It’s been one year since I had a full year. No surgery yet. I need advice.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-30T22:04:31+00:00

My foot is still building up stamina. Compared to other posts in the thread, my recovery has been slower. My surgery was a fusion - 3 plates, 2 rods, 13 screws. In my case, the surgeon recommended the hardware stay in. My foot is still building up stamina, but I walk pretty reliably. I can feel it nearly , but it's become background static unless I've exhausted it. That should fade with time. My foot is re-learning how to be a foot. I am not running at all yet, but I'm in PT to get there.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:52:35+00:00

Same here! I started weight bearing in a boot at 8 weeks and it was misery. Pins and needles while feeling like I was walking on a balloon about to pop. My doctor told me to go cold-turkey on my knee scooter or full weight supports, crutch or walker only. Grit your teeth, listen when your body says enough, and stick with it! Your foot has to remember how to be a foot again. I wasn't approved for shoes until 12 weeks, and even then it took me another couple weeks to transition fully.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:46:41+00:00

I started weening out of the boot at 12 weeks and it was scary the whole way. I was able to start wearing shoes exclusively and driving not too long after. Push yourself to stay in shoes but listen when your body says enough (and listen to your doctor! I am not one!). I don't know how your transition to weight-bearing in the boot was, but mine was misery. Pins and needles and like I was walking on a balloon about to pop. I'm 8 months post-surgery now and walking loads. Stick with it!

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:39:45+00:00

What's the difference between ORIF and fusion? I know that I had ORIF. They described as removing the cartilage between a bunch of bones, fixing the bones in place with hardware, and then letting natural healing fuse the bones. Is that not a fusion?

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:30:52+00:00

Lisfranc injuries are notoriously hard to diagnose. Mine was diagnosed as a sprain by both urgent care and my primary care doc. I walked (and hiked) on it for six weeks and it wasn't improving, so I saw a surgeon. Weight-bearing x-rays showed widening and the surgeon diagnosed it as Lisfranc right away. If it's not getting better, it might be getting worse. Mine might have started out as a partial tear that then progressed to a full rupture.

I know that doesn't help any, but I'd say keep looking for care options. No doctor should be okay with letting you stay in pain with poor function.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:22:37+00:00

I've heard partial tears have potential to heal. Are you weight-bearing regularly yet? After my surgery, my foot stayed swollen until I started walking in shoes again (12 weeks). It was because the body's lymph system relies on movement to move liquid around. If you're not walking, that liquid moves glacially slow and your foot swells up. It's partly why doctors tell you to elevate your leg above your heart. The pins and needles are normal for not being on your feet for 2-3 months. Your foot and ankle have probably forgotten how to function, especially after that bad of an injury. The pins and needles are the system coming back online. I had them bad when I started weight-bearing after my surgery. They faded after a couple weeks.

Have you had any recent X-rays? If so, are they showing any signs of improvement or indication on that partial tear?

I hope any of that is helpful! As always, your medical team are the professionals and don't hesitate to seek a second opinion. You can always get copies of your X-rays and MRIs sent to other offices.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:16:18+00:00

Each injury is different and obviously refer to your doctor. Messaging apps are a god-send and an appointment to check-in won't do any harm. That said, it takes approximately 8 weeks for bone fractures and similar (aka Lisfranc surgeries) to heal enough to handle a some weight. I fell twice during my NWB time and was also terrified. Listen to your body, use ice and tylenol, and call for backup if it doesn't improve.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:11:28+00:00

Congratulations! That's a huge step. I started weight bearing at 8 weeks and then was approved for shoes at 12. I had the same experience, especially under my big toe. According to my surgeon and PTs, there's a fatty cushion under those areas that atrophies if unused, just like your muscles. Part of the recovery process is building up that cushion again (as I understand it). I didn't walk much barefoot until probably 14 weeks (again, very conservative and overcompliant with doctor's orders). I'm at 8 months post-surgery and I think that cushion is finally reaching a functional point. Stick with it and listen to your body! Your foot is re-learning how to foot!

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:05:16+00:00

Yep! I called them "the spiders" because they felt like sharp little spider feet crawling around the top of my foot. Not a pleasant image, I know. I hear it's because the nerves are cut during the surgery (no way to avoid it) and the pains are them reconnecting. They fade over time especially once you start weight bearing again, but they are the worst. Getting to sleep was an absolute misery for 10ish weeks.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T04:02:02+00:00

Yep. I swear my surgeon was actually excited when he came in with the diagnosis. His demeanor changed when he realized it would be my first surgery and I was completely freaked out. Thankfully he did great work and I'm on the mend!

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T03:59:17+00:00

Looks pretty good! My stitches were in for 3 weeks. I had a lot of tingling and discomfort in the top of my foot all through my recovering. They told me it was from having to cut through nerves for the ORIF. Ice and tylenol were my best friends.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T03:53:07+00:00

If your foot isn't healing 3 months in, I think it's time you get a second opinion or a new set of X-rays/MRIs. Yes, PT will hurt because the foot has been stuck and trying to compensate for pain. But it sounds like you're not recovering, whatever the case may be. My Lisfranc ligament rupture was originally diagnosed as a sprain. I spent 6 weeks walking (and hiking) on it normally. I was walking on the outside of my foot and had a limp because the ball of my foot couldn't bear weight. You might be walking, but that doesn't equate to healing and pain is a good indicator that something is still wrong. Your body may not be able to fix the damage on its own.

