Just Being Real

Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you know I will be moving all of my foot updates to a new blog dedicated specifically to this issue: taylorsfootstory.blogspot.com Please check it out and subscribe so you can get updates about my recovery, and as always, leave me a comment to let me know how I can help you!

My first post-op appointment after my sesamoidectomy went well.  Me and all of my scooter buddies in the waiting room.  I was so excited to go in to see how my foot was doing, but I was especially excited to take off all of the bandages and let my foot breathe for a little while! This is my foot after it was first unwrapped ~ 2 weeks after surgery. You can still see the faint purple marker lines from where I wrote "yes" before the surgery - as in, "yes, this is the right foot to slice open." Also, as you have probably noticed, the nurse said "It looks like you have skittles on your toes!" It was my attempt to get my notoriously dry doctor to chuckle before surgery, but instead he said - "What happened?" My foot still looked pretty swollen - especially my toes and ankle, but it felt really small to me. I can't explain it. I guess since it had been smashed under all of those bandages my foot looked a little slimmer than...

Recovery seems to be going well. I am finally getting the hang of my knee scooter and have been off pain meds for about 5 days now. I added a little carrying pouch to my scooter so I could transport things more easily around my apartment. If I'm ever out in public, little kids seem to think my ride is pretty sweet. I can't WAIT to get to my post op appointment this Friday (in 3 days) to see how everything looks, and especially to get all of the bandages off for the first time. My foot is yearning for freedom! I noticed that the bandaging is keeping my foot turned inward, and it has been bothering me a lot. My uncle is a physical therapist and thinks it is probably purposeful and is keeping the distance that my tendons have to stretch smaller so they can heal faster. That sounds good to me. But still, it's annoying. I set my foot down very gently on the ground to check things out. I put the tiniest amount of pressure on my foot and was amazed at how different it feel...

It's been one week since I had my lateral sesamoid removed. I am making a point of celebrating today, because it has been a challenging recovery - maybe more emotionally than physically. It is very hard to let others take care of you. I am making each week a big mile marker so that I have something to look forward to. I've been off my pain meds for about 48 hours, though I considered taking some yesterday when I accidentally slipped off my scooter and landed on my bandaged foot... OW. That hurt pretty bad - it felt like a shock wave rippled through my body up to my shoulders. The pain lasted for a few hours, but after sleeping it off I feel like I am in a good spot. I considered going in to get x-rays, but I'll be doing that any way at my first post-op appointment in one week, so I think it will be ok to wait. The pain meds still seem to be taking a little bit of a toll on me as my appetite is not back and my stomach is giving me a little bit of a hard time. My pain l...

The surgery went very smoothly. I found out more information about what they actually did. It was coded as: Lateral sesamoid removal and plantar plate restructure My doctor and his staff were phenomenal. The best of the best. Before they took me back to receive anesthesia, my parents brought my daughter back to me and my husband, and my doctor picked her up and played with her. It was so cute.  I had to get pricked twice before they got my IV in, but it wasn't too bad.  While operating, they wanted me on my stomach so they could go in from the bottom of my foot. This meant that I would have a breathing tube in and would be completely asleep during the procedure. When I went in to the operating room, California Dreamin' was playing on the speakers. I felt kind of a warmth wash over me and I asked if they had started the anesthesia. I think the doctor said yes, and the next thing I remember I was waking up in the recovery room.  Dr. Brodsky said that everything went smoothl...

Several of you have commented that you would like more information about treating a fractured/dying sesamoid bone with surgery. I have decided to go through with surgery, myself, and will be updating everyone through this blog. My surgery is tomorrow (July 10). Here is what I know so far: Condition Stress Fracture on Lateral Sesamoid in my left foot  (One doctor said this is a form of avascular necrosis. The bone has been decaying and fragments of it are finding their way to other parts of my foot). It is more common for the medial sesamoid to have a stress fracture than the lateral sesamoid. What is a Sesamoid? A sesamoid bone is a bone embedded with a tendon. Your kneecap (patella) is an example of a sesamoid. It helps give movement to other bones. Onset My doctor said with this particular bone, a stress fracture usually occurs over a long period of time - lots of jumping, running, etc., rather than from a specific event. For me, ...

I never thought I would say this, but I am becoming an extreme couponer, and I LOVE IT! Here's why: 1. It is fun, challenging, and a great way to save your family money. 2. We have more food and snacks in our house than usual, including fun products that we don't usually buy. I am spending less money and getting MORE FOOD! 3. It's a great way to GIVE! I have only been couponing for two months and already have excess in some areas. It is so fun to give away extra stuff you have! One myth is that it takes too much time. Not true! It takes me about 30 minutes a week to organize new coupons (you can do this while watching TV), and an additional 30 minutes to make my shopping list for the week (sometimes I do this in bed - I think it's fun to plan out all of the deals I'm gonna score!). If you knew how much money you could save, finding this time wouldn't be an issue at all! If you're interested in learning how to become an extreme couponer, I hav...

Hello, friends! I am so glad that so many of you have found my blog! I hope it has been helpful in at least some capacity. I wanted to update everyone on my situation now that our baby is here and almost 4 months old! I have a few minutes of my own to write so HERE GOES! I still have pain in my left foot from what I believed to be a P90X injury in 2011. The pain is less severe than it has been, but pain, nonetheless, and I'm very tired of having it! Quick recap - The first orthopedic doctor I saw said I have AVN (avascular necrosis) of the sesamoid, which means there has been a loss of blood flow to that bone. His take was that if I wait it out, the bone would be absorbed by my foot and heal itself (really?), OR I could have surgery. I wanted another opinion so I saw another specialist last week (there was a VERY big gap in time from the first appointment until this one because of the arrival of our new baby!). The specialist's name is Dr. Brodsky at Baylor Dallas. Appar...