Update on Me

jsewell · #1 (**permalink**) 05-04-2014, 02:21 AM

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 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-04-2014, 10:55 PM

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 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-05-2014, 06:53 AM

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 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-05-2014, 06:58 AM

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 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-05-2014, 07:47 AM

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?

jsewell · #6 (**permalink**) 05-07-2014, 11:33 PM

It is something to do with the posterior tibial tendon , i had an emg and on both feet i think that tendon or muscle or whatever is not working. I'll have to get another copy of my report as when i showed it to the surgeon's nurse to make a copy for him, i ended up leaving without it. I just made an apt to see him on May 19th to go over the surgery as i don't remember half of what he said to me. I was just too excited that it will be fixed. Now it is my right foot and it just flops down. I can drive in my AFO , thankfully.
I'll let you know ,more when i get the report back.
Judy

Maria · #7 (**permalink**) 05-08-2014, 12:08 AM

Hey Judy,
what does your AFO look like? I think you saw a photo of the one I have. I think that it's the shoe as well that makes it seem like such clunkiness. I'm going to try wearing it with another tennis shoe that isn't quite like the ones I regularly wear and see if can manage to drive with the AFO on. I feel good driving barefoot though for sure!

I had a friend that had the surgery to reattach the posterior tibial tendon and she was in wheelchair for 4 months she said post operatively. She however made a really good recovery and has been able to travel and go walking tours in Europe post her full recovery so that's really good. She cannot however wear "pretty" shoes anymore than I can for walking and rarely wears a shoe that doesn't have a fair amount of support in it. Occasionally she has some flare ups with her foot that she thinks are more like arthritis now and has pain and stiffness in that ankle joint so she is still careful plus she experiences some numbness in her feet re neuropathies due to her diabetes so I think that is partly why she has tripped and fallen. She sometimes walks with a cane though does manage to get around pretty well.

Am interested to hear what all is going on with your foot and what will be done surgically and what the recovery period is expected to be. Will one of your daughters be home to help you this summer or your son after your surgery?