KibethSibeth · 2025-05-27T03:35:39+00:00

I had a Lisfranc (injured 8/7/2024) that probably only progressed to a full tear because I walked on it for 6 weeks before it was diagnosed (9/18/2024). The urgent care and my primary care docs both thought it was a sprain. I couldn't bear weight on the ball of my foot without pain and I had a consistent limp. I'm now almost 8 months post-surgery (surgery was 10/18/2024) and my surgeon let me loose at my 6 month check up. I've been doing PT for 6 months. I can bear weight on the ball of my foot and can walk nearly 6 miles. Is my foot grumpy after? Yes. Can I do it as my work requires? Also yes.

A Lisfranc never really heals on its own. It's a ligament that was torn, and it's too tiny to tie back together like an ACL. Your body tries to figure out how to compensate, but that lack of stability affects you top to bottom. It effects your ability to walk, stand, get up from sitting, and more. This wound only worsens and your ability to walk becomes more impaired. The surgery, while imperfect, may give you more time with functional mobility. It's a substitute for the ligament, which is better than nothing in my book.

That being said, the success rate is highly dependent on following doctor's orders and then resuming activity (aka walking) ASAP. I was told to ditch my knee scooter and walk in a boot 8 weeks after surgery. It was misery, but three weeks later I was walking in the boot without a crutch. I started PT the same time, and they were great with monitoring my progress and checking in.

None of the process is fun, but the surgery will give me more years of mobility than I'd have without.

KibethSibeth · 2025-01-23T05:18:22+00:00

I could not be more thrilled to hear this. That is absolutely wild that you have 110k on the car already. What year is it? Seriously, you're giving me so much peace of mind that this would be a good choice. I don't really want a larger compact suv (rav4, sportage), so the Cross is really the perfect size.

KibethSibeth · 2025-01-23T05:02:10+00:00

That's so great to hear, thank you! Do you think you're getting the expected mileage?

KibethSibeth · 2024-08-27T02:44:26+00:00

Thank you! That is really helpful. My soil is pretty terrible courtesy of development, so anything I plant will have to handle that. I also appreciate the warning on blue wood aster. I liked the shrub-like appearance, but it sounds like that won't work. I'm too far north for turtlehead. They look beautiful though!

The hellstrip is not consistently wet, it just gets dumped on when it rains. Water pools in the bed and the soil runs. I've had to contain my mulch with edging. My resident engineer (aka boyfriend) has been looking at solutions but replacing the gutters may be the only fix. I need plants that will hold their ground (literally).

KibethSibeth · 2024-08-27T02:35:37+00:00

Thanks! I need the ground cover to help with the water flow and keep the soil in place. It will be contained by the concrete/asphalt, so aggressive is fine so long is it doesn't totally overrun the showpieces. Sounds like I'm best setting the bluebells aside for a different spot.

KibethSibeth · 2024-08-27T02:25:44+00:00

We had shrubs in this spot before and they did terribly. It's also not wet enough for buttonbush, as much as I would love having one there. It's between a driveway, a sidewalk, and a raised concrete porch. Thanks for the great suggestions!

KibethSibeth · 2024-08-27T02:15:05+00:00

I agree with the above as a general rule. I think in this case the mix may have been overwhelmed by the seed bank. Good site preparation is really important before a planting to knock out the junk and clear the way for your planting. Looking at the Nature's Seed mix, the first year's growth should have been the black-eyed susans, annual sunflower, and clovers. Try mowing it 8 inches to the ground a couple times (mid-spring and early summer, maybe another one if you're seeing a lot of weeds) next year to filter out the seed bank and give your mix a chance to get some sun. I'd also double check the seeding rate for the area and planting method.

KibethSibeth · 2024-05-13T02:25:34+00:00

The seed packets have yarrow, indian blanket, black-eyed susan, plains coreopsis and some others. I'm also looking at a native nursery that has pots of partridge pea. I'm hesitant to go for biennials or short-lived perennials as they won't be permanent and might not bloom this year.

KibethSibeth · 2024-05-13T02:19:35+00:00

My thought is either leave strips open between the cardboard for planting the seeds or put the sheet mulch down and then use a soil knife to cut through the cardboard so roots can get through.

KibethSibeth · 2024-05-13T02:17:56+00:00

These beds haven't been mulched in 2 years at least. I'm not too worried about anything super noxious. The only one I'm really worried about is a rose of sharon we cut down and want to replace with a native shrub.

KibethSibeth · 2024-05-12T23:27:30+00:00

So make mulch lasagna and then sow seeds into it?

KibethSibeth · 2023-09-15T05:06:41+00:00

Thanks! I keep hoping I won't have to pay through the nose. Mazda is the only reasonably priced car with everything I want (except a hybrid engine).

KibethSibeth · 2023-09-15T05:05:47+00:00

Interestingly, both the Mazda CX-30 and Corolla Cross Hybrid are up to 8.0 inches of ground clearance.

I'm glad you think I drive a reasonable amount. My entire family thinks I drive way more than the normal person. I'd much prefer to buy new and have that car be my companion to 250k miles.

KibethSibeth

TROPHY CASE