In With Both Feet

I'm back... sort of.

I've actually tried writing a couple of posts over the past few months, but would lose my train of thought, become stuck on how to end the post, only to delete it and walk away.

If only I had done that with previous posts that I've published, The Brown Knowser would have come to an end years ago. But I digress.

When I said goodbye to my blog at the end of May, I did so with much regret because I actually loved writing. The problem was that writing The Brown Knowser was becoming stressful as I imposed ridiculous pressure on myself for getting something out, regardless of the content or quality.

Many of you have been kind to me and offered praise for my blog, and I thank you, but I think that praise inadvertently placed more pressure on me to continue the daily writing. But that's not on you, it's on me. The pressure was all on me.

So, after more than a four-month hiatus, I've decided to give this blog thing one more chance. I actually started writing this post almost a month ago, allowing myself time to come back to it, review it, make changes, and most importantly, remove the stress of getting it out in time for the next day.

If this goes well, I may return to blogging, but on a more reasonable timeline. Maybe once a week or every couple of weeks.

I left The Brown Knowser at a time when the biggest issue in my life was my left foot. If you've followed my blog in the past, you know that I had a degenerative condition with the bones in both of my feet, plus severe osteoarthritis, which caused acute pain in both feet and would sometimes restrict my ability to stand for any given length of time. I couldn't run, and if I walked for any distance I would feel the repercussions for days after.

In my 20s I had surgery to correct the degenerative bone condition—Köhler's disease—in my right foot, but the arthritis persisted. I had the same condition in my left foot but surgery at the time seemed less dire, and so I let it go and coped with the arthritis in that foot.

It was a couple of years ago that the Köhler's became a greater issue, to the point that a piece of bone in my left foot broke off while I was cycling from Kingston to Perth in the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour. I had to end that ride in Elgin and wasn't able to cycle any distances until this summer.

I had reconstructive surgery last November, when my surgeon removed the bones that gave me problems and fused bone from my pelvis in their place. He also removed the arthritic joints, thereby removing all of the parts of my foot that gave me pain.

On the day of my last blog post, I revisited my surgeon for our six-month check up. At this meeting, he took x-rays of both feet to compare with the first set that he took, long before my surgery. He told me that this operation was his best work and that he was very pleased with the outcome. He had even written up my case in a medical journal and it was now being studied by his students (the Civic campus of the Ottawa Hospital is a learning centre). My surgeon added that it was a classic case of a rare condition and a complicated procedure to correct it, with a great patient (aww... shucks!).

In early consultations with the surgeon, he told me that the procedure on my right foot (about 30 years ago) had fused and there was nothing more to be done with it. At this appointment, I said, "It's too bad you can't do anything about the arthritis in my right foot."

"Actually, I can," was his answer. He showed me the x-ray of my right foot and pointed out the area in which the arthritis was its worst. He compared that area of my foot with the work he did on my left. "This area was untouched by your previous surgeon. That's also where you receive your injections." (I get steroid injections every six months or so for the arthritis. Before my last surgery, I received the shots in both feet but only get them in my right one, now.) "I can remove those joints. You'd never need to come in for injections again."

I wasn't sure how to react. For the most part, the injections are a lifesaver. Once the steroid kicks in, my pain is gone. In fact, my last injection was in April and I still walk pain-free. But receiving the injections are a bit of a hassle, as they must be done under a live x-ray. Another surgeon performs the procedure, where I receive three shots: the first, to freeze the area; the second, to inject a dye so that the surgeon can locate the most-advantageous crevice in which to insert the third injection, which delivers the steroid. It's a procedure that takes between 15 and 20 minutes, but I'm in the hospital for an hour.

It's not a big deal, but if another surgery means that I wouldn't have to return, and if all the pain was eliminated, perhaps the surgery is worth it.

Because it's my right foot, there are more things to consider. For one, I won't be able to drive for three months, maybe longer. That wasn't an issue when I had the surgery 30 years ago. I didn't own a car at the time and work was a short bus ride away. I was also younger and much more fit.

I didn't seem to have much difficulty getting around while my left foot was recovering. And when I purchased the iWalk hands-free crutch (which I referred to as my peg leg), I had very few problems getting around (though, I fell a couple of times). I have since sold that peg leg, but I'd certainly get one again. It's worth every penny.

I told my surgeon that I'd think about it and let him know when we meet again, at our one-year anniversary of my successful surgery.

I think I'm going to do it.

Knowing what to expect, I can jump in with both feet.