Well folks, it's been a hell of a two years since my initial surgery.
The first six months were challenging to say the least and the experience has forever changed my perspective. Sadly, I am still in the same pain I was experiencing prior to my surgeries. In January of 2014 I had the screws removed as they were causing pain in my heel. I now have spurring in my knee and stomach ulcers as a result of taking pain medication (ibuprofen in particular) for an extended period of time.
Dr. Pomeroy says I am part of 5% of his patients that don't show improvement after this surgery, though to be honest with you all, I'm beginning to doubt that number. The more I learn about this surgery and how this particular doctor handles the post op, I wonder if the number is much higher and the patients simply aren't going back after the six month visit. I had to beg for physical therapy - which Pomeroy finally consented to 1 year after the surgery after I had yet another fall.
Physical therapy was a huge help. If you are considering this surgery, don't let them talk you out of physical therapy. My physical therapist did more for me and my pain than the surgery or Pomeroy. It is not enough to simply build a new foot for yourself, you need to adjust to a new way of walking. As someone who has gone through the process both with help and on my own, I can say that getting help was the best thing I could have done for myself. Physical therapy doesn't just help you build your muscles back up but helps to use them in the right way. A physical therapist can also give you tools to continue to work your muscles after you leave, which can help with the daily pain for those that continue to have it after surgery.
Two years later my foot is beginning to lose the arch that was built through this surgery. The incision on the top of my foot where they inserted a screw and a piece of cadaver bone has grown a large spur. So would I recommend this surgery? Hell no. This was a last resort for me, as it should be for anyone else with a similar issue. The toll it takes both physically and mentally is not something to take lightly, and I'm not just talking about the pain in the foot. You overcompensate with other parts of your body when you can't walk properly, such as carrying your weight in your shoulders, or putting extra pressure on your other leg.
Take care folks, if you are reading this because of your own foot issues, I wish you all the luck in the world! I hope this blog can help you. Before my surgery I searched for information and found almost nothing. Thank you all for listening to me and my saga!
