New Xrays

Not much has changed over the last month. The bone bridge will probably consolidate by my next visit, which isn't for 6 months.

Test Socket

I've been laid up for the past few days with a pretty awesome bout of viral gastroenteritis, and I don't really feel like typing much at the moment. Nevertheless, I had my test socket fitting today, and I'm pretty excited about the prospect of ditching the crutches. It will definitely take some getting used to, and my leg will continue to get stronger as the bone bridge solidifies. For now, I've decided on the Fusion foot, from Ohio Willow Wood.

Cleared!

Surprising turn of events... I had my checkup on Wednesday, and I was actually cleared for prosthetics! The doctor applied a decent amount of force with the palm of his hand to the end of my leg, and I tolerated it just fine. It wasn't uncomfortable or painful, and nothing snapped... so I guess that's a good sign.

I won't delete my earlier post. I think Ertl patients need to realize that you will get frustrated, you will hit a low, and you will rethink the decision. I have yet to see whether my outcome will leave me better off, but things are certainly starting to look better.

More x-rays coming soon.

9 Weeks

Tomorrow is the 9 week mark. Another check-up in Cleveland next week. Not expecting anything except, "Come back in 3 or 4 weeks." Probably shouldn't even waste my time going there, but I'm a sucker.

X-Ray Time

Here they are:

Ertl = waste of time

To anyone seriously considering this surgery: don't do it. If you're doing all right, you're doing much better than you think. Don't do what I did, and believe the surgeon who told you his technique heals faster and stronger than the "true" Ertl procedure. I still had stitches at 5 weeks; a true Ertl has stitches for 10 days. A true Ertl is walking within 4 weeks.

I'm now 8 weeks post-op, and I still don't have "significant bony healing" (their words.) So, it'll be another 4 weeks before I can think about a prosthesis. But don't worry, when those 4 weeks are up, and I've slipped and fallen on the ice too many times to count, then it'll just be another 6 weeks. In other words, I'll most likely never walk again. All because I was greedy, and wanted to be able to run. This should be an awesome Christmas.

If, by some miracle, I ever do walk again, I'll be too fat to walk more than 10 feet without having a heart attack. For those who don't know, spending every waking second on crutches is probably the worst possible way to go through life. Drop something? That's a 30-second penalty, and hopefully you don't lose your balance. Need to carry coffee across the room? Better take your time, and don't spill a drop. Oops, you did spill a drop, now that's a 2-minute penalty as you try to wipe it up without falling over. Need to carry anything at all up or down the stairs? Good luck.

When I'm not sitting at my desk all day, I'm sitting at home. Because I no longer have any desire to walk around. Thus, I'm probably gaining about a pound a day. That's pretty easy to do when all you do is sit and eat all day.

What if I just never go back for any more follow-ups?

Week 7

Thanksgiving will be the 7 week mark. Nothing really significant has happened lately, although the trip to Cleveland was a little disappointing. Dr Clair would like me to return in mid-December for another check-up, and only then can I start thinking about prosthetics. The problem is that I know that no one will be available during the Christmas holidays, which means I realistically won't have a leg until some time in January. I really didn't want to be contending with snow while on crutches, but it looks like that's where I'm headed.

I did have some x-rays taken in Cleveland, and I'll post them if I can obtain copies. If the bone bridge shows a callus formation, that should be the trigger for prosthetic fitting. Of course the bone bridge won't reach full strength for probably a year, but as long as the initial fusion has occurred, that's all that's important.

This goes against doctor's orders, but I made an appointment with my prosthetist for next Tuesday, 11/29, to have a plaster impression made. By the time the test socket is ready, hopefully I will have had my next check-up in Cleveland. And then, hopefully the real prosthesis could be ready before Christmas. That would be just over 11 weeks, which certainly should be adequate time for healing. Throwing away these crutches would be an excellent Christmas present.