4 weeks post bunion and bunionette surgery recovery

Clomping around in my Air Walkers

Shoes have always hurt my feet. I could never figure out why my feet never looked good in cute ballet flats. I knew I had wide feet but I didn't realize until much later that not only did I have bunions but I also had bunionettes! Those bony protrusions on both sides of my feet made wearing even wide shoes uncomfortable. And unattractive.

Enter COVID19 and 9 months of home schooling a Kindergartener, running after a 2-year-old, working out, and working from home. All that activity on hardwood floors really aggravated the bunionette on my right foot. One day I developed a huge bruise around the bunionette and after that I could no longer stand on floors barefoot. Taking a shower was really painful. Friends recommended getting Vionic house slippers and I chose the Vionic Sadie Mule Slipper since it has arch support and it helped cushion my inflamed bunionette.

A few weeks later I had a consultation with a podiatrist in my area. I asked a ton of questions and by the end of the appointment I decided to get surgery on both feet. The official procedures were: Modified McBride bunionectomies and excision of the 5th metatarsal heads on both feet. Outpatient surgery would take about 3 hours during which the bunions near my big toes would be shaved down and part of the bone near my pinky toes would be removed.

On surgery day I made sure to wear pants with the widest legs. It was a wise decision because I had to put my pants on over my bandaged feet and leave wearing super chunky boots. 

My recovery nurse complimented me on my smart pant choice. He said he once tended to a patient who had foot surgery in San Francisco. The nurse asked me what I thought the patient wore to surgery and I answered, "Skinny jeans!" The nurse laughed and said, "Yep! He couldn't put his pants on so I sent him home in paper shorts." So, put vanity aside and wear your widest leg pants to make things easier.

Week 1 - sent home in bandaged feet

Week 1

I won't lie. The first week was really hard. I usually try not to take any pain medication because it just doesn't agree with me. My doctor told me that the second night would be the most painful so I used night 1 as an indicator. I took Tylenol only but I felt excruciating pain when standing in boots. The pain would wake me up and it was hard to sleep with my feet elevated on cushions.

If the second night would be worse I didn't want to suffer needlessly so I decided to take the prescribed pain medication Tramadol. I ended up having a terrible reaction to it - shortened breath, nausea, slow heart rate, weakness - and it didn't even help with pain! I stopped taking everything and just toughed it out.

I had to keep my bandages on for 10 days so I laid in bed and kept my feet elevated even when sleeping for the entire week. I didn't sleep under the covers, just used a lightweight blanket because I couldn't stand any pressure on my feet. Every morning after I woke up I would do little circles with my ankles otherwise they would ache. I got up only to use the bathroom. Any time I needed to walk around I had to put on my DonJoy MaxTrax Air Ankle Walkers. It was a whole ordeal. I would slowly lower my feet - if I swung them down to the ground too quickly it felt like they would explode. I would strap each foot into a boot and slowly stand up. The boots have a rounded bottom so I supported myself with a hiking stick or by learning against walls. My feet would throb and feel like they were on fire. My bones felt like they were crunching and grinding as I clomped around in the boots. 

I couldn't stand for too long so I sat in a chair in the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I ate all my meals in bed. I took my first shower after 5 days. We had a whole procedure to get in and out of shower. I would:

• Walk to the shower in my boots
• My husband would place a bamboo shower bench in the shower
• Sit on the bench to remove my boots and my clothes
• Put on foot and ankle waterproof foot cast covers to keep my bandages dry while I showered sitting down. I needed my husband's assistance to stretch the opening of the cast cover over each bandaged foot.

Getting out was the reverse order but a bit more complicated because we would have to wipe the cast covers dry before I could take them off. We agreed that this was a 2-person job! I couldn't have gotten through recovery without my husband.

 Week 2 - 10 days postop

Week 2 - 10 days postop

Week 2 - 10 days postop

Week 2

I finally got my bandages off at my 10 day postop checkup. My doctor showed me my before and after x-rays, snipped off the ends of my dissolving sutures, and peeled off the tape holding together my incisions. I couldn't believe how narrow my feet looked!

