Nonunion 4 Months | Relearning to Walk and Walking Aids

Hello and Happy Holidays.

I meant to post this video a couple weeks ago but the holidays got the best of me which is always a good thing.

I started walking on October 30th. My doctor ordered me off the knee scooter! Mostly because I love how fast I can go on it, I'm such a little kid these days. The video touches on how I was doing about a month after walking. I started using the motto "Just Move" shortly after making this video. I strongly urge you to do that once you are given the go ahead on walking. It's not fun at first but if you are healing it is the best thing you can do. Walking on your injured foot actually stimulates bone growth. Which, if you are like me, you would really like that to happen!

Just like the video title says have cautious optimism. Don't expect to be where you were before surgery anytime soon. After being off your foot for an extended period of time your body will be used to sitting and probably not sitting very well. What I mean is that from many years of experience with having casts/wrappings/walking boots on my foot, I have found that I tend to sit in the "most comfortable" way possible. If you have any injury you understand what I mean by this. This surgery I found that I leaned to the left a lot. I'm not sure if this is something that can be avoided but I do plan to test it during my next surgery.

It's good to be aware of how you are sitting. If at all possible, try to sit up straight. Having to correct more than what is already being damaged is not easy. I had someone ask me about how I dealt with hip/knee pain along with walking in the boot. I hadn't noticed previous surgeries that I struggled with those. This time though I really did notice the knee and hip pain. I've started going to a massage therapist as often as cost allows. I know not everyone can do this. I certainly wouldn't have been able to during my first surgeries. A couple things I have learned though is that getting a walking cane and a product called Evenup are solutions I have found to help without the massages.

You may not realize the benefits of a walking cane. I know I didn't know anything about it other than "old people" used it, but don't let that stop you from getting one. After having a cane for a month I can testify that it is extremely useful for lower body injuries. It has helped me focus and slow down while walking along with helping my balance and mobility and evening out the strain on my joints and muscles. I can't really say why doctors haven't suggested the use of a cane before to me but if you have not been suggested to use one I am here to say that you should. I have been able to feel my joints loosening up and my muscles being used correctly. It's not an easy change but it is one I am grateful for each day. Here is a short article about walking sticks/canes "Benefits of Using a Walking Stick."

Now to inform you about the product called the Evenup. First things first here is the official website where you can read all about it http://www.evenupcorp.com/ . Second, I will be making a video reviewing my walking cane and the evenup I received so subscribe to my Youtube Channel for when that gets uploaded. There isn't a whole lot else to share with you about it. It's pretty straight forward. When you wear a walking boot it is higher than most shoes. It is also still a noticeable amount higher than most sneakers (all sneakers I've had). All I have to say about both of these products is how much does your health and body mean to you? The simple truth is if you don't use these products you run a high risk of learning to walk wrong and continuing to hurt your body when you do so, even after you are all healed and out of the walking boot.

I'm here to share my woes and joys with you. When it comes to physical trials they tend to be filled with many woes. I hope you see that these products I share with you are ones that have bettered my life in ways I have a hard time finding words for. If you do buy these products let me know what you noticed by getting them! It may seem like a lot of money but trust me in the long run it will be something you couldn't put a price on.

Until Next Time,

TheFootGal

Reoccurring Theme

I'm not sure if I've openly talked about my opinion on situations such as mine (anything that is life changing or altering). It's easy to see that I am physically handicapped. It's not as easy to see or be aware that there are two sides to having a physical handicap.

This is a very personal subject to me and I have only shared it with a handful of close friends and relatives. I strongly believe that there is always a physical and mental challenge while tackling a life changing situation, whether it be changing your diet or losing your feet. It's something that I have been able to be more aware of as I have been going through this for almost 3 years now.

Think about it this way. When you decided to cut out that daily dose of Mickey D's french fries you don't just do your body good but you mentally tend to crave or even miss it like a long lost friend. Studies have shown that people over eat because of their feelings.

