Surgery

2/28/14

Surgery day is here! After 5 days of meticulous care, I am literally giddy with excitement to move forward with this procedure and onto the next phase of healing. I have kept my foot elevated as high as possible: whether awake, sleeping, or reaping the benefits of my Pilates practice and maintaining perfect V-sit form in the bathtub while shaving my good leg and hosing myself down like a dog. I have had ZERO pain in my foot-- I don't know how typical that is, but I am obviously very happy about it!

Still, I force myself to remain completely immobile, unless I have to crutch myself to the bathroom. I basically starve because I'm home alone most of the time, but this excessive caution is worth it, plus my abs look flatter.

Also, my Mom, a Reiki practitioner, has been giving me daily Reiki treatments, plus additional energy healing with a powerful magnetic crystal. I highly recommend this!!

Thanks to this fluffy dog bed, I have been able to keep my leg elevated without any pressure points. It's large enough to provide support to my knee, and the stuffing is not too dense, so my foot is able to float effortlessly. It is the closest thing to a cloud that I have seen in a store. I purchased this luxurious dog bed for $20 at Homegoods.

My surgeon is very happy with the care I have taken and is pleased (surprised, even?) to see that there has been no swelling! My entire surgical team is AMAZING. My purple sweatpants match my Nurse's scrubs, which I consider highly auspicious.

Showtime:

I have my one-size-fits-all surgery pantaloons on and can I just say they are extraordinarily comfortable? Why doesn't Victoria's Secret have an entire ward devoted to gauze garments? I scribble a reminder to wear more cheesecloth in the future.

Next, I am given a local anesthetic to completely numb my leg out of commission. I want to be awake during surgery, so I opt out of the general anesthesia. Rather, I am administered a lovely intravenous sedative that has me just on the verge of sleep. Honestly, I highly recommend this. I feel NO anxiety. No impulse to wiggle the foot to distract the doctor. No temptation to launch myself off the table (This was a potential con I considered when weighing out this decision) I simply lay back and close my eyes. The nurses oblige my request for a warm towel to shield my eyelids from the bright Operating Room lights so I can lounge properly, like a civilized hominid. I feel nothing, and am comforted by the calm, chipper voices around me. In retrospect though, I don't remember a single word that was spoken. The moment surgery is completed, my sedative wears off and within 3 minutes I am completely back to normal. I have heard that General Anesthetic is a mess, and can make you feel weary and nauseous for a long time afterwards. Technically I've got plenty of "time for dat" but I typically prefer the option that includes less vomit.

Predicted surgery time: 30-90 minutes depending on difficulty. Variables include: swelling, retraction of the tendon (sometimes it retreats into the shin) etc...

How long did my surgery take? About 25-30 minutes. This makes me feel reassured because it must have been a simple, easy fix for the surgeon. The tendon pieces were reunited and sewn together. New collagen/ tissue will grow, and fuse everything together seamlessly. I did not need any grafts (borrowing tendon pieces from another area), which was a relief. Although I'm sure a skilled surgeon would have absolutely no difficulty with a more "complicated" procedure, I'm eager to tally a victory wherever I can. My situation is not ideal, but it could be worse, I suppose!

So, my surgery is successfully completed and my Surgeon is very happy with the placement of my toe. It is standing tall once again, perfectly in line with his friends. They are all still very hungover from their Lidocaine party. My foot is bandaged up, and I am placed into a full-leg air cast boot. I am given specific instructions to be COMPLETELY 100% non-weight bearing. I have to keep my foot elevated at all times and I cannot remove the boot, or get it wet. I am given a heap of Rx drugs to take including Percocet and antibiotics. My follow-up appointment is in 2 weeks. Do I have any questions? 

"Will I ever twerk again?"

"Yes child, in time."

I throw deuces up and roll out like a boss in my wheelchair.

Here we are resting comfortably. This dog bed truly is the ish.

XOXO

:)