As for surgery #5 - this was the last one - done yesterday. I am putting my foot down and telling it to toughen up and start walking. I am getting a wee bit tired of this!
They took out the 2 syndesmotic screws that they had put in in November to hold the joint and leg bones together. We were all holding our breath because I have rejected a lot of products to replace my own ligaments but this one (Artelon) is holding and even taking out the screws, the ankle held. The docs then directed their attention to the subtalar joint where they found a whole lot of fibrous tissue that isn't supposed to be there and a lot of inflammation. They cleaned out that joint then reinforced it with a plastic screw and sutures. Hopefully that will stop the instability in that joint and allow both joints to work together now instead of helter skelter.
Up until now, I couldn't weigh myself because I couldn't stand on both legs so I had no idea if I had gained or lost. At the hospital, the beds weigh you and I found out that since the surgery in November till now I had lost 10 pounds.....that was nice to hear.
But I did wake up during the surgery and the anesthesiologist is going to get written up. It wasn't pleasant but it did allow me to bypass the recovery room and go straight back to day surgery and get discharged within an hour after my surgery was over. I slept most of the afternoon on and off with my kitties attached to my side - they wouldn't leave me alone.
So non-weight bearing for at least 2-3 weeks then transition to weight bearing cast until the subtalar joint heals and the holes where the screws were fill in.
Seeing an end and a light at the end of the tunnel..........finally!
