Posted by Julie on 8/25/04 02:27
Christy, please listen to what Pauline and others have been saying to you, and defer your second surgery until you are really sure that the first one has been successful. You will not know that for at least six months (whatever your doctor says) and perhaps a year. "Trying something and hoping for the best" is not a very good option, because you could be left a good deal worse off that you are now. You know the saying "jumping out of the frying pan into the fire". It applies to foot surgery. Just the other day there was a post by Rose, who had surgery a year ago and has now developed a new problem and new pain (probably lateral column syndrome) resulting from the surgery. Cutting the plantar fascia removes the foot's main supporting structure, and even so-called "successful" surgery has resulted in additional problems down the line for many. Has your doctor mentioned this possibility, and taken steps to avoid it? Has he casted you or is he going to cast you for orthotics to replace the lost support?
Foot surgery is unique: our feet are the only part of our body that we walk on, so they are difficult to heal. No other body part takes that kind of punishment.
Scared to death can sometimes be a useful state of mind: it can keep you from jumping into the fire, from jumping into surgery.
I hav rarely said anything to lead anyone to question the competence of his or her treating doctor, but I'm going to now. I have been thinking ever since your first post that your doctor's airy confidence about EPF surgery is not confidence-inspiring. It is worrying. The doctors here have made it very clear over the four years I have been reading these boards that they do not think EPF is a good option. Please, please be careful, and at least get another opinion.
If you do decide to take our advice and wait, I suggest that when you go back to work you may be able to relieve the pain in the foot you haven't had surgery on by taping. In the heel pain book part 2 there are instructions for a very simple, effective technique. I found it extremely helpful when I had PF. Taping works because it takes over the job of supporting the foot which the injured plantar fascia cannot do. I think you would find it helpful to investigate it and try it.
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