Since my diagnosis of severe rheumatoid arthritis in 1986, I’m considered “a regular” in the operating room, having had more than 30 operations including 13 total joint replacements, fusions and reconstructions. I have literally been cut from head to toe – and yes, there’s a range of stories attached to each scar that I proudly share to educate and raise awareness to the severity of arthritis! As stated in my blog, “Surgical Scars” (12/09/09), “I see them as a roadmap of my past. They are symbols of my journeys and reminders of how far I’ve come.”
Not only do I use the history of my experiences for educating those unfamiliar with arthritis and related diseases, I’m always willing to talk to others with arthritis as a person who truly understands ’round-the-clock challenges and routines caused by the beast within. To me, the decision to have surgery has always been the easy part. It’s the recovery that decides when or if I’ll proceed.
There’s no doubt about it, when your feet hurt, your body hurts – period! Is there anything more annoying than having a pebble in your shoe?
Yes, arthritis in your feet!
In the days of cavemen, bare feet were acceptable. But today, we have to wear shoes. To a person with arthritis in their feet, ‘shoe’ is a four-letter word.
Both of my feet have been reconstructed in such a dramatic way, there are more screws, wires and metal plates than bone. While the outcome was a tremendous relief in many levels, the recovery was by far the hardest of all.
The first reconstruction was in 1993 and the procedure was considered ‘experimental’ since the damage to my foot was extreme. The term, ‘no weight bearing’ literally meant, my foot was not allowed to touch the ground – not even a little! Five months in a wheelchair was the beginning of a long and traumatic recovery.
After I was released from medical care, I hobbled away as quickly as a Weeble could wobble, postponing the second reconstruction for eight years. By 2001, the operation had improved and the barbaric methods were not as extreme,reducing the recovery time by half, which equaled many months instead of a year.
Three weeks after the 1993 operation, my upper body gave out because I was not properly prepared for the recovery of such a demanding procedure. My biggest complaint was the medical team was thorough in their explanations of the operation itself and what to expect from my foot, but did not discuss the overall toll it would take on the rest of my body. Although my arms were relatively strong at the time, the over usage of lifting myself, operating a wheelchair and adjusting to my post-op needs, caused damage in unexpected areas, giving Arthur free range to kick me while I was down, extending the length of my recovery.
In all fairness, the outcome of both operations improved my quality of life tremendously! However, ‘all good things must come to an end,’ meaning foot number one needs to be re-done and I’m not in a hurry to do it!
f you’ve had foot surgery or are considering it, please share your experience and/or concerns in the comment section below. What procedure have you had and would you recommend it to others? Do you have post-op advice or suggestions that would benefit anyone during the recovery stage?
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