I've had so many experiences and still to this day encounter at least one person a day that can not see past my physical trial. They want to know what happened? What is this thing you are on? how long have you been in that cast/boot? Is it going to get better? and well.. when you are honest and say "I do not know and neither does my doctor" they all seem to shrink away. I witness their face gone from curiosity to immediate pity. Most cases these people ask some less "harmful" questions and then walk away and continue their day leaving me with the awful sense that I just told them their dog died.

I'm not sure where you say "HEY I'M A HUMAN WITH THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS." I haven't quite figured this out yet. I usually just scoot along and find a quiet place to read or indulge in my current obsession. The sense that every time I encounter someone like this doesn't go or fade away though. It lingers and sits like I just ate rotten food. In fact I've had it happen over and over with immediate family and close friends, where they swear to me that I don't deserve this and that I will get better. Then I have to silently tell myself that they mean well but the real truth is no one knows the outcome.

It's hard to make friends when so many people look at me and all they see is a big booted foot.

Until next time,

TheFootGal

Nonunion 3 Month | Halloween Update

Things are going very well in my neck of the woods. I just got some incredibly good news, which is that I am no longer in a cast! Wooohooo!!!! It's interesting how much anxiety comes when you are waiting on your doctors visit. 

I have to admit something. I love going to my doctor's office. That is probably weird to most of you but honestly it's the one place I feel.. free to be myself. Completely. All the people I interact with are always cheerful and just so much fun to joke around with. I can't say the same for everyone I meet or interact with during a normal day in the "walking" world. I just love going to my doctor's. 

So, you may be wondering what comes along with getting my cast off. I get to wear my boot which has an air liner. It felt like I had put my whole foot into a pillow! It still does. The doctor said he still wants me non-weight bearing for the most part until November 9th. Once it is November 9th I can start adding some weight. I plan on making a video about this when it happens. Being able to start adding weight can be scary and I have some really exciting ideas of how to use my knee scooter for physical therapy purposes. 

Other then that I've been extremely busy! So odd to me. Last surgeries I was everything but busy and I hated it. Now I can't wrap my mind about how busy I have actually been. I've been knitting hats for so many people! The list keeps growing too so I'm going to have to re-group and start a plan. I thought it would just be a project but it's turned into something I really enjoy and can't wait to dive into making some socks and more patterned Items. 

I had a friend come out and visit for a few days. Halloween was yesterday and I dressed up as a "Jersey Gurl." I have so many plans coming up. I really do want to write a post about keeping yourself occupied after surgery but I honestly haven't been sure of what should be in it. If you have any suggestions please! I'd love to write stuff for my viewers.

Here is a small list of what I do to keep busy:

• Finding old and new talents and using them. (knitting, drawing, reading, creativity)
• ASL Classroom starts Nov. 4th and runs for 10 weeks. I'm taking 2 classes so I will have something 4 times a week!
• Joining a knitting club or some sort of gathering you are interested in and feel safe going to despite your situation. It is really good to get out. 
• I took a Card making class and had an amazing time! Can't wait to do it again even if I'm not too big into card making I love paper crafts.
• Decorating your cast! I keep telling people that if they ever want me to decorate theirs I would do it! 
• ENJOYING LIFE

Now I think I'm going to go start another hat! I've made 3 since my friend was here! 

Until next time,

TheFootGal

Nonunion 3 Months | Updating Updating Updating

As one can imagine time has gotten away from me. When you don't have a job or anything that really "forces" you out of your home then you kind of start drifting. It makes me wonder about who invented time. My idea is that someone kept putting this off like.. eating, sleeping, tending to the crops and realized that maybe marking time would be a good idea. Anyhow, I have no real physical things marking my time. Everything I do is by choice (which is fantastic) but it can become challenging.

Like I talked about in my post My 2 Week Vacation is Over, I was starting to feel isolated. This isn't new to me. Not at all. It's like.. being a 5 year old kid with no school, choirs, and well.. all your friends have school, and choirs. So you are left to your own means of entertainment if you will. I posted a video-log on what I have been filling in my time with. If you would like to see that video just go to my channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheFootGal. Don't forget to subscribe so that you can see any video that I do not post here! Same with following my blog. These things help you stay connected to my new material.

