I'd actually already scheduled a Lapiplasty surgery with another surgeon when I came across Dr Silverman 's less invasive surgery to correct the problems that had occurred over the previous year and a half, while all of the soft tissue in my left foot went through the very slow healing process of well over a year from the trauma of dropping a large sledgehammer directly on top of it. OUCH!
He was the only doctor I met with who actually took my foot into his hands while looking at the x-ray: he felt it, moved it around, noting the looseness of the ankle, ("You sprained it a lot as a kid ~ you must've been a roller skater or ice-skater, huh?" he said) the bones within it and how they'd moved without the muscles to hold them in place. He told me the x-rays he'd just taken showed some arthritis, and asked me exactly WHERE the pain was the worst, WHEN did it get bad, and HOW bad was it? He explained that this type of arthritis comes from having a very similar injury to the one I was healing from now, but at a much younger age. That triggered a memory for me back 50-some years as a pre-teen, when my cousin's largest horse stepped fully on top of that same foot, causing that same pain, which I then remember resulting in limping that lasted for months.
He told me why the bunions formed, both the bunion beneath the Big Toe and the "bunionette" beneath the baby toe. The previous surgeon had not mentioned that one AT ALL! He also explained how the tendon that connects to the second toe was being pulled too tightly by the bones as they separated, and that's what was causing it to curl into what is called a hammer toe, which he said he could ALSO fix.
This foot has caused me to need to go in for chiropractic adjustments weekly, if not more often, due to the amount of pain I'm in from my body getting so out of alignment trying to navigate throughout the day. Because I also had been hit by a car and had the left knee broken when the bumper hit it at age 25, the foot problem exacerbated the knee issue to the point where I can only take steps one at a time, and need help getting in and out of chairs, and FORGET about holding anything while trying to stand up! My hips constantly out of joint and my sacral nerve pinched: I COULD HARDLY WAIT for surgery! I cancelled with the other guy and scheduled With Dr Lance Silverman INSTEAD!
I had my surgery November 4th, and today is December 15th. I've been in to his offices for 3 post-op appointments, and have one more to go.
My recovery was pretty painless! They did a pain block from the knee down that lasted the first 24 to 48 hours; it was difficult to discern exactly when the numbness left, but I only ever took half-pills of the pain meds provided, just before sleeping so I wouldn't wake up in pain.
I was prescribed one of those cool knee scooters to tool around with for shopping, and it was pretty fun in the parking lots, too! After the first week, a big velcro-strapped walking boot (weight on heel only} was provided, which made getting around the house much easier. A smaller boot at the 3rd appt was appreciated then, too.
Keeping my leg and foot elevated whenever not actually on the ground seems to be the key towards keeping the inflammation and swelling minimized on the entire foot, but especially the tall 2nd toe, which did get the hammertoe correction procedure done on the tendon attached to it. That toe is twice the size it used to be, and looks like a little sumo wrestler.
So Far, SO GOOD! This Doctor knows his field of practice Well! I will update more once I've finished recovering read more
