Injections of Doom - pics coming!

[cjsmith]

Today, the doctor actually had a third person come in and take photographs of me while I was getting the shots. (OK, fourth person in the room if you count me.) The photographer said this is the same facial expression she made when she was pushing with labor. Sadly, she didn't focus in on my face, so instead these are big photos where you can see my whole upper body. But still you can tell that I'm lurching up from the chair. I firmly maintain that if these had been taken the first or second time they'd have been much more dramatic. Ah well. The doctor says he'll e-mail them to rfrench, and then maybe I can post 'em here.

I'm not walking very strangely today. I think my nerves are weak enough that I can't really feel the weird effects of the anaesthetic.

New bit of information today. My nerves may not go FULLY numb. I figured they were supposed to die completely, but apparently not -- as long as the neuroma pain is gone the treatment is good. I may retain some sensation in the affected toes.

Comments

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

We live in the future. I demand that you be able to just buy new feet!

Ah well, I'm glad that at least this option is available for you.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

In a way, that's what my dad is doing. He's had ankle problems ever since he injured it 18 months ago and is finally getting his left foot/ankle amputated next month. He's more confident he can at least get back to some activity with less aggravation if he just gets the prosthesis, learns how to use it, and gets on with life. The doctors seem to agree. Extreme, but given the extent of his injuries and the complications since, understandable.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yikes! How come it's that bad? :-( Good luck to him! I salute his courage.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

He's had three corrective surgeries not including the initial night in the OR after his arrival at the ER. For a long time, it developed an internal infection, and they tried to wrap the bones with an antibiotic-infused mesh and give daily injections. Then the largest of the two pins (and 13 screws) broke. At 70, he's fairly active around the house and drives everywhere, and he feels like he's been tied down for 18 months when he could have taken a couple of months to learn to walk on a prosthesis and get on with life. I know it's been driving him crazy, especially since mom doesn't drive and my sister who still lives there works nights and therefore can't help much.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

What a saga! That is just awful. I feel for him. I wish he didn't have to make such an irrevocable decision... but if it's what will work out the best, I'm glad he's willing to do it! Again, my most sincere good wishes to him.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I think the surgery is scheduled for December 3 (I need to check that).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'd want a lot of other stuff first. This foot thing is soooooo minor compared with my Stoopid Girl Parts...

But yeah. I'm sure that day will come, unless the technophobes and the religious types successfully block the research.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

See, there's something good ... if you didn't have the SGP problem your foot would seem much worse!

I'm half joking ... but only half. When I have a bad flare in, say, one knee, I don't notice much else. When the flare starts easing, I suddenly start noticing all the other joint and muscle pains that I'd forgotten about because they were so mild by comparison. When that happens I always think, "Well, at least the flare gave me relief from my usual aches and pains!"

That's really reaching, but sometimes that's what it takes to come up with something positive. =wry grin=

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm half joking ... but only half.

I understand. I definitely see what you mean here.

Over the past few months I've started to realize that my concept of pain is a very *good* result of my Stoopid Girl Parts troubles. A wisdom tooth dry socket is nothing -- NOTHING -- I didn't even bother to take painkillers, not even right out of the recovery room, that's how nothing it was. My abdominal surgery a year and a half ago? I was out jogging a couple days later, incisions still covered up with lots of tape. These foot injections? I make faces.

All in all I'd rather not have had it, but I do realize that in a lot of ways it's made me tough. Tough has benefits.