This got me thinking and I figured I should probably also update more on how I am actually doing. That is what this space is for. This lovely lovely canvas I call my blog. I went to the beach yesterday to think through my own emotions. What I'm going through, how I'm handling it, how I continue to push on and do my "thaaaang." Lets just say I sat at the beach, put my headphones in.... and cried.

 For almost an hour. I went home feeling refreshed and much more connected with myself. However, I did end up creating this video once I got home (Yes I'm sunburnt, YOLO).

Since this is foot related I wanted to make sure you all got to see it and give you a update on... well.. Me. Mainly I just want to give some advice on how to fill in the void that comes when you get disconnected from the life you.. "once had" or "will have again" depending on the situation. Mine just happens to be the "once had" and now I have to find what's NEXT. Which is exciting. 

It's like going off to college right out of high school. So much is unknown to you. You have no idea what you are about to jump into. So many emotions come to mind when I think of high school ending and college beginning. All those emotions I seem to feel now. Excitement, anticipation, nervous, anxious, scared, sad and ready.  

If you "land on your feet" so to say and find yourself in a situation where you feel you have either been denying yourself of your true potential or you wish to move on to the next thing. Well I can say I get that. For me I have been focusing on a few things to keep myself motivated. 

1. Getting out by myself.
• I've been making sure that I go to the mall here once a week if not more. This has gotten a series of reactions from people most of which have been 'what? I'd go with you I'm sorry you are there alone.' to this I say. Yes, it would be nice to have company but on a different day when I'm not going for just "me." A lot comes with school, jobs and anything that you go out and set a majority of time in. One of those things is Independence. We all have and we all need it. This is my little way of saying "Kristy YOU GO GIRL." To my surprise it has been helping more then anything! The beach day was one of those however, Clayton did have to come with me so  I had a ride.
2. Staying away from social Media AKA Facebook
• If you are family reading this then you know that I have deleted Facebook more then once since foot surgery. I even went so far as to deleting friends and ONLY having family. When you are at a cross roads in life and maybe have a LITTLE too much time on your hands. I highly suggest if not deleting then making some hard ground rules for yourself so that you don't get caught up in everyone else's business and their so called "Facebook achievements." you are not those people. You will never be those people. If it bothers you then just walk away. So I have been working on this. 
3. Achieving something 
• No brainer right? We all like to do something we can be proud of. I talk about a lot of these things in my Video Log update. I have a list of beanies I have been working on and I plan to knit every single one! I'm 4 1/2 down! Should be starting 5 today if all goes well. I have been posting video logs and now I will updated my blog. To me these are accomplishments. 

So if you may be going through a hard time where you are experiencing intense emotions that maybe.. seem too much to handle. I hope you remember my post and remember to keep your chin up. Keep throwing those punches and when all else fails you can always email me and I'll tell you to keep throwing the punches. I screamed into a pillow the other day and let me tell you.. WOW. so much a relief. 

Also a video about Google glass and more inspiration! (Google glass is my latest obsession)

Until Next Time

TheFootGal

Nonunion Week 17 | Weight-loss & Why It's So Important

Hello viewers & welcome any new arrivals to my blog!

I hope you all enjoy the new look! I spent a whole day learning some tricks in photoshop (which I've never used) and trying new layout formats just to make it more appealing! I also changed the top title to "TheFootGal" instead of "undergoing a Calcaneal Osteotomy." Mostly because I am no longer JUST undergoing a calcaneal osteotomy so it doesn't quite fit for my new posts. Also because my blog is changing as I change and I want to welcome all walks of life! SO, HELLO! Welcome, I hope you do enjoy!

