Tuesday, February 26, 2008

my left foot - the big unveiling!

Just got home from my first post-op exam, and I am wiped out.

That being said, my doctor was pleased with how things are progressing, and answered all my questions about what to expect for the next week. It was actually somewhat simple: more of the same.

I asked why I was given a general anesthesia, instead of the local that was planned. As I understand it, once the operation was underway and I was very lightly sedated, I was in obvious discomfort as they were manipulating things and they decided to put me all the way out. Of course, I have no recollection whatsoever of any of this.

The actual procedure I had was a 'Lapidus bunionectomy with an Akin osteotomy of the large toe'. I have no idea what that means.

At any rate, they removed the dressing, took x-rays, cleaned up and checked everything out, cleaned the external fixation apparatus with alcohol, applied a new dressing, and then made modifications to my boot, to accommodate the large bulge of the external torture device.

Naturally, during this entire process, I was taking pictures, and here you go:

Unwrapping the dressing:


My first glimpse of the external fixation (i.e. torture) device:


Feel free to bypass this one:


Dr. Gentile (a heck of a nice guy) seems pleased with his handiwork (or is that 'footwork'):

Here I am, with crutches and 'the boot'. Time to hop back into bed:

3 comments:

  1. Awesome pics!!! Appreciate you going through all this just to have cool pics to post. And that torture device actually gave me a minor 'whoa!' moment :)

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  2. Hey, no sacrifice is too great, to provide eye-candy for you voyeurs.

    At my first meeting with the doc, he placed in my hand a skeleton foot with the 'device' attached, so that I would understand what he was proposing.

    Still, the experience of seeing one protruding from an appendage which I have lived with all my life was indeed a 'whoa' moment.

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  3. Did it hurt when he removed the pins? I had this same procedure done last Thursday and i see my doctor tomorrow hopefully to remove the cast and pins.

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