Devonviolet Acres

[farmerjan]

@Devonviolet , I am so glad to hear of this doctor and you getting a better diagnosis... and surgery. I have had a couple of foot specialists tell me my only option is fusing. Which I absolutely reuse to do. Then one tell me that ankle replacement is a possibility... Then a friend of a friend had a replacement done at Duke in NC and she had very good results. So I've decided to go there for a consultation. In the meantime, talking to one of the girls at our Computer center, in Raleigh, NC, I mentioned that I might be coming their way for a consultation visit and why. She says to me, oh, they are great. My dad has had both of his ankles replaced, both his hips, and one shoulder.... He has come down all the way from NY to NC to have it done and the rehab. SO needless to say, I am going to make an appointment there. Get the ankle assessed, then maybe even have them look at the knee and the one shoulder. Now, Medicare will pay so that is even better.
Maybe I need to make a vacation trip to Tyler Tx and talk to your dr. I just don't want to have surgery and wind up with a bunch of horrible scars and not fix the problems or lessen the pain. I really want to try the stem cell treatment, but it is not covered and I am not sure I can wait another year to save that up and then have it not work. But I am still trying to figure it out. If I decide to buy a place, then I can't be laid up for months at a time either. I am still considering my options, doing research on where and such. I've been to NJ where they said a replacement was possible, and even toured the hospital and talked to people in there. I just haven't reached the point where I am ready to do it. I think it is because of wanting to try the stem cell rejuvenation treatment. If that doesn't work then I know I have done everything possible and it is time for the surgery.

Hope you heal well and it helps you alot. I know what it is like to not be able to stand on your feet for more than 5-10 minutes without feeling the pain . And I too am not a big fan of the pain pills as it doesn't fix it.

 

[Devonviolet]

Maybe I need to make a vacation trip to Tyler Tx and talk to your dr. I just don't want to have surgery and wind up with a bunch of horrible scars and not fix the problems or lessen the pain.

That is really the issue, when it comes to having foot surgery, or any other surgery, for that matter. There is no guarantee that it will work, to resolve the issue.

When I went to that “butcher” in 2013, I went because I had a hammertoe. Another doctor, in that practice, had suggested it would be a simple matter of snipping a tendon, to release the tendon, and allow the toe to lay flat.

Well this doctor I saw in 2013, said it would be a little more complicated, but it could be done. I went into the surgery with too much nievete’, and trusted him without asking questions. I came out of surgery with two bunions done (I didn’t know I HAD a bunion) and stainless steel pins sticking out of all five toes. I won’t go into the details, but I had to have six surgeries, and still had screwed up toes, and metatarsalgia pain in my foot.

Since then, I have heard too any horror stories, about botched foot surgeries. If I had it to do over, I would have done a lot of research and wouldn’t have let that butcher touch my feet.

Fast forward to present time . .. . I was surprised when Dr. Priddy told me about the Congenital Contracture of the Gastrocnemeus muscle. I had never heard of it, but when I started doing research about it, it made sense. It turns out only 54% of Podiatriatrists even know what it is. Of that number, an even smaller percentage (I can’t remember the number right now - in the mid 30% range?) even consider it a diagnosis in their patients. Of that number something like 8% even consider treating it.

It is a known cause of plantar faciitis. I had a severe case of plantar faciitis, when I worked for Mayo Clinic. I had to leave my position on the floor, at St. Mary’s Hospital, because I could hardly walk on their concrete floors. I went to the head of Podiatry, trying to find a way to get better. When I walked with the front of my foot up, because of the pain, he told me to stop faking it, and stop wasting his time. He didn’t even consider contracture of the gastrocnemeus muscle. By the time I found a doctor, who really DID treat the plantar faciitis, he measured the plantar facia and it was 3/4” thick from severe inflammation. It is supposed to be 1/8” thick. That doctor did 3 excruciating cortisone injections & the plantar facia tendon went down to normal size.

If that venerable Mayo Clinic SNOB had known his stuff, he could have prevented a lot of pain and unnecessary surgery, because the same contracture of the gastrocmeneus muscle causes hammertoe.

By Dr. Priddy diagnosing the contracture, he addressed all my foot problems at once. So, it all boils down to finding a doctors who knows their stuff.

I can’t guarantee that if you come to Tyler, Texas, and see Dr. Priddy, your problems will be solved. But, it might be worth a consult. As far as your other problems, Dr. Priddy works in a large orthopedic practice, called Azalea Orthopedic, Spine and Joint. They have areas for spine, shoulder, hip, knee, etc. So, these doctors are highly specialized.

After seeing Dr. Priddy and reading the reviews of other doctors in this practice. I would surmise that this is one of the best orthopedic clinics, at least in this area.

One more testimony, of Dr. Priddy’s work. After scheduling my surgery, I told a good friend, that I was having surgery to fix my previous bad surgery. She asked me who was doing my surgery? When I told her Dr. Priddy, she said he fixed HER botched foot surgery. She now considers that her GOOD foot!!! . She was totally impressed with his bedside manor and the job he did!

 

[Baymule]

I have watched my dear friend suffer pain, misery and the forced inactivity that goes with it. I am delighted for you DV. You will get through this and will lead a MUCH better life.

 

[Rammy]

Doctors are not God, and I hate the ones who think they are.

 

[Devonviolet]

I have watched my dear friend suffer pain, misery and the forced inactivity that goes with it. I am delighted for you DV. You will get through this and will lead a MUCH better life.

