Seventh Visit to TOC / 11 Weeks

Today it took a few minutes for the medical assistant to figure out I didn't have a cast. She kept looking at the computer and reading the chart, then looking over at my foot, and then back to the computer. Finally she said "Didn't you have on a cast?". Nobody freaked out too bad about me not having a cast on. I'm sure I wasn't the first person to get sick of a cast and remove it.

Okay, so that out of the way, I went for my x-rays. This time I had to stand up for a couple weight bearing x-rays, a top view and a side view.

The foot on the left looks really good, huh? Wish the one on the right was that nice looking.

Back in my room, they displayed two previous x-rays for comparison. My first x-ray taken in Huntsville was at the main TOC location but all the other x-rays have been at Dr. D's main office. I guess the x-rays the day of the accident taken in B'ham are still down at St. Vincents. So anyway, this office only had a history of 3 x-rays. I put them together into a side view and top view.

side view

top view

You can see the progression of the 2nd & 3rd metatarsal starting to join together. The side view looks scarier to me. The doc is still concerned about the 2nd metatarsal and brought up the S word again (surgery). He also mentioned fusing my first metatarsal to the joint and mentioned it like it was really no big deal. I reminded him that after the joint is fused there would be no turning back. At this point, pain is to be my guide. I will stay in the boot , until at some point if I want I can put on a stiff shoe. If there is immediate pain to walk, then stay in the boot. I go back in 6 weeks to see him. If at 5 weeks, I have had pain when walking, then I need to call the office to get a CT scan appointment so he'll have the results for my next office visit. The CT scan shows more detail than the x-ray.

He did lots of manipulation of my foot and I really didn't have much pain. He was showing me how to exercise my toes to try to get more movement so I inquired about therapy. He agreed that I could go to therapy. I told them I wanted to go to Johnson & Hayes so they said contact J&H and then J&H would give me a call to set up the appointment. J&H didn't call today yet. I believe it's supposed to be for 3 times a week. I had a recommendation from some friends on using a particular therapist at J&H and this location is convenient for appointments en route to or from work and not too far from work if I have to leave work in the middle of the day.

I got the one last stitch remaining removed. I'm such a wuss that I thought it would hurt but the medical assistant snipped it, removed it and I felt nothing.

The boot is the same boot I came home from the hospital but then it was more for protection. Now I can actually walk around in it. It gives a rocking motion to my gait.

I bought a tube of stuff called FOOT REPAIR / THERAPY. It has Aloe Vera, Tea Tree Oil, and Chamomile, smells like peppermint, has lots of different kinds of oils, and feels really cool. I think hubby wanted me to show it to the doctor and joke, "see this is all I need at this point". It's really great stuff. I put it on about 6 times on Sunday because my foot is so scaly.