The difference a doctor can make...

BEFORE YOU KEEP SCROLLING, BE WARNED THAT THERE ARE PICTURES OF MY RECENT FOOT SURGERY BELOW.  I'm not posting them to gross anyone out, merely to show you the difference between two very different experiences.  I don't feel they are so graphic they'll make you throw up or freak out, but wanted to warn you they are found below.  So consider yourself warned. :)

Five years ago, I had a bunnion and neuroma removed from my left foot.  I had been seeing my podiatrist for several years and had been dealing with those problems through cortizone injections.  I believe my final count was 13 injections before we decided surgery was finally an option.  I had my surgery on a Friday, went home in a boot, had my follow up on Monday and went back to work on Tuesday.  I was in my walking boot for about 6 weeks.  Here is what my foot looked like from that surgery.

You can see my lovely cankle, the bruising and swelling.  It was not wrapped, other than the tape you see on the top, after my Monday follow up appointment.

Let me tell you about this experience.  My first podiatrist is no longer part of my insurance so I had to find a new one.  I had noticed last fall there was some kind of lump in between my two toes where my neuroma used to be.  I assumed it had grown back.  After some searching and a very reliable recommendation, I found my current podiatrist.  I saw her in December and she promptly knew I did not have a neuroma.  After some x-rays and a couple tests, she determined I had a Ganglion cyst in my foot.  This is highly unusual, as they are normally found in wrists.  I was her third patient with this diagnosis in 25 years.  We drained it and shot it up with more cortizone.  (are you counting?  that's 14 shots in my left foot.)  She told me to stay off it and no more impact exercising for up to 8 weeks.  (remember the "crap, I can't run my 1/2 marathon anymore" moment?  that's because of this).  My friends named my cyst Lester.  Gross name for a gross thing.  Anyway, Lester was back by April.  I went in again and she told me surgery was an option.  However, she also noticed another area of my foot had started to grow and she was curious what it was.  She suggested I take 2-3 weeks off work in order to do this.  Nope- I'm a school teacher and can't do that. So I waited until June.

Fast forward to surgery day:  It was supposed to be a 45 minute deal.  In and out.  She was going to tent my skin to see what the other area was and get out.  Over 2 hours later, not only was Lester out of my foot, but so was CHESTER, his devious golf-ball sized tumor cousin.  No lie.  As a result, I've spent the past 5 weeks sitting and elevating and icing and moving as little as possible in order to heal "quickly."  After my surgery, my doctor told us about a drainage tube that would be in my foot until my followup on Monday.  I asked what that was because I didn't have one with my first surgery.  She seemed a little surprised by that and explained that it helped reduce swelling and bruising and scar tissue.  Hence the following pictures of my foot.  Get ready!

This is Monday after surgery.  Not bad!

This was last Wednesday when I finally got my stitches out.  A little swollen, but I have yet to experience the cankles and bruising I experienced the first time.

I still can't go in pools or lakes, but I CAN shower in my bare feet again.  I CAN go to the grocery store and I CAN walk places.  Whew!  I hope by the 25th I can get back to my summer plans.  This was definitely not it.  However, it has made me incredibly grateful for family and friends, the service and help of neighbors and also being able to have good medical care available.