My Left Foot

This is what I've been looking at for the last day.
Enoch is a bit worried about my yellow iodine toes and Kate keeps telling me my band-aid matching my skin!
I had out-patient surgery on my left foot yesterday. I was pathetically excited to have this operation done. I'm in a state of constant prayer and hope that it worked and I'll be able to walk pain free (something I haven't done for about 7 years). After years of orthopedics in my shoes, awkward stretching, cortisone shots and just a lot of pain, I finally made the decision to have the surgery. I really couldn't walk anymore without limping and by the end of the day I was in tears. Greg was very supportive and told me the choice was mine, but I think he would have dragged me into the operating room if he had to. No need - like I said, I was happy to be there.
I went in yesterday at 8 am to check in at American Fork Hospital. I was a bit nervous, but as I hobbled into the hospital, I knew I was making the right choice.
We didn't have to wait too long to check in. I'll admit, I was most nervous about the IV, but that went quite smoothly. It is always so hard for the nurses to find a vein, especially when I've been fasting. Not much later, the anesthesiologist came in, put on my party hat (hospital cap), gave me my party drugs and we were off to the operating room. All I remember after that there was some funky rock music playing in the operating room and the anesthesiologist telling me to keep breathing. I think I was taking a deep breath and then holding my breath (yoga training, I think).
My podiatrist, Dr. Stan Phillips, was great and apparently the surgery went well. He released my plantar fascia (the tendon that runs along the bottom of your foot) by cutting some of the tendon away from the bone. He also shaved off a bone spur, which is caused from irritation from your plantar fascia being too tight (I think, that is how I understood it). After looking at on X-rays, it's amazing that something so small can cause so much pain. I'm just glad to have it gone! I have the same problem with my right foot, but so far, cortisone shots have helped that foot, so no surgery on that foot (yet).
Apparently I didn't embarrass myself too much coming out of the drugs. Dr. Phillips, a nurse and Greg all had conversations with me that I don't remember at all. Greg said I kept saying, "I'm just going to take a nap." or "I'm really sleepy." Once I was awake, it didn't take too long to check out. I was wheeled out of the hospital, loaded into the car and off to home.
I spent yesterday in bed with my foot elevated and iced. It was numb still most of the day, but I can now feel it starting to tingle and come out of it. Dr. Phillips gave me a choice of Lortab or Percocet for the pain. Lortab makes me so loopy and dizzy, so I took the Percocet. I think that makes me a bit wired and hyper. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I was so awake. Hopefully I can nap today. I'll be in bed for about 5 days and then into a walking boot.
I am so thankful for all the help our family has received. Grandma Fowler, Aunt Annette and Aunt Julie are talking the kids for the next few days and we have dinners being brought in for a few days as well. It is very humbling to be on the other side of service. Everyone was so willing to help and it makes me want to do more when it is my turn to serve.
Greg and the kids have been wonderful. Enoch made a paper stop sign in preschool yesterday while learning about walking to kindergarten safely. He said whenever I try to get out of bed, he will put up his stop sign and he will get me whatever I need. So sweet! Kate will crawl into bed and snuggle with me in the evening. Gavin is such a big help to Greg and things are going well.
I'm confined to bed excpet to change out ice packs and bathroom breaks. I try to get up a few times to avoid blood clots, but for the most part I'm in bed, bored. I'm updating my blog, cross-stitching and reading. It was fun for about 2 hours and now I'm ready to be done. But, I'm determined to follow drs orders and stay off my feet as much as possible.
I'm so grateful for modern medicine that can fix problems like this and hopefully improve my life!