As some of you know I have been fighting with an open wound in my one remaining big toe, (lost the left one several years ago), for two years. Today a doctor finally made a decision on what is causing this thing to refuse to heal.
It is the way my foot moves – or rather doesn’t move when I walk.
Seems that the arthritis in my big toe is so bad that it has frozen the first joint so that my toe does not bend back far enough when I take a step. Therefore, with each step my foot compensates by pivoting to the right with my weight on that toe. Hence, the wound – which is not infected in any way – simply can’t heal. This also explains how it opened up in the first place and why it has closed several times over the last two years only to reopen in a day or two.
So, the plan is that in October I am to have a surgery in which the surgeron will remove the first proximal phalanges, (That first bone in your big toe. See the chart below.). A pin will be inserted through the tip of the toe to hold everything still for four weeks. When the pin is removed The Bull will have, in fact, a ‘floppy’ big toe. No bone will connect the toe to the foot.
Then the toe will have the range of motion it needs, my foot will not rotate on the toe, and the danged thing will finally heal once and for all! At least, that is the plan. It has the advantage of me getting to keep the toe even if it will be useless. I’ll just be glad to put this wound business behind me.
I’m supposed to ne back up and walking by Thanksgiving. One thing is for sure, it’s gonna be a miserable four weeks.
Bull, out.
