I was stuck downstairs so I did not post about getting the bone stimulation machine. Someone from the company delivered the unit at around 11:00 am, at the same time my cousin and his wife showed up to take me to lunch. The unit looks like this:

It is very simple to operate. Basically, you hold down the one large button and it runs for 30 minutes. Afterwards, the unit shuts down, ready for another day. It is portable and powered by a 9-volt battery. The manual has a lot of warnings about not operating electronic nearby, and the possibility of electromagnetic interference (EMI) while the unit is on. I was unable to find out how much power and the frequency of the EM generated.

I waited until around 8:00 pm before using the machine because a friend wanted to come over and see it in action. However, the only indication that it is running is a 30-minute countdown timer. I was told to use it lying down so both my ankle and heel are between the two panels. I thought I felt a bit of warmth while the unit was on but could not really tell due to the cast and neuropathy.

Overall, I am happy the unit was delivered quickly, and I was able to start using it. I am still not 100% convinced on whether it will work but if gently warming my leg with microwaves will increase blood flow, it may help a bit. I am also hoping my surgeons have experienced some prior success with the device since they recommended the therapy. I just feel I need to try anything and everything to prevent the worst-case scenario.

A lot has happened since the last update ten days ago. I hinted at stuff in some more recent posts, but I will summarize here after speaking to both orthopedic surgeons.

• Due to my diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and even the kidney transplant, my bones are likely weaker than normal. One surgeon said rolling my ankle should not have resulted in bone fracture.
• I was healing fine from the initial surgery. The CT scan from March 20th showed everything was normal and healing.
• From the May 28th CT scan, one of the two bone fusion sites did not heal properly. Some bone filler from the ankle has been reabsorbed.
• Additionally, my heel bone has fractured along (near?) one of the screws holding the metal rod. The surgeon said this was likely due to my weakened bones. There is some bone loss here too.
• Unless the heel bone heals itself, the ankle will continue to deteriorate if I keep walking on it. If it heals, and the ankle is not bothering me, then we will leave everything as is.
• There are two surgical options, but both are risky. The first involves going back into the joint and adding more bone filler and hoping it sets. The other is to rearrange all the bones again and use a ring external fixator with wires to hold everything together. This looks scary and will take many months. Search “Charcot external fixation device.”
• The final option is to amputate below the knee and get a prosthetic lower leg and foot.

For now, we are casting the leg and hope my heel bone will heal on its own. That is the usual treatment for a heel bone fracture. We are also hoping that by not putting weight on the ankle, the ankle joint will regrow some bone. The surgeon ordered a blood test to see if my blood chemistry is conducive to bone growth, and they started the process of getting an EM bone stim machine. A representative from that provider has already called me for insurance approval. I am really hoping this will help and is not a scam.

Obviously, I do not want to lose my leg. I would have the lamest reason for injuring my ankle and amputation. I still have a ton of questions. I did try to ask as many as possible, and I may call or text both surgeons some more for clarity.

• Were my bones strong enough for the initial surgery? Or was that the only option so we had to take the risk?
• The physical therapy order said 50% weight with boot. However, the therapist had me out of the boot by day three and putting full weight on my ankle. Was that the reason for or contributed to the current issue? I just followed instructions from the physical therapist, and there were several x-rays done after starting physical therapy without showing any apparent issues.
• What are the chances of the heel bone healing by itself? I know we have to see if it happens, but I will need to live with a cast and not walk for several more months. I am also suffering from anxiety and panic attacks from the cast and the current situation. The physical symptoms are is making me feel worse.
• Are my current surgeons okay with me getting a second/third opinion? I believe that is a pretty standard process before making a major medical decision or getting surgery. Someone from my parents’ church already gave them the name of a foot/ankle orthopedic surgeon from UCI Medical Center.

So, now I need to wait and pray. I waited three months after the first surgery, and I wonder if I somehow pushed the surgeon to get out of the cast early. This time, I need to be more patient, even if the panic attacks are more frequent and intense.

Another decision I need to make is where should I stay? I am currently still at home and living on both floors. That means several trips up and down the staircase. Going down is easy but climbing up on my knees is tiring. It also discourages me from going to the kitchen and getting food. I have lost seven to eight pounds since getting a cast again. Prepping food is also much harder with crutches or a knee scooter. Other options are putting up a bed in my mostly empty living room and staying downstairs or moving back to my sister’s house. At least there is food available at my sister’s house.

