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

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I got really intense with the question list in preparing for my surgery, including asking friends on and off LJ to contribute questions. It was a kinda big surgery, y'know....

Wow -- you got that book! Where'd you get it? That's so, so cool! Sounds like you're doing great with it! Must be fascinating stuff, with lotsa especially interesting bits for you to learn about. I would have been worried that it would be inaccessible to a less-trained person -- glad to hear that's not true.

Now when're you gonna make your foot MRI icon with highlighted neuroma? ;)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was about as big as surgery gets. I'm really glad you got all your questions collected and brought them in. Big surgery is rough enough when you DO have lots of information! No need to go through it without!

Amazon. I decided what the hey, and just went for it. If it put me in a new category in the doctor's mind it was worth every penny. And yeah, it IS pretty inaccessible, but I HAVE GOOGLE and I know how to look words up, so no book is gonna beat me! ;-)

Sadly the doc didn't point to the trouble spots in the office today -- she didn't even pull up the films, just talked about the results -- so I need to study a little more and be *certain* where the neuroma is. Hopefully I can also find the thickened/damaged parts of the flexor tendons and plantar plate! It'd be awesome if they were all visible on one image, so I could show everything. (geek geek geek)

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad you got all your questions collected and brought them in.

Two things got me respect from my surgeon. One was that I brought in detailed prepared question lists. The other, perhaps bigger part (which showed in the little twinkle in his eye) was when I answered his question about my job by telling him I'm an engineer -- I could see that he liked to explain things in detail and was happy to have a receptive audience. It was wonderful -- he knew he could tell me lots of technical details, and I could see his enjoyment in that too. :)

Good for you deciding to get that book from Amazon! It's such an excellent and appropriate investment in yourself! Your dogged determination to master the thing, with google's help, is inspiring! YAY!

Too bad 'bout not getting the neuromas pointed out for you. But it does sound like you're well on your way to being able to spot them yourself (so cool!!!). Doctors don't always realize that some people really want to see the trouble bits -- even my surgeon seemed surprised when after he put up my neck MRI films I walked over to look too. He recovered well from his surprise, though, and 'splained a lot of cool stuff. I hope you'll ask next time (whether or not you've spotted the neruromas yourself) for your doctor to point them out for you in your MRIs. The extra info she tosses off while she shows it to you may be both useful and geeky fun!

And I look forward to seeing any MRI bits you end up posting.... (geek back atcha!)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I wish mine enjoyed explaining things! Ah well -- at least she can use shorthand (specialized vocabulary). And yeah, I'll get her to point out the neuroma, even if I have to bring in my own copy and say "is this it?" :-)

[rampling.livejournal.com]

I used to have an optometrist that I loved! Dr. Vernon B. Bridges of Manhattan Beach, recommended to me by a neighbor back in 1984! During my first appointment he asked about my job, and I told him I was an optical engineer (I was back then). His eyes lit up, and he was so excited to explain absolutely everything to me. He had many cool specialty instruments -- I think he was an optometrist-geek -- and he loved to show them off! Such fun! Both lots of useful info and fabulous geeky info. Loved it!

Once, over those years, when I scheduled my usual appointment, he was on vacation or something, so I accepted an appointment with another optometrist in the same group (Dr. F). He asked about my job too, but when I told him I was an optical engineer he looked a bit freaked out, then laughed and said "well, don't ask me any technical questions!". I was quite disturbed and disappointed, and felt like leaving right then! But I put up with him, then made sure I always got my original optometrist after that.

Unfortunately for me, Dr. Bridges recently retired. And before that, he went to reduced hours, so the last time I saw him I crossed the LA basin to see him during one of the only two days, mornings only, that he was in the office. I *hate* mornings, but drove there just 'cause he was the best. *sigh*

Now I have some guy who's OK, I guess, not as bad as Dr. F, but he didn't quite get my prescription quite right on the first try. Oh well. You just don't get as lucky as I did with Dr. Bridges every time.

Maybe your doctor will *get* that you wanna be in on the technical details if you keep after her. I think a lot of doctors really don't expect patients to want to be that involved or want that level of technical detail. Maybe she'll get it after a while -- but maybe she's the Dr. F type who would prefer to not have to answer detailed questions (though I suspect his big problem was that he didn't wanna have to explain the machines he used). I hope she warms up to your detailed and geeky interest!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Awesome optometrist story!

Dr. O is just busy. She doesn't want unnecessary conversation.