New surgery on the horizon

[syng4hym]

As most of you know, I've had my share of surgeries.  First, in 2004, I had my left ACL reconstructed after I tore it shopping (yes, shopping).  A year later I had a jelly filled, benign tumor taken off the top left foot that was pressing on a nerve.  A year later I tore my Achillies Tendon on my right foot.  Two years later I tore the meniscus in my left knee.  Now, the foot doctor in Charlotte (Dr. Davis) wants to do a radical rheumatoid arthritis surgery on my left foot.  He's going to cut along the top of my foot up by the toes, take out the first joint of each small toe, take bone from my hip to use in my toes so they fuse together at te base, then fuse the big toe because of so much arthritis.  He's going to leave (for 4 weeks) big long metal things sticking out of each little toe to straighten the toes and make them heal straight.  The doc says the recovery time is 8 months, but for me, more like a year and 4 months since I have so many health issues and heal at 1/2 the rate healthy people do.  I'm putting this off till October because I have several plans for this summer and I do not want to ruin them by having surgery in the hotest months of the year, here in NC.  I am very down because it seems this is my futurre and honestly, how much pain do we have to endure before someone finds a cure?  Sheesh. 

The sad part is, where I work is a company that is contracted by another company and our contract is up for renewal.  Here's the sad part, I'm praying the contract doesn't get renewed so I can get unemployment and then file for disability.  My body is giving out and I've got to take care of it because I need it for the next 20-30 years.  Thankfully, where I work is a sit down job, but still... 

I guess this connective tissue disorder is kicking my butt... but how do you stop it?  I tore my meniscus in my left knee by stepping off the first step on my porch to take my dog for a walk...  how can I not do those things?  I tore the other meniscus recently by getting out of a booth at a restaurant.  I mean, really?  I completely severed my ACL by trying to get a trash can that I just bought into my car... Come on!  So, here lies my frustration. 

[Carolina]

Oh syng!

I've been tearing everything it sight, too!

And I have the same arthritic feet, really terrible, and NOW numb and clumsy from PN.

I really wonder WHAT the surgery will DO for you?  How will it improve things?  Reduce the pain perhaps?

I talked about it with the orthopedist who diagnosed my halux ridgidus (toes that are immobilized by arthritis).
But  this was several years ago, and maybe surgery is more advanced than then.

He wasn't terribly optimistic about major improvements as a result of surgery.

But of course I would do just about anything for pain relief.  Fortunately my toes don't make it on the top of my pain list right now!

Keep us posted, please.

And if you would share why you are having the surgery, what you expect to get out of it, etc.

Kisses

Carolina

[syng4hym]

Thanks Carolina.  I have 2 dislocated toes from RA and I've been in some severe pain.  So bad that I get goose bumps every once in a while.  My big toe hurts really bad most of the time and I just want to have some relief.  If your feet hurt, your whole body hurts. My ortho doc has done everything humanly possible to help me get out of pain, but we're at the end of our ropes.  I guess it's a last resort of sorts.  I hope to get some pain relief eventually, but I know it'll be a long road.  I hate surgery but sometimes you have to do it to get out of pain.  I wish I could cut off my legs at the hips and get new ones.  The bad thing is I won't be able to wear any type of heal at all because the toes will be fused straight... so it's flats for the rest of my life.  ACK!  I mean, I can't really wear them now, but sometimes you want to get dressed up and look nice and heals finishes the outfit, ya know? 

I mean, Carolina, I can honestly see myself being crippled by 50...  So sad.  So very sad. 

[Carolina]

Oh syng, RA is so much more painful and destructive than my garden variety OA.

And I would do just about anything to stop the pain.

If you wear dressy pants, there are flats that  have a very dressy look to them.   It's hard to look 'finished' in flats with a dress or skirt.

I just gave away ALL of my shoes that were clogs with two inch heels.   I have enough problems without falling off my shoes!

But I'm 5'9" plus a bit, so I've never been really big on high high heels.  tho' my husband was 6'4" when we married and I surely could have worn them.

My ankles have always been too weak for really high heels.   

WE do have to give things up, that's for sure. 

But the truth is life is a process of giving things up in many ways, and no one gets "out alive", which sounds pessimistic, but really I don't feel pessimistic about it.   We all have our turn, and do the best we can!   And there's never any time MORE than today. 

I heard someone say last night, "you can't have a bad week, if you're living in the moment, in the now, just for today"

I'm trying to remember that, and not drag the past behind me, or project the future ahead of me, for better or for worse.

Keep us posted on your progress and your surgery.

Kisses

Carolina