Since I am officially retired, I am just sitting around all day regretting past decisions and asking God, “Why?” I know this is bad for me but like the panic attacks, I seem to have zero control. I was on dialysis for three and a half years and this feels way worse.

I made a post last week about needing a CT scan on my ankle regarding missing bone material. During the appointment, my orthopedic surgeon said not to worry about it, and we will figure out what is happening after the CT scan. I went directly to the imaging clinic to make an appointment, which is currently scheduled for next Tuesday.

Well, the surgeon’s office just called asking about the CT scan. I let them know about the appointment I already made and mentioned that the time can move up my insurance gives approval sooner. The caller then said that my surgeon said we should not wait, and we should get the scan as soon as possible.

Ugh, should I start worrying now? Also, there used to be a large incision from the surgery at the bottom of my foot. It seemed to heal well, but now the spot seems to have caved in a bit. Not sure if that is worrisome as well.

==========

The surgeon’s office called again and now he wants to see me ASAP. I originally had lunch scheduled but I cancelled that so I can go into his office at 11:15 am. Also, it was a blister that formed at the incision point and it popped yesterday. I was wearing a black compression sock all day so it was not visible on the sock. However, I just checked the sock and there is definitely signs that there was fluid and there is a lot of dried residue on the sock.

Ugh. Why is everything so difficult?

I saw the orthopedic surgeon this morning and there is potential bad news. It is difficult to see but it appears that I am losing bone from the tip of one of the screws in my foot. I made a composite of photos I took of x-rays.

There is definitely more bone in the April picture and just a shadow from this morning. The surgeon wants me to get a CT scan for a clearer image. He also went to consult with the other foot/ankle surgeon in his office, and both are uncertain what it could be. He did suggest Charcot Foot, which would fit since I am diabetic, but why so much change in three weeks? I was told to stop physical therapy until after he sees the CT scan.

If the bone is indeed deteriorating, one solution is to remove the bottom screw from my foot. We need to make sure that the ankle is properly fused to the metal rod. That would require another surgery, but it would be relatively minor and require much less recovery. Still sucks though.

I have got good news and bad news. The good news is that everything still looks fine, and my ankle is healing well. The bad news is that the ankle is not at 100% so I will need to keep wearing a cast, at least for another two weeks. I was hoping that I would be able to switch to a walking boot today, but the surgeon said we would do so during the next appointment. They did replace the cast today:

Ugh, that looks horrible. The skin is very dry and flaking off my leg. They did wipe my leg down with alcohol, but I am sure my skin has dried out again. At this point, I did not care about the cast color, so they gave me a blue one again. The next appointment is in sixteen days instead of twenty-one, so I saved myself five days of misery.

On the way out of the office, the elevator broke. Since the office was on the second floor, and there was only one elevator, we had to wait for the elevator repair person. Soon, there was a line of people on crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs waiting to go up and down. The office had no choice but to call the fire department, and they came within ten minutes. I was the first patient in line, so they put me in a chair/dolly and rolled me down two long flights of stairs like a refrigerator being moved.

The new cast. I asked for more room at the bottom so I can wash my toes easier, and Larry (the cast guy) also put more padding at the top since I told him I was climbing stairs on my knees.

It has been only five days since my last update, but since I am now at home instead of my sister’s house, I thought I would share the experience so far.

Living solo at home with a non-weight bearing cast has been more difficult than I expected. I have plenty of equipment, with a knee scooter (thanks Doug) and a (cheap) walker upstairs, and a fancy walker with a seat for the first floor.

Finally, in the garage, I have a pair of crutches, another knee scooter I bought, and a wheelchair. I get around okay, but going up the stairs several times a day is very tiring.

My routine starts in the morning. I have a stash of pre-made protein shakes upstairs and I usually drink one for breakfast. I try to avoid going downstairs until lunch. I would also bring down trash, empty containers, or dirty dishes, one step at a time. After lunch, I would climb upstairs, usually on my knees, and stay until dinner time. Then I would repeat the cycle, bringing up stuff one step at a time too. Of course, stuff comes up during the day, so I end up going downstairs more than just for lunch and dinner.

I expected that climbing stairs would be difficult, but making meals, even if just microwaving, has been taxing too. I did not think about how I would transport hot plates and bowls using one hand since I still needed to steer and hold on to the chair/walker. I used to eat upstairs before the surgery, but now I just eat in the kitchen nook. Even going to the dining room is too far and precarious.