Thanks for your words of encouragement my friend! I feel good about this surgery, and am looking forward to being able to get out with my sweet goats to milk them, make cheese and get in the garden, so I can produce enough at farmer's market to finally cover our living costs.

 

[Mini Horses]

I just haven't reached the point where I am ready to do it. I think it is because of wanting to try the stem cell rejuvenation treatment. If that doesn't work then I know I have done everything possible and it is time for the surgery.

MANY places make claims this will help various issues and often just will not. Caution. There is also a covered option of injection of some type of fluids that reportedly have had very good results. Might want to investigate & consider that as non invasive and cost covered option if it will apply to your ankle & knee pain. May help until you decide on more. I want to say Rejuvenique (??) Basically replaces the natural fluids that lubricate the natural joint movement. Yes, those moving parts can get stuck

 

[farmerjan]

@Mini Horses ; I have done the "synvisc" injections where they replace the joint fluid. It didn't help. One friend of mine had very good results with that for several years. I take enough supplements to sink a battleship to try to help my body rebuild the needed joint "fluid". I have done the prolotherapy, and PRP type of injections of my own blood and such to stimulate the regrowth of the cartilage; this after talking to a doctor that had very good results with it. My body just seems to not get the message that it is supposed to be able to "heal myself" LOL. In the past 5 years I have been to see no less than 7 different orthopedic doctors and clinics, not counting the 2 natural health practices, to see if any have a "better idea". This last one a year ago, with the stem cell program, sounded very interesting and I have done alot of research on it. It is very promising, but again, no guarantee. I realize they can't guarantee it. I just would like to try it as the last in line of different treatments. There pretty much aren't any other types of treatments out there that I have found except replacement after that.
But like @Devonviolet there just might be someone that will say, hey, this is not what they have been telling you.... and this is what I believe should be done. Sounds like she might be on her way to "being fixed" alot better than what she has been through in the past.
So I will make an appt at Duke, and go from there. It just might be in my future to take a "vacation" to TX for a consult too. The worst they can tell me is what I have already been told right?

 

[Devonviolet]

Very true @farmerjan. You might be told that they don’t have any answers, but then again, like with Dr. Priddy, a new doctor might just have one more trick, in his bag, that no one else seems to have.

Going back to what you originally said, about all the doctors wanting to do joint fusion. From what I have seen, that IS an option, but more of an older one, that came before joint replacements and gastrocnemeus muscle release surgery. I, personally, would likely not opt for fusion either.

Another thought to keep in the back of your head, is to maybe have your self tested for medical metals. I’ll tell you why I say that . . . Back in 2012, I had an upper tooth (2nd from center), that was very loose, and I knew I would need a dental implant, if I wasn’t going to be wearing dentures.

I did my research on implants, and learned that titanium, while touted as benign, actually DID release small amounts of titanium into the blood stream, over the years. Being so sensitive to chemicals, I didn’t want to take a chance, that I might react to titanium, so I found a dental surgeon, in Washington, DC, who did ceramic implants. From everything I read, ceramic implants really ARE benign. It was not cheap ($5,000), but in the end, very worth it. It is impossible to tell that I have an implant there!

Long story short . . .. the first two implants didn’t take, as I had an infection in the bone, and antibiotics didn’t get at that infection. If you are interested, I can PM you how we resolved that.

But, once the 3rd implant was firmly “set” in the bone, Dr. N. sent me to a natural dentist, for an acrylic “night guard”, to keep me from pushing against the implant in my sleep. That dentist listened to me, about all my allergies and sensitivities, and at the cost of $295 did a blood test for dental materials sensitivities. It turned out I am sensitive to titanium! I am SO glad I opted for a ceramic implant, rather than titanium! Otherwise, I might have had to pay to remove the titanium one and replace it with ceramic!

 

[Devonviolet]

My “To Do List” before surgery was a mile long. Needless to say, I didn’t check off everything on the list.

One of the items, on the list, was to make a fresh batch of my homemade sauerkraut. I eat a small bowl of it every morning, to keep my immune system strong. My gallon jar of sauerkraut was below the half mark, and I knew I needed to make more, as I wouldn’t be able to make it for a while after foot surgery.

The other day, when DH got the jar out, to add to my breakfast, I noticed it was a little less than 1/4, so I asked him if he would mind making an attempt to make some with the one cabbage, that I had in the refrigerator. He was game, so yesterday, with my direction, from my recliner, he made his first jar of sauerkraut with one carrot added, for color and added nutrition.

Here is the jar, that is now sitting out on the kitchen counter. He is actually pretty proud of it!!!

It will stay there for 4-5 days, depending on the “fragrance and flavor”. After it has fermented to my liking, it will go into the fridge, to continue to ferment more slowly. The beauty of homemade sauerkraut, is that it very rarely spoils. The good bacteria keep the bad bacteria in check.

If you are interested in more information on the immune building effects, of sauerkraut and other fermented foods, check out:

www.culturedfoodlife.com

Here is a good article that was in my email this morning:

https://draxe.com/probiotics-benefi...23_week08_curated_product_bogo20_ketobook_cdl

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Just dropped by to say hello, wanted you to know i have been thinking about you having to sit and recuperate. ..i am pretty sure its fusterating when you are used to being so busy, hope you can relax and find a way to enjoy your down time.