Today I wanted to talk about weight loss. It's something that I believe every human being wants at one point or another in their life and when they realize that desire they feel like they will not reach it or that they will have to put a ton of extra work into it. Well, I'm here to tell you it can be easier than that. I don't mean "diets" the "simple answer" no. It will be hard to LEARN how to eat healthy. But once you've learned it your body will know the difference and it will start being hard to go back to the "bad foods" you used to eat. Let's start off by showing you a before and after picture. I apologize I put the after picture on the wrong side! But you get the general idea! Also these are only three days apart when it comes to months so one is from Sep 9th 2012 and the new one was taken Sep 11th 2013! which I thought was fun!

Sep. 11th 2013                                 Sep. 9 2012

Sep. 11th 2013                                 Sep. 9 2012

Wowowowow. It even shocks me honestly! Because when you lose weight the healthy way then it's a much slower process and you don't lose weight so dramatically. However, because of that it is much easier to maintain the body you create! Yes, I do say create. This body, I made. I took the time to study and learn what my body needs and how my body needs it. Which even with all the websites and all the people telling you they lost weight from counting calories. We are all different people and we all have different bodies that crave and desire different things! For example.. I hate avocados. Hate them. I don't care if they are good for me I will not pick that up and eat it. I wont. I would sooner eat a whole bag of chips then pick up one avocado. Another example is when I first started counting calories I tried to fill in my "hunger" periods or "snack" periods with bowls and bowls of carrots. ughh. Don't do that to yourself.

This world has MANY different plants and foods to choose from. Choose something you like and stick with it! Or choose 100 things you like and stick with that! Don't force yourself to eat what someone, sometime once said. Trust me, it won't work. You'll quit. I almost did. Then I just said "F*** carrots" I don't think I've had more then 5 carrots in the last 6 months.. well I actually enjoy carrot juice but not just bowls of carrots! 

So some simple tips I can give you! 

1. Use this Calorie Counter! 

• I say use this calorie counter because it gives you a different number then most magazines/blogs/websites/trainers will give you! As a woman they general tell you 1200 a day. This website told me 1534 a day and that was with 0 working out! Also that was just "fat loss" and not "extreme fat loss." I never went lower then 1534 either! Look at my progress! So do this website and I suggest you start at the higher number even if you want to go down! Because no matter what you will need to adjust to the change.
2. Realize what fuels you.
• Find the combination you like. What I mean by this is.. for example I enjoy breakfast. LOVE IT. I could probably eat some type of breakfast food for every meal if I could. However, I dislike lunch.. and enjoy a BIG dinner! So I had to adjust what I ate at each meal to fit the calories now I eat around 500 for breakfast and 200-300 for lunch and then I have plenty of calories for a snack and a goood dinner! 



One of my favorite breakfast!
 Pear Cinnamon  Oatmeal

• Also along with this CUT OUT SODA and high fructose corn syrup. Trust me. By doing those two things you stop craving ANYTHING that shares those qualities. Real sugar is a lot harder to get addicted to! 
3. Don't weigh yourself
• This one is my biggest suggestion. I didn't way myself. Infact I've only been weighed twice this year. Once at my annual OBGYN visit and  second when I went in for surgery! I weighed 135 pounds then!! wooooo. I was like "please don't die you are finally healthy!" It helps to SEE your body changing because you may put on muscle and that weighs more then fat.
4. Drink Water
• If you don't know why this is good for you then.. you are in denial! Water has been here for all animals and plants and the earth in general to FUEL us. Without water we are nothing. So drink it. Feed it to your body! Soon enough it will become easy!
5. Enjoy the ride

I didn't do it any other way. I realized portion sizes once I started cutting the calories back and now  my body gets hungry and full when it should. Once I got surgery I realized all crazy benefits. A few are I am so much lighter. so lifting myself up on my arms and caring my body on crutches has become so much easier! Then not to mention how flexible I'm becoming. I can move around a lot easier and it helps my body feel good through out the day! I have ENERGY. Past surgeries I would be so worn out day after day after day. I can say I've hardly been worn out! Not after the first week! It's been a breeze.

