoes but also want to highlight that it’s summer time and wearing shoes all day sucks. I don’t like how hot my feet get and would much rather live that barefoot life.

We don’t wear shoes at home and I find it really weird and unsettling to always be wearing shoes. It’s awkward at peoples houses to because I can’t take off my shoes. I have to walk in these all the other time.

Gross Stuff – Skin Shedding

The other thing that a lot of people skim over with bunion surgery is that your foot in a sock/cast/boot for 6 weeks begins to be caked in dead skin. I finally soaked my foot for the first time and spent a solid half hour scrubbing off dead skin.

If there’s something else I’d add to my list of things you need for bunion surgery it would be a solid pumice stone – something I should probably order myself.

Mentally

Life sucks. I think I alluded to that in my last post, but these past 6 weeks has been a real rough period of depression, self-doubt and a general sense of feeling worthless. I have really been struggling. I’ve really felt alone and mostly because I feel entirely unproductive.

I’m anxious about the next foot and how that will play out. I’m trying not to think about it too much, but alas it happens and who knows what the game will be.