June (9 months since surgery) Doctor's Appointment Update

I had my latest doctor's appointment this past Tuesday - June 26. The appointment was just the next one after surgery and mostly about the fact that I am still having A LOT of pain, swelling, and have even been limping around lately. The verdict of the appointment was what I suspected: Start thinking about having surgery to have the screw taken out. The surgery for this would be a lot less involved than the original surgery. But it still sounds scary! Dr. Buchanan said I would only need "a little bit of sleepy medicine" and it would be a faster recovery - I would need to take 7-10 days to be off my feet, but then could get back to normal. Right...

I have a CT Scan scheduled for Saturday, July 7th. This will tell us if my heel bone has healed after the work they did on it during surgery. If it has (which it should have and they think it has) then the screw can come out. Then it's just finding a time to take 7-10 days off (let's be honest, 10 or more knowing me and how I heal!) to really rest and not walk. Again. Ugh.

When I think about it, it seems like the screw needs to come out. It's what the doctor says they do if people are still having pain. It's what Dave at physical therapy said a lot of people have to do when they still have pain. Dave has also seen it work to help people's pain. (Obviously the doctor has too). And I have talked to several people who have had this surgery or know someone who did who have said the same thing - when they continued to have pain they had the screw taken out and the pain got better. So it looks like I will most likely have the screw taken out. But when?? I don't qualify for medical leave until March when I will have been at my job for a year. That's too long to live in pain with activity restriction like this still!! And there are lots of important events coming up! It's like I am stuck and I would REALLY like to move forward. So I have to find a time and save up my sick leave I guess...

After having the CT Scan done this weekend, I go back to the doctor at the end of the month and a decision will be made then. Hopefully I will have figured out when to schedule surgery too. I'm looking forward to getting back to normal life at some point!