Another thing. Once I started taking the pounds off my feet didn't hurt quite as bad! I have talked to multiple people at this point that have told me they have had some serious health problems with their feet or their knees that losing weight has made go away completely! Think of the wear and tear just carrying those pounds around on your body. I'm here to tell you that it makes a HUGE difference. I've experienced both sides. 

All these are on my pinterest!

Healthy ThanksGiving!

As always I'm here cheering you on if you need it! I have all my information on the right side of this blog now. Email, Instagram, Google plus, and you can always comment and I'll reply! 

Until next time,

TheFootGal

P.S. Here is some of my Pinterest Boards that I put some of the information I used. However, a lot of it I didn't but it could still be helpful to look through. Feel free to follow me :) I still add to them! 

I Want To | Work Out & Be Healthy

I Want To | Eat Recipes 

Nonunion Week 15 | My 2 Week Vacation is Over

You may be wondering why I titled this post as a "two week vacation".  If you have been following along then you know that I am not on a vacation at all. Well, I am trying new things and one of those things is making it so people can more easily grasp what it might be like to go through a life changing thing as I have. So far people have told me that I'm doing smashingly at it so lets see if I continue the pattern?

So vacation. From my own personal experience and from experiences of those around me. Whether it's going across the country or just taking time off work. Everyone has this internal clock where it just tells them "okay, I'm bored. This was fun for a while and now let's get back to accomplishing stuff." For most people, of course I can't speak for ALL people, that internal clock is somewhere around the 2 week point.

Well, guess what. I've hit 3 weeks and am starting to feel that tug more and more each day of "let's get this ball rolling." That ball can just mean life in general. The unfortunate part of this internal clock that we all have... when bad things happen to people around us.. lets just say maybe a close friend of yours got.. hm.. foot surgery. Just hypothetically speaking of course.

This person goes through surgery, goes to the hospital, gets home. Everyone knows it because as a good friend they share their life with you and let you know what is going on. However, for those of you who don't actually have to go through this journey with that friend.. your internal clock kicks in also around 2 weeks and from my experience.. which I have had A LOT of experience.. A lot of people tend to forget about that friend that went through surgery two weeks ago..

However, for the most part that friends life has yet to change at all.

So lets talk about me again.. oh wait ;). I have felt guilty about this for years. This happened sooner to me during the first surgery then I could have anticipated. I didn't realize that it would happen and the effect it would have on me. It's plain and simple what happens to people who are forced to stay at home. They become isolated.

i·so·lat·ed

ˈīsəˌlātid/

adjective

1. 1.

   far away from other places, buildings, or people; remote.

   "isolated farms and villages"

   synonyms:

   remote, out of the way, outlying, off the beaten track/path, secluded,lonely, godforsaken, far-flung, inaccessible, cutoff, incommunicado, in the backwoods, in the back of beyond, in the back concessions, in the boonies/boondocks, in the middle of nowhere, in the sticks, in the tall timbers, hinterland More

It's not anyones fault. Heaven forbid I blame any one person for this, because I'd have a lot of people to blame if that was the case. I don't blame people though I honestly don't. The emotions that I feel are usually guilt, loneliness, and isolation.

Some people recognize that their friend is stuck at home but instead of actually going to visit them they sit and feel like that person may be "mad at them" or that they "can't understand so why bother?" Well , damn. Now what have you done for that friend? well.. you Isolated them. All they want is HUMAN CONTACT. We all want it. We all need it. However, we all get it in different ways. Now I need people to put in the effort to HELP ME get that.

I'm not being mean. I'm not pointing fingers. This is all very normal and happens very naturally.. I mean it's called an Internal clock for a reason right? We don't realize it happens sometimes before it's too late. So as someone who is currently feeling very isolated. Please remember that there are people out there who just need a QUICK HUG every once in a while. Who would probably cry with joy just to see another persons face. They aren't going to blame you and if they do then that isn't a real friend anyway! So get off your high horse or.. as society likes to call it "i'm too busy" and get over here and Give me some cuddle time!

Until next time,

TheFootGal

Nonunion Week 14 | Atrophy and Some Unpleasantness

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I want to approach my blog. I do still want to talk about my foot journey but I've gotten to a weird point where people who will be having the foot surgery will still relate but they will get better sooner than I have.

