The Surgery

I had surgery on January 21st. I was VERY nervous for this surgery....so nervous in fact, that I cancelled it three times before I finally had it. I even cancelled it the day of surgery, but long story short, I had it done.

Surgery was completed and I was released probably an hour after waking up from anesthesia. I was in a very bulky and heavy postop splint. It was hard on three sides and soft on the front; fiberglass splint covered in ace bandages. I had this on for 2 weeks while the stitches were still in and the swelling was given time to go down.


 

 

The first night after the surgery was the typical postsurgical night. It was spent not in much pain, but also not exactly comfortable. I was very nervous about the pain getting too high so I did take the pain medication quite regularly for the first two days. The hardest part the first couple of days was getting the leg in a comfortable position. Be sure to have LOTS of pillows and soft blankets! 

Pre-Surgery Panic!

Hello Readers,

Chances are if you are reading this blog, you are one of three types of people:

1. You suffer from foot drop and are interested in getting rid of that horrible brace we call the AFO

2. You are related to or know someone with foot drop

3. Or, one a more pleasant note, you are just someone like me to happens to have an interest in anything medical/sciencey that also has a personal story behind it

Well, I happen to be a 24 year old who has had foot drop off and on since I was 15. Almost 9 years ago, I was playing in a softball game and I was struck on the inside of the ankle with a line drive. Initially, it seemed that I just bruised some soft tissue, but after unrelieved pain for 2 years, I was found to have crushed the peroneal nerve or the nerve that runs right underneath the skin on the side of the knee.

After days of hospitalizations, tens of injections, multiple procedures, 20+ operations, I am not recovering from a surgery to position my foot so I can (hopefully) walk without a brace. I had surgery just over 5 weeks ago and decided to write this blog to hopefully help others.

Keep following :)

 

This is my left foot showing the foot drop. Stay tuned for photos of what the "corrected" foot drop looks like.