"It will be as good as new"

PROGRESS SO FAR

I also meant to say that when I first arrived at the hospital it was comforting to meet the team again who had seem me on my previous appointment visits, so all faces were familiar. Lyndsey looked after me from start to finish talking me through the injections at the start to numb my foot, which were like small scratches and nothing painful. When my foot was all numb and warm feeling I was wheeled into theatre with my Ipad and Candy Crush ready to play. I was introduced to more of the team and of course Dr Finney who performed the operation. Chris Evans Radio 2 was playing in the background and there was much chatting and reasurrance of what was happening the whole time, CANDY crush was rubbish, could not get off level 101.

If I am honest I was quite nervous before the day thinking I may well feel panicky and want to pull my foot away, but you so dont feel like that when you are in there because you feel totally at ease and in a 'Safe Pair of Hands', I think it helped being prescribed a Diazepam for the night before and also the morning of the op. No pain at all during the operation just slight vibration from the drill when my pins were being put in. I got to check out Dr Finney's work once he finished and although my foot looked a little like a 'trussed up chicken' it looked neat and tidy and ready for the bandage. Once wheeled back to the ward a cup of tea and a biscuit, an unattractive blue velcro shoe to wear for the next month and a prep talk on do's and don'ts and then off home, In and out within 2 hours.

First Day - No pain, kept to my pain killer schedule, foot up and frozen broad beans on my ankle, rotating it to the tune of the alphabet every 30 mins, fab night sleep, did wake at 4 am and foot was mildly throbbing but nothing major so took some pain killers and nodded off.

Second Day - Walking about on my heel, and resting as well, same as Day 1 but less painkillers, was really naughty and did some housework on one leg but felt ace, another fab night, no waking.

Third Day - Didn't need pain killers, more walking on heel (naughty) and plenty of resting and watching the Food Channel for Christmas Dinner tips.

6th Day in - Had bandage changed, it had all slipped towards my toe and looked like some kind of Comedy Cartoon Big Foot. Sneaked a peak at my toe and all looked good, hadn't overdone it as I thought.

Day 13 - will be having stitches out.

4 weeks from day of Op - Will be having my pins out, heard it may or may not be painful as they have to hold onto the operated toe to ease them out, not worried as will have a couple of pain killers before hand.

Prognosis for the future - Probably Bunion Surgery which will be more major as my feet all point in the wrong direction, should be interesting but not daunted at all.