The best scenario is the surgeon letting me use a boot instead of a cast after the next appointment. The appointment was schedule three weeks from last Wednesday and I already survived five/six days out of twenty-one.

Today is also my sister’s birthday.

I had my second follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon today. After sawing off the cast, the surgeon said it look good healing-wise, and sent me off to get some x-rays.

I think they took four x-rays and it confirmed that my ankle is healing well. The surgeon even told me that I may switch to a walking boot during the next visit. I am not setting any expectations.

I got a nice new blue cast this time. The surgeon even got some alcohol pads and wiped down my lower right leg. It has been in a splint and cast forever so the skin was dry and probably stinky.

During the same appointment, I also brought up that my leave form has not been completed. The surgeon said he would take care of it and the entire mess was resolved later this afternoon. In addition, I was informed by our leave administrator that I would receive $1,620/week in short-term disability. That works out to $40.50/hour, which is a lot of money for me to sit around. Our work also provides supplemental short-term disability, but it caps at $1,600. Someone forgot to update the cap amount.

Right after the appointment, my sister-in-law packed all my stuff at their house and moved me back to my house. We had discussed this previously. If the prognosis was good, I would move home. I guess I did not think it would be within the hour. Oh well, I was going to get thrown out sooner or later, and I am fine with right now.

Ever since being discharged from the first surgery on December 26, 2023, I have been living at my sister’s house. My sister works from home and is very busy during the day, so I typically talk to my sister-in-law. She usually cooks and has been making my lunch and dinner daily along with feeding the rest of their family. I think they have been fine with the arrangement, but nevertheless, I still feel like I am a burden.

The other option for me is to move back to my own house. It is also a two-story structure, but I do not have a bedroom downstairs like my sister’s house. I would either have to sleep in the family room on a recliner or figure out how to climb up and down the staircase somewhat efficiently. I have enough mobility hardware that having a walker and a knee scooter on each floor is no problem, but I would be alone in the house.

I need to map out the pros and cons to decide whether I stay with my sister for another two months or go home:

Stay at sister’s house:

Pros: food availability; people close by for emergencies, help with tasks, and driving to appointments; social interaction

Cons: small room and bed; limited living space and personal items from home; perception of being a burden; different living schedule

Going home:

Pros: more space and larger, more comfortable bed; access to personal items; more privacy; independence

Cons: living solo with help 5 minutes away; need to figure out two meals per day; may need to climb up/down stairs multiple times daily

I think the largest issue is food. I have been pretty independent for the past month her at my sister’s house. I will need someone to drive me to both the local supermarket and Costco weekly to pick up groceries and ready-to-eat food so I can cook minimally or just heat up meals. My church group all volunteered to help so maybe I can get a few weeks of dinner delivered to me.

I will wait until I speak to the surgeon this coming Wednesday to make a decision. If the ankle is healing according to schedule, then I will be more inclined to move home. Otherwise, we may need to repeat the second surgery and I will be starting recovery from day zero, which means I will stay with my sister.

It has been two weeks since my last appointment with the surgeon. They finally sent in my medical leave authorization form, but the dates were either incorrect or left blank. I really do not understand why since the office must fill out lots of leave forms from people with orthopedic surgeries. I asked via email for them to update it but since they never reply to emails or phone calls, I do not know the status.

As for my ankle, nothing has changed. I notice the swelling in my right lower leg when I sit for an extended period, and how the swelling goes down when I raise my legs up in bed. There have been a few neuropathy attacks, but I end up taking a Norco pill for each one. I just took one ten minutes ago because of nerve pain, but it went away as soon as I took the pill. The cast is also falling apart at the lower opening as pieces of black fiberglass are breaking off. I have another week until my next appointment, so I hope it lasts.

The thing that is bothering me is the surgeon’s comment about the small chance that the fusing surgery is not successful. In that case. they will have to repeat the surgery and start recovery from zero. I am already going crazy from being non-mobile for a month.

These are my most hated three words right now. I know why I cannot put weight on my right leg since I have a new metal rod in it. But hopping around on one leg is hard. I have crutches, two walkers, and a wheelchair, but I am not mobile at all.

