Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 I'm glad to hear the good news, Barbara, and hope she has an uneventful recovery. Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 Thank you for sharing. My daughter, Bridget, will be having surgery this summer. We still haven't decided which procedure to go with. We are scheduled to see the third doctor on May 30. I hope Alice recuperates nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 Hi. Barbara from Bethesda, MD here. I have not read any of your messages since April 28. I removed my name from the list temporarily while we were in Wilmington, DE for Alice's surgery. Alice had her surgery on May 3. Dr. Jay from duPont performed the five-hour surgery. He transferred the posterior tibial tendon from the inside of her foot to the forefoot. He also did a plantar release. As many of you know, CMT surgery is difficult because the doctor cannot use a turnaquette without further damaging the nerves. As a result, the doctor has to choose between excessive bleeding and damaging the nerves. But Alice came through without either. The first set of casts were non-weight bearing and came up to her hips. These casts were removed on May 15. Although Alice had about six inscisions, she had very little swelling. The second set of casts are thigh-high and bend at the knee -- so she can walk in them with a walker. Alice is doing well. After nearly two weeks on bed rest, she is now at school. She alternates between walker and wheelchair. From start to finish, her spirits have been unbelievably high. She's my girl! My best to you all, Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 This reminds me of my surgery when I was 12 (now 49). I was in hospital for two weeks with thigh high casts with open crack down middle of each for them to pry open if swelling occurred. Blood seeped through casts. Both legs were kept in ice packs. Changed cast to go home. Stayed in bed for 3 mos. Then, changed to walking casts and removed wire that went from bottom of foot, through foot and curled at top of foot. They had a button on bottom where the wire was threaded. Removed stitches. Then the walking cast had a rubber tire looking strip on bottom about 3 " wide and was built up. I walked like a normal person in those casts - without crutches. When the casts came off, it was a different story. I had to learn to walk all over again. Balancing was a problem. Like a fish out of water. My feet were very sensitive on the bottom and I needed extra padding. Tennis shoes were not popular then. I wore saddle oxfords which were supportive, ugly, and hard. I developed bunions under each little toe - very painful, but that is where I still put the pressure on my feet on the outside. If I stepped on a rock, it would send a shooting pain right up my leg to my knee, making my knee give away. However, I walked from that time until I was 38 without crutches or braces. The surgery helped me make it through my young adult life when looks count. If I had not had pain from walking from not having much fat on the bottom of my feet, people really never knew. I did hyper extend my right leg (bring up higher) and walked with a little limp, giving in to pain either from the surface or the shoes hurting. No heels ever but that was okay. They have dressy flats. Now, I wear Kids Comfort s with my AFO's, use forearm crutches for short distances, and am in a scooter most of the time and have been for the last 6 years. I would not have taken for having the surgery because at that young age (my parents gave me the choice) I could not have handled the bracing or even crutches given an opportunity to walk without those devices. I met and married my husband at 33, he was 40. These ages were of accepting and understanding times. After falling and breaking bones in my feet, doctors put me in a scooter. My knees kept going out and I had gained a lot of weight. Doctor told me I should not weight any more than 120 lb.. or I would have difficulty. Well, I really went over that and more. So, I put a strain on his work and a strain on myself, but I didn't really have a problem until I was 38 and I started progression into the knees. It takes time to fully heal, but it was the right decision for me. I have Type 2, diagnosed at 8 yrs. of age - surgery when 12. -----Original Message----- From: Barbara Ranagan <ranagan@...> egroups <egroups> Date: Friday, May 19, 2000 9:21 AM Subject: [] Alice is doing well >Hi. Barbara from Bethesda, MD here. > >I have not read any of your messages since April 28. I removed my >name from the list temporarily while we were in Wilmington, DE for >Alice's surgery. > >Alice had her surgery on May 3. Dr. Jay from duPont performed the >five-hour surgery. He transferred the posterior tibial tendon from >the inside of her foot to the forefoot. He also did a plantar >release. As many of you know, CMT surgery is difficult because the >doctor cannot use a turnaquette without further damaging the nerves. >As a result, the doctor has to choose between excessive bleeding and >damaging the nerves. But Alice came through without either. > >The first set of casts were non-weight bearing and came up to her >hips. These casts were removed on May 15. Although Alice had about >six inscisions, she had very little swelling. The second set of >casts are thigh-high and bend at the knee -- so she can walk in them >with a walker. > >Alice is doing well. After nearly two weeks on bed rest, she is now >at school. She alternates between walker and wheelchair. From >start to finish, her spirits have been unbelievably high. > >She's my girl! > >My best to you all, >Barbara > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Air purifiers, bedding, household cleaning & more! gazoontite.com! >1/4195/10/_/616793/_/958746060/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 Glad to hear Alice is doing well. Keep up the good work. Barbara Ranagan wrote: Hi. Barbara from Bethesda, MD here. I have not read any of your messages since April 28. I removed my name from the list temporarily while we were in Wilmington, DE for Alice's surgery. Alice had her surgery on May 3. Dr. Jay from duPont performed the five-hour surgery. He transferred the posterior tibial tendon from the inside of her foot to the forefoot. He also did a plantar release. As many of you know, CMT surgery is difficult because the doctor cannot use a turnaquette without further damaging the nerves. As a result, the doctor has to choose between excessive bleeding and damaging the nerves. But Alice came through without either. The first set of casts were non-weight bearing and came up to her hips. These casts were removed on May 15. Although Alice had about six inscisions, she had very little swelling. The second set of casts are thigh-high and bend at the knee -- so she can walk in them with a walker. Alice is doing well. After nearly two weeks on bed rest, she is now at school. She alternates between walker and wheelchair. From start to finish, her spirits have been unbelievably high. She's my girl! My best to you all, Barbara --------------------------------- border= " 0 " alt= " " src= " http://adimg./img/4267/10/_/616793/_/958746060/pr_kid_468_12k.gi\ f " > --------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2000 Report Share Posted May 22, 2000 Best wishes to Alice. From Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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