Dr. appointment

[cjsmith]

Surgery.


1. Neuroma, 3rd interstice (between 3d and 4th metatarsal heads), both feet.
Surgery will remove this nerve completely.
Surgery will also "release" (sever) the transverse metatarsal ligament (the one holding the 3d and 4th metatarsal heads together).
No contraindications for running due to severing that ligament.

2. Some injury to flexor tendons and plantar plate, sitting under the 3d metatarsal head, both feet.
None of these structures are severed completely. Surgery cannot fix them. This must be treated symptomatically - oral anti-inflams, cortisone injection, ice.

Surgery will mean no driving for 2-3 weeks. Use crutches for the first week or so. Funky shoes (how long??)

To be scheduled -- soon, I hope.

Comments

[tryslora]

This is all good news, right?? It can be fixed!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Bullet-point #1 is EXCELLENT news and just what I was hoping she would see on those films. That's fixable pain. Bullet point #2 isn't great -- it's nonfixable pain. Hopefully, most of my pain comes from #1. [fingers crossed]

[barbarakitten-t.livejournal.com]

good wishes for you and your tootsies....

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Surgery is a hopeful sign in my case. :-)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an attempt at progress at any rate.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I hope most-if-not-all of my pain is the neuroma (fixable).

[ohhjuliet.livejournal.com]

*hug* this means you're fixable!!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Well, the nerve tumor is fixable. The stuff under number 2 is not. My best hope now is that most of my pain is from the neuroma!

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

An answer! And a good chance at running again.

YAY!!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Ayep, possibly, if the flexor tendons and the plantar plate aren't too effed up. Those can't be surgically fixed. But we know the neuromas are causing pain, so once those go I can see how much pain is left.

Wow!

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

A diagnosis and a plan to make improvement! Sounds very promising! Woohoo!

Re: Wow!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I sure hope the nerve tumors are most of the pain. The tendons and crap aren't fixable.

The doctor asked me whether I could "live with it" (ie do I really want surgery). I answered that question so darn fast...!

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

Both feet or just one for the surgery - I'm confused.

Sounds good. Hopefully you'll be running, dancing and everything soon!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Both feet for removal of 3rd interdigital nerve. Both feet also have tendon damage (the right more than the left) which surgery won't help. Hopefully most of the pain is the nerve!

[cyan-blue.livejournal.com]

Wow. I really hope this is the cure you are looking for!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I hope so too! [fingers crossed] I am *way* eager for surgery.

[erisian-fields.livejournal.com]

I hope this does the trick for you and you and your feet wind up better than ever.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I hope I hope! The tendon damage isn't surgically treatable but hopefully most of the trouble was coming from the neuroma, which IS... [fingers crossed]!

[hnybny.livejournal.com]

Say bye bye to the Neuromas! Hopefully, hello to a tolerable pain future!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

YESSSSSS! I sure hope so!

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

I'm awfully happy you got someone to do a diagnosis on your feet finally. Sheesh, you wouldn't think this would be so tough. But anyway, I'm glad that there's a diagnosis and that there's a chance that something can happen to fix them.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't think, yeah, but at least this new doctor got there within a few months. I think I first saw her in maybe April. Not bad.

*deep breath* Mmmm, surgery. Fortunately I'm at least as eager for it as I am nervous about the prospect. :-)

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

Hooray on finding #1 and being able to address it with surgery.

Any idea what the causes of #2 are? Just normal wear and tear, or something else?

Also, my understanding of your actual foot problems is that the main overpowering issue is severe pain when you walk or run. Other than the pain, everything works ok, right? You can walk, and run, just fine; it's just that you're like The Little Mermaid (of the Hans Christian Anderson story, not the animated movie) and every step you take with the feet that replaced your tail is like walking on knives.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I am *so* relieved about #1.

Don't know the causes of #2 yet, and will bring that question to my doc. For now I can make some educated guesses based on Google searches of similar issues. My first guess is hard surfaces and soft shoes.

Yes, you've got it exactly right: the main issue is pain. The feet are perfectly functional.

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

hope hope hope hope hope!

I hope you can quit that dreaded swimming soon because you are running!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! I really *should* keep on swimming, for the upper-body work...

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

1. Yay! I hope when it's over you go around saying, "This is wonderful! I should never have waited this long!" That's how I felt after my knee arthroscopy -- once the pain of the surgery itself had healed and PT restored the muscles in that area, I felt like I'd been given a new knee. I hope you get a "new" foot -- it will be worth all the trouble.

2. Is that an acute condition or a chronic one? Will you have to do those treatments indefinitely, or only until it heals?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yes, that's how I've felt about other things in my past: "I wish I'd done this years ago!" I sure felt like that after getting my wisdom teeth out. There wasn't room for them and I chewed up my face all the time. I had a whole routine for shutting my mouth. After I came out of anaesthesia I kept clacking my jaw because I *could*.

2. Don't know. Need to ask.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

hooray!!! i'm so glad there's something they can see, and better yet, FIX!!!

and give me a call when you're ready to decorate your ugly shoes. we can have all sorts of fun with a trip to the craft store!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm glad too. I wish EVERYTHING they saw could be fixed, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

I wonder what the shoes will look like. She said they would take ALL the weight off the ball of my foot. I told her I could just wear those for the rest of my life and we'd be all set!

[firecat]

Hope is good!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Indeed it is. I'm a bit bummed that the tendon/plantar plate stuff isn't easily fixable, but hey, maybe MOST of my pain is the neuroma. I'll take what I can get!

[rampling.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah -- your Neuroma link mentioned:

Changes in footwear. Avoid high heels or tight shoes, and wear wider shoes with lower heels and a soft sole. This enables the bones to spread out and may reduce pressure on the nerve, giving it time to heal.

That reminded me -- I remember you saying you had a terrible time finding shoes wide enough for you. Have you tried Zappos.com (http://www.zappos.com), which seems to have a pretty large selection of multiple widths of wide women's shoes, up to EEEE! Just checking; ignore if redundant. ;)

P.S. I'm so excited 'bout your surgery! :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link! I hadn't tried those. Right now I'm supposed to be in Grandmother Shoes -- something with a lot of support across the instep -- but if I get the okay to branch out, I may get brave enough to order shoes over the web!

(Oddly enough, soft soles are good for neuromas but bad for, and can help *cause* if worn for sports, flexor tendon/plantar plate issues. Some days you can't win a plug nickel.)

[portia.livejournal.com]

That certainly sounds promising. I'm very happy for you. Here's hoping you're running marathons in no time at all! :o)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! If the feet don't behave after this maybe I can get bionic ones. :-)

[sebab.livejournal.com]

*hope!*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. That false alarm not so long ago *must* be a sign of hope, yes? It must be!

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Prayers and good thoughts on the way.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you - both gratefully accepted!

[annina-writes.livejournal.com]

Oh, let it be the answer to your prayers and an end to your pain!!! I want to see photos of you running like the wind. Thinking positive thoughts for you!!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It will at least be a REDUCTION of my pain -- the tendon stuff may remain forever for all I know. But maybe with PT I can get that down to a bearable level. I so hope I can work my way back into running!

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Congratulations and best hopes from me, Chris, and the kitties. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! *kitty-scritches* in return :-)

[jupiter29.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you finally have a diagnosis. As much as I dislike the idea of people having surgery, I hope they are able to schedule this quickly and get you back moving toward the life you want. :) I'll keep my fingers (but not toes) crossed for you. ;)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This surgery is by all accounts a very easy one with quick and uncomplicated recovery. And I seem to be incredibly lucky -- I tend to heal quickly from surgeries. *hopehopehope* :-)