I called my boss today to update him and he suggested I take a disability leave. I guess it is a “no no” to tell someone to quit while they are injured, from a work event no less. I also spoke with HR and started the process of going on medical leave. This will be the third time for me.

It has only been one day, but I do have trouble getting around. Going to the bathroom or cleaning oneself is a lot of work. I do not know if I can live on my own even if I stay on the first floor of my house.

Several weeks ago I made a post about spraining my ankle. Well, it turns out that I managed to break some bones, and then dislocate the joint by continuing to walk on it. Neuropathy is a bitch.

My ankle eventually did started hurting so I went to urgent care on Christmas Eve. After a four hour wait, I finally got an x-ray of my ankle and foot, and it looked bad. I was sent to the ER and underwent emergency surgery Christmas morning.

Due to the multiple fractures, the orthopedic surgeon put in a large bar and several screws into my leg and foot. Obviously I cannot put ant weight on it so the past few days have been tough. I did see the surgeon again after being discharged from the hospital, and we scheduled the second surgery for next Wednesday. This will put a large rod in my foot, ankle, and leg, and fuse the entire joint so I can walk.

If the surgery is successful, then I will have a two to three month recovery where I cannot put weight on my right foot. This sucks but at least I will not have all this metal on the outside of my foot.

It is kind of scary how a momentary bad decision can impact your life. What if I did not go to the holiday party? What if I did not meet up with my coworker friend who wanted to roller skate? What if I took off my skates and walked back to the bench after the first fall? What if I got an x-ray the next day instead of waiting for three weeks? So many what ifs?

This definitely puts a temporary halt to my retirement plans. I do not even know what to do next? Take vacation days? Go on medical leave? I guess I am just focused on being able to walk in the future.

Both eyes are done! I had surgery on my left eye on October 24th, and surgery on my right eye on October 31st. I had a checkup the day after surgery on my right eye, and the ophthalmologist said everything looks good. I have another appointment in early December to do a final check. I believe my eyes will have adjusted by then and I can go to my optometrist to get new glasses.

As for my vision, both eyes see more clearly. Since they were able to put in “prescription” lenses, I can see a lot better too. My vision is pretty bad: my prescription was -5.5 and -8+ in my left and right eyes respectively. Now, I am about -1.0 in both eyes, and arms-length items (computer screens) are in clear focus. I also need some reading glasses for very up-close reading, but the strength needed is only +1.0 or maybe even less.

Overall, I am quite happy. I wished my insurance covered more of the elective costs. These costs improve the safety and effectiveness of the surgery but cost me $7,000 out-of-pocket for the additional fees.

During my past few appointments with both my ophthalmologist and optometrist, they both mentioned that my eyes were cloudy, and that I need to get cataract surgery. So yesterday I had surgery on my left eye. The procedure was only around ten minutes, and I just went back to the ophthalmologist for a follow up appointment. Everything seems fine now, but I will need new glasses once my vision stops changing. I initially thought that I would not need glasses for mid and far sights, but it appears that I have 20/40 vision in my left eye and will still need glasses to see far.

Several things I immediately noticed. The cloudy lens in my eyes made everything more yellow. I was surprised how bright and white everything was looking through just my left eye. Also, everything seems about 20% larger. The ophthalmologist said that the larger image is the actual size. Having nearsightedness made images smaller. I guess if you wore glasses since grade three, there is nothing to compare to. I do not have to wear the protective shield during the day but will need to wear it at night. I also need to wear old people’s UV glasses when I go out.

I am having the same surgery done next Tuesday on my right eye. I am not sure what I am going to do for glasses when the prescription in both eyes are changing.

I went to my ophthalmologist today for cataract surgery pre-op. The appointment was to finalize my choices, sign consent forms, and pay. They asked me when I wanted the surgery done and I said as soon as possible. Since they only do cataract surgeries on Tuesdays, the first one will be next Tuesday 10/24, followed by the second one on Tuesday 10/31. I had to pay $7,000 out-of-pocket for laser surgery plus astigmatism lenses. They also asked me to buy eyedrops and that was $100 total for two tiny bottles.

I know our medical system, especially insurance, needs a lot of improvement. However, if I went with the standard procedure and standard lenses, the surgeries would have been paid for by my insurance. In Canada, insurance also pays for cataract surgery, but my cousin has been waiting for nine months to be scheduled and his eyesight is getting worse. Tradeoffs of socialized medicine I guess.