He advised me to do passive range of motion exercises every 3-4 hours while awake. Bend my big toe up to the point it was uncomfortable, hold it for 30 seconds, bend my big toe down, and hold it for 30 seconds. I was able to walk out of my appointment in my regular shoes.

After I got home, I washed my feet for the first time in over a week. The surgeon's pen marks couldn't be scrubbed off until the 4th or 5th time. The incision sites were sore and swollen and a few days later formed scabs. Weirdly my feet experienced more swelling after the bandages came off. The areas around my big toes were numb so it was a strange feeling of hypersensitivity and numbness. I very gingerly did my passive range of motion exercises so I didn't walk normally. I would pick up my entire foot instead of rolling it. I also couldn't wear any of my regular shoes - my Birkenstock sandals were the only shoes that would fit!

Week 3

Week 3

Week 3

Week 3

My feet were still swollen so I kept them elevated as I worked from home. Every day I felt better and walking got a little easier. The areas around my big toes were still numb. Occasionally I would feel a jolt or a zing (maybe a sign my nerves were regenerating or healing?). I continued my range of motion exercises and I massaged my feet which seemed to help.

Whenever I walked it felt like the outsides of my feet where I had the bunionettes were more inflamed and tender than before. I would feel them as I walked. I talked to my doctor about some of the pain I was experiencing and he said everything sounded normal and expected. What was also normal (and weird) was my left foot was more swollen than my right. I continued to wear my Vionics at home and since I still couldn't wear regular shoes to go out, I just stuck with my Birkenstocks.

Week 4 - 1 month postop visit

Week 4 - 1 month postop visit

Week 4 - 1 month postop visit

Week 4

I'm now 1 month postop. The swelling has continued to decrease but I still can't wear regular shoes. I had my 4 week postop appointment with my doctor and during the visit he bent my big toe up and I winced. I guess I was too gentle with my exercises at home. He advised me to continue passive range of motion exercises every 3-4 hours while awake - bend the big toe up until it's uncomfortable and hold for 30 seconds, bend it down and hold for 30 seconds. He also encouraged me to walk normally (roll the foot) instead of lifting my foot (clomping) to minimize stress on the tendons at the top of the foot, the ones that help you flex and point your feet. For regular shoes he recommended Allbirds for their wide toebox and Altra footwear. I have a pair of Allbirds tree runners at home so I was excited to see if I could put them on but still no luck. I will try again next week. 

The scabs around my incisions have started to flake off. I still have numbness around the big toe on both feet and when I shower my feet turn a deep shade of purple. My left foot is still more swollen than my right. My big toes point inwards a little (it's normal to bend up to 10º). I was again relieved to hear that everything I was experiencing was normal and I was progressing as he expected. The doctor said all the swelling should be gone and I should have full range of motion back 4-6 months after surgery. I don't mind because I'll be working from home and my daughter will be doing distance learning for at least the next 6 months.

Will post more photos and observations over the next few weeks!

I may earn a small commission on products mentioned in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure page for more information.

Instant Pot accessories

Did you join the growing contingent of Instant Pot lovers/owners? Or maybe you already have one and you're looking for ways to use it even more. Just in time for the holidays here's a list of various Instant Pot accessories to try!

1. Steamer basket

I use this to steam veggies and to hard boil eggs (steam setting for 6 mins if you like the yolk well-done like I do). I like this steamer basket way more than the steamer rack that comes with the Instant Pot.

It comes with a handy hook and safety tool to lift the basket up so you don't scald yourself.

2. Silicone lid cover

I'lll make bone broth (here's my recipe) in my Instant Pot. This silicone lid comes in handy when I want to pop the entire pot into the fridge. It doesn't fit perfectly on the 6 quarter pot but it creates a good enough seal that I can even put additional items on top of the lid. I think fit comes down to your specific pot - reviews suggest that this lid fits well on some pots and not on others.

3. Sealing rings 2-pack

I admit I don't do a good enough job of scrubbing the inside of my lid. That goes for the sealing ring as well. It's now this dingy yellow color and I'm at the point where it probably wouldn't make a difference.

If you're sensitive to residual smells and want to keep your sweet vs savory creations separate then it might make sense to invest in a pair of new sealing rings.

