Good news! I came through my surgery with flying colors! It was a relatively minor procedure, but I was anxious nonetheless since my last surgery was in 2000. I really liked my doctor, however, and trusted that she would do a good job. That helped put my mind at ease.
This surgery was unique in that we didn’t know exactly what was wrong with my foot, only that I’ve had pain for a year and a half. We tried a lot of things first, including physical therapy, ultrasound therapy, shockwave therapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, custom orthotics and cortisone shots. Some provided short-term relief, but inevitably the pain would return after a few weeks. When we’d run out of non-invasive options, the only option left was surgery. And that’s how I ended up on the operating table.
Since the doctor wasn’t sure exactly what she’d find, she pre-cleared me for three different procedures. The first possibility was a neuroma, which is an enflamed nerve. That was the easiest to remedy; you simply remove the nerve. The second possibility was that the nerve had attached to the tendon. If that was the case, then she’d remove the nerve again. Possibility #3 had more complexity to it because it involved the joint capsule and bones. The doctor would know it was #3 because when she opened the joint capsule, there’d be little to no cartilage there anymore.
I was praying that it was one of the first two, but nope, it was good ole #3. Turns out I had very little cartilage between my tarsal and metatarsal on my pinkie toe bones. That lack of cartilage left the bones rubbing together, which is what caused me so much pain. Since the pain started, I’d always believed it was the Kazakh massage therapist’s fault since it started immediately after my massage. However, she couldn’t have hurt my cartilage, so she likely just stumbled upon the spot when massaging my feet, which inflamed the joint.
I’ve highlighted the problem area in the diagram above. To stop the pain, the doctor shaved down the bone (not sure if she shaved one or both) and then fused together my 4th and 5th toes to provide stability for my foot. I’m trying not to think about the fact that I have 9 other toes that this could happen to…
It was outpatient surgery, so we arrived at 10:30 and were home by 3:30. Since then, I’ve spent most of my time laying on the couch with my foot up. Thankfully, I’ve had very little pain and am allowed to get up and move for 5 minutes each hour. Nick and Nia have been wonderful caregivers and I’m feeling very loved by all the friends and family that have reached out. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!