Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Foot Surgery...

I posted these on my Facebook profile, but then I realized it was close to dinner so no one probably wanted to accidentally come upon them. 

Today we went for the first of 2 post-op check ups.  Last Friday I had an endoscopic plantar fascia release.  They go in with little magic wands and tear the fascia.  Then they hope that it will fill in with scar tissue as it remains stretched so the fascia becomes a little longer again.  I've had plantar fasciitis for as long as I can remember, but not this foot.  It wasn't until last spring that I ended up in excruciating pain that never went away.  We tried everything we could conservatively, ultra sound, physical therapy, you name it.  So, my orthopedic surgeon here was at her wits end and decided to send me to SOAR in Redwood City.  AWESOME doctors and staff!  Plan A was something called Electro Shock Wave Therapy.  It's the equivalent of having your foot jack hammered and then your foot rebuilds/heals itself after it has broken down all the scar tissue.  However, Blue Cross thinks it's hocus pocus magic and decided they'd rather I go under the knife.  Dr. Oloff had another trick up his sleeve though, Plan B.  Plan B consisted of endoscopic(MUCH quicker healing time) fascia release.  It was a very quick procedure and it has been pain free because he also gave me a nerve block for ankle tarsal syndrome.  The ATS came on because of the plantar fasciitis, it made my toes go numb often or tingle most of the time and also very stiff ankle pain.  So, before I went under general anesthesia we agreed that he would also inject the ankle, which after visiting with him today is why I have been pain free!  I started to tell him I was starting a Facebook Fan Page for him and was his number one groupie.  LOL

This is the inside of my heel.  He marked the nerve areas he needed to avoid or I could be in serious pain.  There are needle marks and some bruising above though and that is where he injected the good stuff for my ankle.

This is the outside of my heel.  I honestly had no idea until he took off the dressing today where the stitches were and incisions had been made.

This is such a funny angle!  And my leg is not jaundiced, it's the medicine they use.  They also marked my leg to make sure they sliced and diced the real one.  That would totally stink if they got the wrong one!

3 comments:

Angela said...

Isn't modern science amazing?! I'm so glad it all went well but I must ask....have your kids tried to play "connect the dots" on your ankle yet?

Jen said...

LOL. I'm still packaged up. But the JD on my leg is showing and I can't get it off! I may be permanently tatt'd up. The Dr. said the way they used to do this procedure was his least favorite to do because it was so barbaric, but now while he doesn't like doing them, the recovery is much faster and I think he was relieved that I've been so happy with it so far.

Ashley Marie said...

Scary! Glad you have awesome doctors though. Visiting from MMB :)