However, now she has to have surgery on her right foot. As you can see in the pictures, she is not able to put the bottom of her foot flat on a surface like she can her left foot. You can clearly see the deformity. This hasn't always been this way. In 2007, it had progressed enough to warrant tendon surgery at Shriner's Hospital (in Tampa). They did a tendon splat. You can see the scar in one of the pictures. Well, now she is far past just tendon surgery. The surgeon is going to do a triple arthodesis. This involves fusing the 3 main joints in the hindfoot (subtalar joint, talo-navicular joint, and calcaneo-cuboid joint). He will also do a posterior tendon tibialis lengthening. It's a 2 hour surgery. She'll be in the hospital (Arnold Palmer in Orlando) for 2-3 days. Let's hope and pray she doesn't pull any stunts like the last time *wink, wink*. She will be in cast for 6-8 weeks - that should add even more fun to lifting her. Sorry - I don't mean to sound bitter - I know there are children (and adults) that have to endure far more than Dakotah.
I am hoping for 3/15 surgery date bc we will be on our Spring Break and I won't miss time from work (bar any complications). If not, then it will be 3/22. He's pretty full on the 15th but Dakotah has a way with some of the nurses who then have a way with the surgery scheduler so hopefully we'll get the 15th. I will update once I have a date.
I want everyone to know that this surgery is necessary. If it's not done, her foot will continue to rotate and it will affect her being able to spend time in her stander. In fact, already she is not allowed to be in the stander (it's a piece of equipment that has a lot of health benefits for her - see list below). I don't care what her foot looks like - no one even notices. I don't care that she is unable to get her foot into cute shoes or that I have to get on contortionist positions to cut her toenails (smile) - none of those things matter to me. It's her getting back in her stander. Also, I have read quite a bit online about this type of deformity causing pain and since she can't tell me, she could very well be in pain from this. There are times when she lifts her foot/leg up and down making uncomfortable sounds, so who knows.
Benefits of being in the stander:
Improved bowel and bladder function, enhanced respiratory function, reduction of pressure ulcers, prevention of lower extremity contractures, lower extremity weight bearing improves and maintains bone density, Improvement of circulation, strengthening of cardiovascular system, and facilitates development of appropriate alignment of the spine, hips, knees and ankles.
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| Left foot ("normal") |
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| Right foot (rear view) |
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| Right foot-knee all the way over to be able to get it this flat on surface. |