If you are reading this for tips then know you are at the right place. If you see that I've been on this journey for 3 years then please do not think that you will also be out of luck for 3 years or longer as I am. I am a rare case. My doctors have all said so. "so young" "I'm not sure why" "you are so healthy." I recently went to get my 3rd cast on and stitches removed. I was excited for both. Stitches are very uncomfortable in a cast and due to atrophy (loss of muscle) in my leg the cast had become extremely loose and wiggly causing it to be even more uncomfortable.

The three days before going in, when I started really losing the muscle, I was having a hard time. Of course I knew this was coming. I wish this was my first time and could be naive to the hardest parts of surgery. However, I knew and I posted about it showing how I'd miss my calf muscle. It took me 2 years to get both of my calf muscles back. I only had full calf muscle for 4 months before I was told I'd have to get surgery again.

To those of you who are reading this and haven't had to experience atrophy I will try to help you understand how hard it can be.

at·ro·phy

ˈatrəfē/

verb

1. 1.

   (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution.

   "without exercise, the muscles will atrophy"

   synonyms:

   waste away, become emaciated, wither, shrivel (up), shrink; More
2. 2.

   gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect.

   "her artistic skills atrophied from lack of use"

   
   

Here is a picture showing my own atrophy. I am skinny so there isn't a whole lot but muscle to lose. I'm slowly turning into bone. I have to watch my leg waste away to nothing. Then one day I'll have to go through pain and agony and work through the weakness that my leg will have become by then. It's like when you have taken too much time away from the gym; you've become fat and weak. You go to the gym and work out and what happens? You start becoming strong again. The things that come along with that strength are usually tightness, pain, and discomfort. 

This is similar to my atrophy however.. this muscle I'm losing is everyday muscle that you can't lose without actually not using it. Ever. It's the muscles you use to walk, stand, sit, squat, pic up things off the ground, etc. The muscle that by nature you need to be a human and move around. I can't use that during the healing so I lose them. Then I have to rebuild later but I haven't been walking, standing, squatting or picking up things off the floor. I've been recovering, healing, resting, and preparing. 

It's hard. To know that I am watching myself even in this small area, my calf, waste away to bone. To know that I in a small way am weak. If I tried to walk on this today I probably could but only for a short time. Just like working out you have to slowly build up how much weight you can lift or how many lunges you can do. I'm starting over again. Just like a baby who has never walked before doesn't have the muscles. Each time I go through a surgery like this I lose those muscles. It's hard to watch. It hurts me emotionally. I had to cry for it. I had to accept it. I do accept it. That doesn't change the fact that I'm human. I would like to be able to kick someones ass if needs be. 

My doctor told me some honest truth this visit. He said "Kristy, I have to be honest with you. I do not know why this happened. It's so rare and I've never seen it before. If I'm being honest it could have been done differently the first time but it wasn't anything you did."

He isn't saying that my doctor before messed up, just that my case was hard from the start and that my feet alone were a bit rare, which is probably true since my other doctor laughed and said "where did you get these feet?" when he first saw them. But the important part of that was when my doctor now said "..it wasn't anything you did."

                                                 

The relief to know that I haven't brought this upon myself is tremendous. You always have to be weary in this kind of situation. On some level you give the doctors the 'O.K' to go and work on you. There is a level of uncertainty when things don't go exactly how they should, which seems to happen a lot in my case. So again if you are here for advice then take the advice that atrophy is hard. That you will have to mourn it but that you have the strength to build it up again in the future. Don't fret and worry that this may happen to you.. because honestly my doctor has done so many of these surgeries and has never seen a case like mine. Ever. So odds are you will be fine! you will heal within a Year and be on your way to running marathons. I do hope you come back to my blog and visit. Or even contact me. I will be trying new things and exploring the world in a new way. I do enjoy success stories though so if you are one I'd love to hear about it. 

Until next time,

TheFootGal