4. Replacement pot

If you intend to use your Instant Pot as long as I do, you can't have too many pots on hand. I've scratched mine up by using metal utensils (ugh and duh). Get a replacement when they go on sale!

 

5. Round cheesecake pan

Basically a tiny springform pan for your 6 or 8 quarter Instant Pot.

6. Instant Pot recipe book

One of the top-rated recipe books on Amazon - if anything it'll help you feel less intimidated about your Instant Pot. And it might help you get up to speed enough to come up with your own creations.






You can also check out recipes on the official Instant Pot site here: https://recipes.instantpot.com/

Have fun and enjoy!

I may earn a small commission on products mentioned in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure page for more information.

Work Life Balance

My sleep schedule has been all over the place since the arrival of baby #2. The good news is I usually have no problem falling asleep because I get so little of it. I find myself having crazy dreams even though sometimes I'm only sleeping 2-3 hour stretches at a time. Here's one of my more recent dreams that really stood out - hope you enjoy it!

--------------------------------

"Did you see that new data and analytics company that's around the corner from us? Medallion? It's walking distance. You wouldn't even have to commute! You should work there!" I say excitedly to Joel over brunch.

I first noticed the company's shiny new sign during my morning walk a few weeks ago. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows put all its employees in a fish bowl and during my many walks I started noticing some characters who stood out. The lady with the purple hair. The young tech bro who wore shirts that were just a little too tight. The pleasant but serious-looking female developer. She must have resting bitch face, I thought. The employees buzzed around and the building seemed to hum with energy. Joel with his easy-going nature and a brain for data science would fit right in.

A few weeks later I come home from work and Joel greets me with a huge grin. He aced his phone screen and he has an on-site interview at Medallion next week!

Joel spent five hours interviewing with 3 employees and a panel. It was exhaustingly brutal but after waiting a nerve-wracking 2 weeks, he got an offer. I couldn't have been more excited for him. He would be working in an innovations group on data collection and applications. It was so top secret that he couldn't tell me any more details. I didn't ask questions and just felt insanely proud and happy for him.

Joel suggests we take an urban hike to hit up our favorite restaurant and dessert spots downtown to celebrate.

"Why don't you wear those new boots and that coat you just got?" he suggests.

Like I need an excuse to get dressed up. As I zip up my boots I start thinking of the juicy pork chop that I'll soon be enjoying. We take a walk downtown and get seated at our usual table for dinner. Then we walk a few blocks to grab a quick dessert. It's still pretty early but we start heading back. It's a crisp night and Joel's eyes wander upward, drawn to a collection of red bows tied to the trees overhead.

"Hey, don't those bows look like the ones we saw on vacation in Rome last summer?" he asks. 

They do. "Yeah... That's weird," I say. My eyes follow them off into the distance.

He must be thinking the same thing because I hear him whisper, "Let's follow them." I'm game.

They lead us past the cafe where we had our first coffee date. The cafe is full even at this hour and as I walk past the window, I catch a glimpse of purple hair. The lady quickly looks up and smiles at me. I swear she looked at me like she knew me. She smiled at me warmly but all I could do was frown slightly as I tried to place her.

The bows jump across the street and through the park where we've spent many lazy weekends stretched out on blankets, reading books or playing scrabble. It's like we're taking a walk down memory lane. I feel Joel's hand squeeze mine. I look up and see him point his chin toward our apartment. The bows end. At our apartment. Is it just a coincidence? Joel shrugs but I can see that twinkle in his eye. The kind he has when he's desperately trying to keep a good secret.

He doesn't say anything so we just go upstairs to our unit and start getting ready to turn in. We crawl into bed and Joel takes my hand in his. I can feel him tracing the promise ring I wear on my left hand. We exchanged matching bands 2 years ago while vacationing on Santorini. I'm drifting off to sleep when I feel him slip a ring on my finger. It clicks against my promise ring. My eyes snap open and his face comes into focus. I think he's been staring at me while I sleep. My eyes go from his face to the sparkling engagement ring on my hand. Before he can even ask me to marry him, I smile and say, "Yes!"

We share a tender kiss cut short by a knock on the door. Who could that be? I wonder.

Joel jumps out of bed and opens the front door. It's the CEO of Medallion. That's weird.

