When I was a child, my feet hurt. It wasn’t until I got orthotics in 1993 that things got better. I was able to walk long distances with little or no pain. Last October, my feet started hurting again, and I thought it was time for new orthotics. The pain continued until it started going up around the inner ankle.
The podiatrist said he feared the worse. He suggested I see an orthopedic surgeon. I walked into her office, and without an X-Ray or touching my feet, she said, “Your foot is deformed.”
Last weekend, I got an MRI and an X-Ray showing a few things – the ligament on the bottom of my right foot is torn and close to breaking. The cuboid bone, similar to the hip bone, meaning it shifts or moves as we walk, is also deformed but has been since birth. My left foot is fine and does not need anything.
Forty-nine years of constant walking and averaging 20 to 30 thousand steps per day has created considerable wear and tear. I could have walked less but would have seen and experienced less. There are no regrets about that.
The Plan
I will have reconstructive surgery on my right foot in a few weeks. The surgery includes grafting a piece of ligament from a toe onto the one that stretches around the ankle. The hope is that it will strengthen it and reduce the pain. The surgeon will also put in an implant to help the deformed bone.
Recovery
Surgery is a day – going in on a Thursday and out by the Saturday if everything goes well. I would be put entirely under and will take two hours to complete.
The road to full recovery and walking again will be long. I will be in a cast from the right knee down for the first three months. Then there will be another three months in a boot. By December, I will be walking without help (without crutches or a cane).
Personal
I’ve never had surgery, so I’m worried. The surgent was clear, saying there could be complications as with any surgery. I am with someone who knows what they are doing and is recommended. I am concerned about insurance, work and a few other things and will take them as they come. Work is aware of the situation but not the extent until I book the day and go through it.
I am reminded of the things I have seen and done. I was informed I will return to 90% capacity in my foot, meaning there will be more to see and do on my feet.