This post contains affiliate links.

I have dealt with foot pain and plantar fasciitis pain for years. As I’ve struggled to find different, non-operative ways to relieve the pain, I’ve gotten injections, tried every shoe on the market, done daily stretches, and gone to physical therapy. But the pain never really went away. I got temporary relief at times, but nothing permanent.

Now, in my search for anything that would make walking more bearable, I did find a fantastic brand of inserts for my shoes that helped me get through my long work days. They’re called Powerstep Original Full Length Insoles. They’re amazing and I highly recommend them, even though the point of this post isn’t about inserts.

Life with plantar fasciitis

As I struggled with plantar fasciitis, and stubbornly avoided doing anything surgical, my ability to enjoy any type of activity went away. I was constantly in pain. I got to the point where I couldn’t go hiking, go for a run, or even walk my dog without experiencing severe pain. Long days at work left me unable to walk the next day, and even the slightest amount of activity would leave me hobbling around, chewing Advil like it was candy, hoping for some relief.

I finally broke. I couldn’t take the pain anymore. So I made an appointment with a surgeon to discuss my options. We decided on bilateral gastroc recessions. Yes, you read that right. I chose to get both of them done at once. Maybe not the best idea, or what most people would choose, but I only had a limited amount of sick time available, so I opted to just suffer through it, and get it all over with at one time. Besides, the thought of having to have two separate surgeries was too much for me. I wanted to get it done once and be done.

Surgery

I was a nervous wreck in the weeks leading up to my surgery. Of course, since I work in the O.R., and I’ve seen the different ways people react to anesthesia, I was so afraid that I would react badly, say something stupid, or do something embarrassing. And maybe I did – my surgical team wouldn’t tell me anyway, so I get to live in ignorance. But, knowing what to expect because I am experienced in the O.R. really put me on edge as the scheduled surgery date got closer.

September 25th finally arrived, and I was scheduled to go first. My nerves were much more settled the day of surgery, I think because I was finally doing something. And, one great benefit of working in the O.R. was that I was able to select my start time and my entire team, and I had complete trust that they were going to take care of me. It definitely puts your mind at ease when you know who is going to be taking care of you.

But, as a patient, I had never had surgery before. So the whole experience – from the patient’s perspective – was very new to me. I think that I have gained a new appreciation for what our patients experience during the whole process now that I have experienced it myself. Yes, I could always sympathize with them, because I knew they were nervous, scared, hungry, and/or hurting. But now, having lived it myself, I feel like I have a shared experience with them, and the ability to empathize with them during their time in surgery.

Recovery

My surgery went well, and my surgeon said that he’s confident I will have a good outcome. I’m so thankful. I can honestly say that, even though I did have some pain the first couple of days after surgery, overall I haven’t dealt with anything that was as painful as what I was experiencing on a daily basis prior to my operation. Which is an automatic improvement, even if I am still in the recovery process.

There was one thing I really wasn’t prepared for, though. I didn’t think to ask during my consult, and by the time I thought about it (the morning of my procedure), it was too late. When would i be able to shower? I knew that I was going to be wearing boots on both legs after surgery, but I guess I thought after a couple of days I’d be able to take them off to shower.

Nope. I was wrong. My surgeon didn’t want my dressings removed or my boots to come off until I saw him again for my follow-up. Which was 17 days away. YIKES! Showering was obviously out of the question. But, with some creativity, and these fancy bath sponges from Amazon, I’ve managed to stay clean. No, the bath sponges aren’t quite the same as a shower, but, they do work, they don’t leave a gross residue, and I don’t feel dirty. Which is a big win for me right now.

Follow-Up

I had my follow-up appointment today. My legs look a little atrophied after being in boots for 17 days straight. The incision sites look good, though! I’ll be starting therapy this week to work on getting my strength back. And I still have to wear the boots. But! I’m finally allowed to shower. And honestly, that’s the best news I’ve gotten today!

I hope you are all doing well!

Until next time,

Melanie