The CEO congratulates us and beams. He shakes Joel's hand vigorously and starts talking excitedly about ratings and demographics. Unbeknownst to me, our proposal was secretly recorded. Ahead of time Joel made a deal with the CEO to have our proposal released online. It was the exact type of content Medallion was looking for to move into their new frontier. I feel sick. I thought it was a special moment between just the two of us. Was that why he wanted me to wear my new boots and coat? So I would look good on camera? My eyes focus on the engagement ring on my hand and then start to scan the room. Were there cameras inside our apartment now? I look at Joel with wounded eyes but he doesn't meet my gaze. That's really out of character for him.

We're invited to attend Medallion's company party next month to celebrate our successful engagement and their foray into original content. I agree to go but it's hard to ignore the pit in my stomach. Now I have to spend an evening with the people who stole our engagement from us? Joel pleads with me to put on a happy face and enjoy the evening. It'll be so good for his career and it'll help us in the long run.

At the company party I notice some of the same employees I saw while we followed the red bows. The lady with the purple hair. They had been recording us along the way. No wonder why she smiled at me. She must've been happy for us... And thinking about the company bonus coming her way.

I get introduced to a woman named Jennifer "No Uterus" Hansen, the girlfriend of one of Medallion's star employees.

"Uh... How do you know she has no uterus? Isn't that sort of private?" I ask.

"We know because we had it removed," the CEO replies nonchalantly.

"Aren't you a data and analytics company? Why would you have it removed?"

He looks at me like I'm dumb or naive. Or both. "Because we can't afford to have any of our employees go on maternity or paternity leave."

A chill goes down my spine. I smile politely and turn away toward Joel. I lightly touch my stomach and look at him. I'm not showing yet. Do they know?

Joel doesn't answer but communicates with his eyes. They don't.

I want to get out of there. Like now. A million questions race through my mind as we gather our coats and make our way out. We decide to walk home so that we can talk. Why did he agree to take this job? So that he could provide for us. Did he know about their family planning "policy?" It wasn't disclosed until after he accepted.

"Why don't you just resign?" I ask. "You barely just started."

"This company falls in the category of innovative business. The type the government wants to grow and support. In the last few months they passed legislation to allow firms like this to switch from at-will employment to for-life employment. That means I don't get a say in when I can leave," he sighs. "They own me. Us."

The blood drains from my face. I look up to see that we're approaching our building.

I reach for the handle to our lobby and turn to him, "Do you think our apartment is -"

He finishes my question, "Bugged?" He nods.

He doesn't have to say another word. We're a team and together, we're determined to figure a way out of this mess.

Quick and easy chicken burgers

One of the staples in our household is chicken burgers. They're relatively easy to make and freeze great. They're super juicy, tasty, and a hit with our kid. The recipe is very forgiving so if you're missing some things you can just make it with ingredients you have on hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground chicken (we use organic thigh meat which has a higher fat content)
• 1 slice of whole wheat bread - ground up (or any type of bread you have)
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 onion run through a grinder (optional). Alternatively you can just add diced pan-fried onions to the meat mixture.
• 1 teaspoon garlic granules (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional - I don't really like the flavor so I prefer leaving it out)

Typically we'll use about 2 pounds worth of ground chicken which makes about 8 regular or 10 small patties.

Grind up one slice of whole wheat bread (or any kind of bread you have on hand).

Here's how fine the ground up bread crumbs should look - smaller than the size of peas.

Put the bread crumbs into a large mixing bowl.

Onion is optional but it makes the burger extra juicy. I've also used chopped up mushrooms instead of onion.

Grind up onion to a very fine consistency.

Add the chicken and onion to the breadcrumbs in the bowl.

Alternatively you can add diced pan-fried onions instead of ground up onion.

Add worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, and garlic granules. You can also salt each patty when you cook them instead of adding it to the meat mixture - you'll end up using less salt this way.

Mix everything so it's incorporated. Don't over mix otherwise the meat will be tough.

Spoon the mixture into a frying pan on medium heat and shape into patties. Salt each side if you didn't add salt to the meat mixture.

Flip over when a nice brown crust develops (takes a few minutes).

