So it's finally happening. After a year of waiting with numerous setbacks I'm finally scheduled to have reconstructive foot surgery to my right foot this Wednesday, July 24. Now this a copy/paste from a prayer request I posted in a Christian group on My Fitness Pal. It'll explain the reason I need this operation and the risks involved:
One thing I forgot to mention is the amount of anxiety that's been building since last Tuesday, the day after my 2nd pre-op. Although I'm doing well not thinking too much about the operation, my subconscious is dwelling on it because I've had difficulty sleeping lately. Right now, I get about 4 hours of sleep and it's not continuous. I've begun taking codeine to help with the pain in combination with a sleeping pill in hopes that it keeps me asleep but unfortunately it doesn't. I refuse to "pop more pills."This Wednesday, July 24, I will be undergoing reconstructive foot surgery on my right foot. After I was told I'd spend 2 months non-weight bearing needing to use a wheelchair and crutches to get around, I didn't want to be a couch potato. I joined MFP back in February to "prime" myself for the foot surgery. I've known since September of last year that I've needed this operation but it's been postponed twice as well as seeing a total of 8 doctors.
This stems from a work accident I was in many years ago where both of my feet were crushed by a 5000 lb piece of equipment. This resulted in a bilateral lisfranc injuries (midfoot). I've endured countless number of surgeries including bone fusions & skin grafts and it was only after the seventh surgery that my feet were saved from the risk of amputation. However, it didn't stop there because three months later, I developed a bone infection in my right foot because the original skin graft never healed/bonded with my foot. This required another major operation to save my foot yet again from amputation. When the equipment landed on my feet, my right foot settled at an angle thereby having it crushed diagonally. While both feet have never felt normal since, my right foot has always felt much different from my left. Since then, I've endured constant chronic pain and stabbing pains in both feet plus limited walking & standing due to pain as well as needing to wear special shoes and inserts that allow me to walk "normal." I continue to have balance issues with the risk of falling plus I still suffer from PTSD due to "loud sudden noises." In total, I've had 19 operations to my right foot and 14 to my left.
So here's a more background story on the operation I need. Back in 2008, I developed a "bump" at midfoot beside the location of where the bone infection occurred. There is remains a permanent divit in my foot from how the bone infection finally healed. My podiatrist ruled out against another operation because there was too much of a risk that I'd develop another bone infection and risk my foot being amputated. So I accepted this and moved on. Since 2008, this bump would act up causing pain and continued to grow. But eventually after about two weeks, the bump would calm down and I wouldn't feel it. At first the bump was about 1/4-inch in diameter. Last summer, the bump acted up again, but this time the pain didn't go away. In fact, it caused a lot more pain than I was used to. Plus by now the bump was 3/4-inch in diameter and had grown vertically from 1/4-inch to a 1/2-inch from the top of my foot. This time, I sought for a second opinion because the pain was too great. X-rays revealed that the bone fusions I originally endured, had failed. This means that the joints never fused to one another resulting in bone grinding against bone with no cartilage in between. As a result I was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis. The MRI revealed the bump to be a large bone spur growing on top of my right midfoot. From what I understand, my body recognized there was a problem and is trying to fix it on its own by growing more bone between the joints. But it doesn't understand that the bone needs to connect horizontally instead of vertically which results in the bones growing upwards. The CT scan not only revealed the bone spur but multiple bone spurs growing to the right of my foot. As of now, I can feel a smaller bone spur that has doubled in size since last summer. The large bone spur can be seen visibly and touched while the smaller bone spur is still small enough to not be seen visibly.
The tests also revealed problems with my right big toe. For years I thought it was fused because I couldn't move it. Plus I would get more acute stabbing pains in the joint below the big toe. X-rays showed another bone spur but with sharper edging resulting in greater pain.
In total, 5 procedures will be performed on Wednesday:
Remove the bone spurs as midfoot
Fuse the bones again
Remove the bone spur below the big toe joint plus shave down the bones in an attempt to provide more movement of the toe
Reduce the high arch in the foot
Install a new skin graft
The operation is 6 hours long. I need to spend 5 days in the hospital as well. Since this is the same location of the bone infection, my plastic surgeon is taking precautions with the skin graft as the new one will have its own blood vessel attached. My hospital stay will be in an 80F heated room. This opens up my blood vessels to allow for adequate blood flow to my right foot.
Upon discharge and barring no complications, I will spend 6 weeks non-weight bearing to my right foot. If all goes well, then I will begin physical therapy and start placing a small amount of weight on my right foot. I've been given 1 to 2 years to make a full recovery. Then my left foot will be addressed.
I've been advised of the risks of this operation with 4 of the 8 doctors telling me I have the risk of losing my foot again should another bone infection occur. Another risk of having this operation is the fact that I am a type-1 diabetic. Although I've never had diabetic complications to my feet, I do have a "slow healing" of cuts. One doctor told me that I will likely get another bone infection. I've gone through the ups and downs of dealing with this reality. Through a great deal of prayer and faith in God, I've accepted the risks and I'm poised to follow through with it.
On February 1, I began exercising to get in shape for the surgery. About 2 weeks later, I joined MFP to track the types of food I ate in addition to keep track of my exercise routines. My exercise routines are all low impact due to the limitations of my feet. I used DDP Yoga plus primarily the use of a Total Gym at home for exercise while maintaining a Paleo food plan. Since August of last year when I began eating Paleo (to help control my diabetes) plus the vigorous exercises I've done, I've lost about 40 pounds. I've met my goal weight so it fluctuates between 2 to 5 pounds monthly. At first I thinned down then began building muscle in my legs and arms and shoulders. I concentrated on my arms and shoulders in order to sustain myself using crutches and a wheelchair during my recovery from surgery. I began riding my mountain bike this past April but the pain from my right foot was too much to handle. So I stopped due to pain. I should note that one year I did train for the STP (Seattle to Portland bike ride) but was forced to stop due to excessive right foot pain. I now understand why.
I've had a lot of setbacks with my right foot since last summer. Since May, I've been on disability from work. This allowed me to remain at home and prepare for the operation with more exercise. Medical retirement plus retraining has been discussed. For now, I am only concentrating on a problem & risk-free operation and speedy recovery. However, from past experience from the original traumatic injury, my recovery will be long and demanding.
I originally planned to deactivate my MFP account after the operation but have since decided to use it to again, but not to prime myself but to aid in my recovery; to ensure I'm eating the right foods due to my diabetes. Then when I can exercise again, to track it on MFP as well.
So I ask for your prayers for Wednesday, to guide both my orthopedic surgeon as well as plastic surgeon's hands to finally "fix" my right foot. As well as to pray that another bone infection does not occur.
In Christ,
Ed
So I ask for your prayers Wednesday morning PST
I will keep this thread updated on my progress after surgery. Plus if anyone has suggestions for Android games or Netflix or Hulu movies/TV shows to pre-occupy my time in the hospital, I'm all ears. Again, in Christ's name,
Ed
A nerve block completely eliminated the pain. 
Let alone try lifting weights.