Update on Me

[jsewell]

I was really busy with appointments for a few weeks there, it seems to have calmed down now. I am having central air put in this week, too late for the heat wave, but oh well i will be ready for the next one.
so this week is out , but i sure would love to be at the beach area instead of the hot valley.
After that it is mostly just one appointment and physical therapy during the week. I hope we can do this soon, i have to be better about checking this site too. On the 15th my ex reduced my income by $2000 per month so i will have to be living off savings if i want to eat or feed the kids. I pleaded with him to reconsider and add food money in , so i will see if he does anything this week when the next money is due.
Well it is my bed time. I guess regarding my spine, i cannot lay on my back at all and cannot lay on my tummy either. My neck seems to be bothering me most and i am considering getting a set of shots in there.
Falling asleep
judy

[Maria]

Hey Judy,
good to hear from you! I'm so sorry to read that your ex is such a heartless wonder. I do hope he'll reconsider and give more $. Can't believe a Judge would go along with such a reduction in $ either considering the circumstances.

Well it's going to be quite hot here by the beach this week getting into what I'm hearing on the news the high 90's. I don't really do well in the heat at all so if it's actually that in the daytime I'll be staying in most of this time.

It's supposed to be a bit cooler over the weekend and hopefully maybe the following week? I'm not in PT anymore so am more free on Tues and Thurs which I know Tues are out for you re your volunteer/work (?sorry not sure which it is) schedule.

My feet are doing better finally. I hope they stay that way. I find that hot hot weather seems to really aggravate my feet though I think it's also wearing the brace/orthotic contraptions as they weigh about 2 lbs each and after a while I feel like I'm clunking around in weights between them and my clunky tennis shoes. Anyway I am glad however to be doing better at this point. Even rode my bike a few minutes the other day! I do need to get a woman's bike though or what is called a swing thru I think, maybe even an electric bike.

My back is doing Ok. Status quo I would say until I do something to aggravate it

I'll check back here and see what's going on with you.. Hope you can weather the heat this week before you get your central air! That sounds like a dream!

[jsewell]

The air is up and running, i am so happy.
I am thinking in the next few weeks Wed and Friday and weekends are the best days for me. Kind of opposite of you Maria. This is crazy we should be able to get together without so much difficulty.
one update is i saw my foot surgeon last week and he can do surgery which is very successful in fixing drop foot. He said only to wait to 9 months to give the nerve a chance to come back on it own and that will be in June so i have the surgery scheduled for June 26th. I am so excited that it can actually be fixed. I want to wear my flip flops. I was just figuring out the timing of things and if all goes as expected i will be in regular shoes in January.
My daughter did point out that while i am in a cast i can anything i want on my left foot. I was excited to hear that too. At the last 3-4 months are back in the brace though.

my neck is bothering me more and more and i don't know if i should have injections in it. My 4 months or 3 months , i forget which i am on where my surgeon said he could do the injections is coming up soon and i have to pick which area or to have them at all or not.

WEll i better go , hope to see you Maria and Mark and any other so cal people soon
judy

[mmglobal]

Judy, what does he do for foot drop and how does he evaluate that issue to determine if it's permanent or repairable?

I hope we can pull off the get together soon... wish we all lived closer!

Mark

[jsewell]

Mark i need to go back and see the surgeon to ask questions as i was so excited that he could repair it that i only heard the last part. I know he was talking about using a muscle that normally would pull the foot down and put it in place of the one not working . Maybe. Then it needs to be trained to pull the foot up. I assume that includes a transfer of tendons. It was just simply explained to me. Then i don't even remember how long he said with no weight bearing. Then i do know 3 weeks in a cast and when that comes off then 3 -4 months back in the AFO . I figure by January i can wear my flip flops again!!

I am trying for this friday to get together, providing my daughter does not need a ride to work. Heck, my son is off on Friday's he could do it if she is working. It is supposed to be hot again so good hang out at the beach weather if both of you are up for it. I am up for hanging out in someones yard if need be as well.
Judy

[jsewell]

Mark i didn't even answer the second part of your question. Not sure i even can . I have absolutely no signal getting through at all to my nerves in the area. My physical therapist tried with some type of electrical device and got no reaction. I cannot get my foot to go up at all. All the foot surgeon did was look at my EMG and take an xray and we are ready to go.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I wonder if it's the posterior tibial tendon/muscle that might be worked on? The reason why I wonder this is because if this detaches or ruptures (in my case) the foot will be totally flat (I am flat footed bilaterally) and useless and emergency surgery will need to be performed.

To date I am doing better after near 2 months of PT yet my right foot seems to remain weaker. I am wearing the AFOs which was supposed to be for 6 months but at last podiatric visit I was told 9 months now.

I have been able to do more lately such as walk around a bit more. Today I went to MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art). I didn't stay too long as the line to get into the Frida Kahlo exhibit was super long and had quite a wait so I went out back to the Sculpture Garden and another part of the exhibit. After this I went to an early dinner with a friend. I had wanted to stay in my old neighborhood a while longer (till sunset) but my feet were tired and it was pretty hot today so I just drove home.

I can't drive with the AFO on so I'm constantly taking it off to drive and putting it back on to get out of the car to do whatever. It is my right foot that is more problematic (my pedal foot). I take it the foot drop is in your left foot?

I'm wondering if you can have the foot drop fixed in terms of position but will the function be restored?

When do you see this doctor/surgeon again?