Part 9 of my “journal” related to my Lisfranc injury to my left foot. If you’re coming late to the party and want to go back and read how I got to this point, click the links below.
Part 1 – And Now For Something Completely Different…
Part 2 – It’s Going To Be a Long Winter
Part 3 – Holidays On One Foot
Part 4 – Post-Op Check Number 1 – So Far, So Good
Part 5 – A Very Good Day
Part 6 – Second Post-Op Check – So You Say There’s a Chance…
Part 7 – I Can Walk (Kind Of)!
Part 8 – Two Feet Are Better Than One
March 7, 2020
11 weeks post-op
If you look at the updated picture of my feet somewhere on this page, you may not, at first, notice much different about it in comparison to the pictures that were included in the past couple of posts. The left foot has a visible scar (though it is fading some) and the foot remains a bit swollen.
But check out the background… it’s not the same as prior pictures. This photo was taken in the TV room at the condo in Fort Myers, Florida!
After being convinced that the Lisfranc injury and subsequent surgery was going to mean no trip to Florida this spring, it turned out to simply delay those plans. By the time February came to a close, I was enjoying the (relative) warmth of the Sunshine State.
I got 7 physical therapy sessions completed in Cedar Rapids before hitting the road for Florida. They were focused mostly on range of motion and massage, but by the time we were finished, I was off the crutches and only using the walking boot in situations that were going to involve standing/walking for extended periods. For the most part, however, I was able to get by with comfortable walking shoes that allowed me to significantly loosen the laces of the left shoe to fit the swollen left foot.
While I’ve been able to hobble around for short distances, I’ve still been using a cane any time a walk of any significant distance is involved. Being up and about for extended periods will cause some aching, but otherwise there’s very little pain involved with normal activities.
The one exception that remains is the significant twinge that occurs any time I try to put weight on the balls of the left foot.
I also found a physical therapist to pick up the PT sessions while I’m in Florida and I’ve now completed two of those sessions. They are continuing massage and range of motion work, but are adding exercises related to balance. I was a little surprised to discover that I’ve lost the ability to maintain much, if any, balance on my left foot. Still, I can tell I’ve made a lot of progress.
The therapist is encouraging me to make use of the pools at the condo complex. Walking in the pool is, apparently, one of the best exercises I can do. The water not only significantly reduces the amount of weight the foot has to support, but the water pressure also minimizes the swelling that exercise otherwise would cause.
I’ve only gotten to the pool once in the first week in Florida, but I can verify that the walking felt really good.
Why only once? Well, the temperatures in the morning have been a little cool, so that’s a good excuse. But the reality is that I’ve spent quite a bit of time going to Minnesota Twins spring training games. That’s a big reason I come down here, after all.
Walking, in general, really doesn’t cause much discomfort, especially if I’m wearing shoes or walking on carpet.
Naturally, the condo has all bambo wood flooring. I found, though, that wearing sandals alleviates any pain. So I bought a new pair of sandals with the velcro adjustable band that goes across the middle of the foot. (The adjustability is necessary because my left foot is virtually always swollen at least a little bit. Sometimes more than a little.)
The sandals led to a new discovery.
The upper side of the sole (that the foot rests on) is embossed with the Reebok logo where my heel rests. And that felt like little tiny pins sticking into my heel whenever I wore them on bare feet.
It took me a while to figure out why that was the case.
Then I remembered that, when my splint was removed a couple of weeks after surgery, my foot was essentially shedding the top layer of dead skin that included any natural calluses on the sole and heel of my foot. The result, I guess, is that the sole and (especially) heel of the injured foot has new and extremely sensitive skin.
There really is something new with this thing every week.
Oh, speaking of new things… guess what my physical therapist told me to do! If you guessed “golf,” you’re absolutely right!
Well, she didn’t EXACTLY tell me to do that, but it was close enough that I chose to hear it that way.
I mentioned I was looking forward to being able to golf again and she suggested that I start going to the driving range now and doing some chipping and other easy swings with my irons, so I get used to the shifting of weight on uneven ground, etc.
That’s what she said. But what I heard was, “You can start golfing now.”
Anyway, it took me less than 24 hours from that appointment before I was at the driving range, swinging my 9-iron and 6-iron nice and easy. And it felt great! I hit about 15 or 20 balls with each club and had no pain. That left me with about five balls left from the bucket.
I couldn’t resist. Out came the Big Bertha driver.
Five drives, with a very easy swing. Four down the middle and one sliced. Heck, that’s a LOT better ratio than I’ve had with two healthy feet the past couple of decades!
This has all just been a long way of saying this has been a pretty good week!