Jul 01 2008
Four weeks post-op; 3rd cast– tomorrow it’s the Big 5-0!
Went to see the doc today, and i was a blubbering mess….last few days have been mentally and physically painful for me to deal with…..knowing my history with depression and anxiety, i have been really trying to stay positive, but the constant evening swelling has got me psyched out ….icing the cast worked for a couple days, but no luck lately…..anyway, needless to say, when the doc came in and said, ‘not having a very good day, huh?’ , my husband had to answer for me…. 
I finally composed myself and was able to express the burning, stabbing, pain was really getting to me after a month…not a whole lot of sleep happening here. He was vaguely sympathetic and proceded to saw the cast off…..
My husband took pics and doc said healing was going well which was a big relief! He had me set my cast-Free foot on a metal device that I was suppose to stretch my foot out on…..he came back in after about 5 minutes and pushed on my foot some more and was able to get it pretty flat– anyway I can now put my toes on the floor for the first time in 4 weeks— woo, hoo! I also can see my toes more in this cast, and it is lighter and shorter too. It does feel really tight tonight, though…..i’m sure it will be stretched out in no time with all the swelling though.
I’m a little worried about my toes though……my big toe, in particular, is very numb although I try to wiggle it as much I can. Anybody have that numb feeling after new cast or in any cast?
Also, any ideas on how to deal with the “ansy” feeling I get from around 6PM-10:00PM when the cast is so hot and tight? The claustrophobia is crazy-making.
Another thing i was wondering about was does elevating the leg help numbness or is it better to put the leg down more often? Maybe it’s just this new cast……Will it get better after today…..maybe the doc puts the 3 cast on tighter for a good reason…..Any advice would be really appreciated ……thanks you guys.
Marianne
Marianne - I’m too new for advice, but I can’t wait to read what people say.
Hey hang in there and HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Enjoy Enjoy! You’ve got a lot of people here on the site pulling for you.
kkdub
ps - I went to CAL also! go Bears.
At first I had numbness whenever I was seated normally, so elevation helped. I think you can overdo it with the elevation though and sometimes if seated and elevated you can sit on your butt funny and cut off circulation that way. I think they make each successive cast tighter so your foot remains immobilized as your calf muscle shrinks, but hey, I’m no doctor. I’m in my second cast now and it is tighter than my first one was at the end of it’s life if that makes sense. Hang in there.
Hey life sux in the cast. I had 3 casts and every time i had a new one my toes and some of my foot would go numb or tingle for the first day or so. I had a compression bandage, the another bandage over that and then the Blue fibreglass(i think) over that. It was relatively tight, but the second bandage would break if my leg became to swollen. Also your leg muscles will shrink whilst in the cast so if you have the cast on for 2 weeks then it should become roomier after a few days.
I had that claustrophobic feeling later at night as well. Particularly in the middle of the night in bed. I found it good to take pain relief before bed and that would help relax me. Perhaps a nice cup of tea or something else that relaxes you.
I found elevating my leg when swelling and pain became uncomfortable and that really help. I don’t know about then numbness though.
I found it really hard, in the beginning, to cope with everything. I wasn’t getting a lot of information about what was going to happen in the next week, month years regarding our injury. Then a couple of personal issues cropped on top of that. I realised i had to shut everything bad out and only think good, for my family and for my recovery. I’m one of those stupid people who thinks everything will be fine and failure is not an option. I doesn’t always work out that way but it nice to think it might. That has really helped heaps i think. Everyone is different and copes differently, particularly in your case from what i read. My wife suffers from depression and little bit anxiety. Its hard. Tomorrow another day and hubbie is there for you. Stay positive though. Stay strong. My Nintendo wii helped me heaps. They make the time fly. Happing hopping.
hi marianne
firstly, happy birthday to you. i’m sure most of us here can relate to what you’re saying. i’m a week behind you and found the swelling wasn’t too bad until week three. i certainly pay for it now in the evening if i don’t get that leg up enough. but do feel a general numbness in foot when up for long periods. can’t think the casts will intentionally be put on tighter for a reason, they are too worried about blood supply to the area to do that. it’ll be the limb swelling that makes it feel so. i also get the heebee-jeebees in evening, and have to focus mind elsewhere otherwise i start to feel claustro.
i loved your term ‘vaguely sympathetic’. this is taught to all surgeons at med school.
“today’s lecture: thinking about golf, nodding whilst stifling a yawn, with patient present”
don’t be too hard on yourself, ATR is a fairly big spanner in the works. i keep reading blogs of people further along the conveyer belt to remind me that that it will pass, cos at the moment not a lot changes. we still spill things we move, we still can’t put our pants on, without falling in the pants drawer. and as for ripping the sink off the wall when stumbling around the bathroom…..sheesh!
take care
offdibb
Happy B-Day!!
Happy Birthday Marianne!
marianne,
First off, happy birthday! I’m sorry you have to be celebrating it with this thing going on, but I wish you all the best.
As far as cast tightness/numbness goes … oh man, I hear you. Whenever I get a new cast put on, it always feels very uncomfortable for a few days. Especially with this last one. The swelling pain is more intense than normal. This must be what footbinding felt like … problem is I’m not a girl and this isn’t ancient China! I just try to keep it as elevated as possible so that the blood can drain away from the area and reduce the swelling.
Thank you for reading my post and for your comments. I’m glad I’m able to get good advice and vent on here, but it’s cool to provide some entertainment, hopefully a smile for all of us going through this.
This thing is tough, just no getting around that. But I’m sure you’re doing wonderfully and keep it up! We’ll beat this. We’ll win! Unlike the “situation” in Iraq that just drags and drags … =P (Haha, yes, I too went to Cal. Go Bears!)
All the best,
tennisfreak
Hi Marianne -
One of my closest friends is a Cal bear, too!
Happy belated b-day - fast forward to Oct when I will have my b-day. Think about how far along you will be THEN.
As for the tightness, I typically had the tightness the first 1-2 days in both casts. After that, I would get the evening swelling, but after elevating it for a while, it would ease up. I don’t think I ever had the numbness you mentioned.
Having said all that, I went in today for a medical release and my doc put me in the aircast walking boot. But more about that on my blog.
Take care of yourself. Sorry you have to go through it, but glad to have you here to talk to.