Update:
I went to my
appointment with my prosthetist, Leah, yesterday. She adjusted the back of my prosthesis so I
can bend my leg better and ride my bicycle without pain. There is a constant battle between what I
think of as comfort level and the ability for the prosthesis to perform as it
should. If they lower the back wall (on
the calf of the leg) too far, it allows for the whole prosthesis to shift and
wobble on the leg as you walk. It can’t
stay tight on the leg as it should.
Imagine going on a long hike with a pair of boots that are too big and
your foot slides up and down in them.
How long would you be hiking before you developed major blisters and the
hike was over? It is the same concern
with a prosthetic leg. After that my
prosthetist told me that there was nothing else that she could do for me because
it has become obvious that my problem isn’t a fit issue with the
prosthesis.
With the
medication level now up to full strength and the fact that I am still
experiencing high levels of pain, it indicates that I have a nerve issue. I am confident that I am headed back to
surgery to have the nerve at the end of my fibula resectioned. That means they remove the end of the nerve
and bury the rest of the nerve deep in muscle tissue to protect it. When that will happen, I don’t know. There are always certain steps and procedures
that must be followed before it happens.
Everyone knows you’re headed there, you just have to jump through the
hoops (medical and insurance) before it happens. The system is designed to prevent unnecessary
procedures; but it tends to drag everything out. I have an appointment with my doctor next
week for a different issue; maybe it will be obvious enough and we will had
done enough that I can move on towards the next step. I assume that will be an evaluation by the
surgeon and then an MRI and then schedule the surgery. There might be other steps to the process
before we get there. So I am thinking at
least a month or two before it happens.
After the surgery, there will be a period of healing (3-8 weeks) before
I can start the process of being fitted with a prosthesis again. Good bye, Spring and Summer! Timing sort of stinks but it is what it is. Who knows?
Maybe it will all happen much sooner!
One can hope!
I also met
with Bob, the Orthotist measured my foot for a new shoe and scanned my foot for
my new orthotic insert. I sort of miss
the old method of standing in a foam lined box to leave an impression of your
foot. It is just not as satisfying as
putting your foot on a scanner bed—even if it is a 3-D scanner. I then got to pick out some new shoes. I chose what I would call some hiking
shoes. Definitely made for the outdoors
and more casual. I should get the new
shoes and orthotics in a few weeks.
I am still
experiencing pain in my “short” leg. And
I am still experiencing side effects from the medication (hard to concentrate, somnolence
(falling asleep easily all of the time), dizziness, and feeling loopy). The next few days should tell whether those
side effect will diminish or not. This
afternoon, I did walk to the end of the block and back (about 300 steps); I am
paying for it now because my missing foot is throbbing in pain. Just another indicator that I have a nerve
issue that needs to be addressed.
Well I’ve
got to say that at least I am getting my money’s worth out of my health
insurance. Ha!
My son, Joshua, drove me to my appointment because I am still having side-effects from the medication that I am on and cannot drive.
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