Makes about 8-10 patties - pop whatever you don't eat into the freezer.

We prepare our burgers with typical fixings - toasted buns, grilled onions, ketchup, pickles, lettuce or spinach, a slice of tomato, and avocado.

Sometimes I'll have the patty in a wrap when we don't have burger buns on hand or I'll just use regular sandwich bread.

Juicy and delicious. You might have more than one!

Easy 3 ingredient chocolate mousse

Easy 3 ingredient chocolate mousse requires just

semisweet chocolate, heavy whipping cream, and gelatin

Here's the perfect recipe if you want to make chocolate mousse that doesn't use raw egg whites!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon gelatin + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cold water
• 2/3 cup cold heavy whipping cream to fold into chocolate mixture

Step 1:

I don't have a picture of this but mix 1 teaspoon gelatin with 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of cold water in a glass cup. Set aside and let it swell for 5-10 minutes.

Melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream over a double boiler.

Make sure the water in your double boiler isn't too hot. The cream just needs to be warm to melt the chocolate.

This is what the chocolate and heavy whipping cream mixture should look like as it starts to melt.

My daughter came home while I was making this and she insisted on pulling up a chair to help. Now you know that this recipe is so easy that a 3 1/2 year old can make it. :o)

Step 2:

Heat up the gelatin - I put the glass cup of gelatin into the warm water from my double boiler. The heat from the water melts the gelatin and turns it back into a liquid.

Mix the gelatin into the chocolate and heavy whipping cream mixture.

Set aside to let it cool.

Step 3:

Whip 2/3 cup cold heavy whipping cream in a bowl.

Whip until soft peaks form.

Step 4:

Add chocolate to the whipped cream.

Step 5:

Incorporate the chocolate into the whipped cream. I use one of the beaters from my hand mixer and mix everything in a figure 8 pattern.

This is what the mixture should look like when it's been fully incorporated.

Step 6:

Spoon the chocolate mousse into cups and chill in the refrigerator.

I also put the mousse into small mason jars - perfect for travel to a friend's house.

Bonus - scrape out the bowl and lick all the spoons when you're done!

How I Met My Husband

This picture doesn't look like much but this is the night that changed my life. First, a little history. I had been single for a few years after a long relationship and my parents were constantly worried that I would end up alone. Maybe I was naive but I wasn't worried. Instead of wasting energy worrying, I decided to hang out with friends, travel, play ultimate frisbee, and just do all the things I wanted to do. You know, really take advantage of being single! I also decided to take a trip somewhere once a month. I originally set out to do it for a year but I ended up traveling for 3 years straight!

My friend Daniela joined me on one of my trips, this time to Boston. I always try to go Lindy Hopping whenever I travel but wasn't able to find a swing dance venue that weekend. Instead, Sweet Molasses Blues was taking place. Ugh, blues, I thought.

I had been Lindy Hopping for 11 years and I never wanted to try blues dancing. I always thought of Lindy Hop as a happy bouncy PG dance and blues as some slow R-rated intimate dance you did after hours with the lights way down low. Not for me.

But since there was no dance alternative that weekend in Boston, I finally (and reluctantly) decided to try blues dancing. I took a bus to the venue and immediately met Lisa, a sweet woman who introduced me to a few blues dancers. I only planned to dip my toe into the blues pool but that night I ended up jumping in. I was so wrong about blues! I had an amazing time filled with memorable dances and vowed to keep blues dancing once I returned to San Francisco.

I found Shades of Blues, a weekly blues dancing venue in the Mission and was welcomed to the SF blues scene by the venue's organizer Ruth Evelyn and a friendly community.

One night while I was dancing at Shades, I happened to glance across the floor and caught a glimpse of Michael's profile. I had no idea who he was but I immediately felt a sense of calm settle over me. He was the one. It was a really strange feeling. Like realizing something that was obvious. During the dance I thought to myself - Okay, I know who I'll end up with. Now I just have to wait and see when that'll be. Crazy, I know, but that's exactly what happened.

We got married 3 years later.

Moral of the story: be open to new possibilities because you never know where (or to whom) they will lead.

TL;DR: tried a new dance and ended up meeting the man I would marry.

And this is how he proposed. 😀

Edit