Below are photos showing how quickly I healed once I was in my walking cast at Week 6 (Note: Walking casts do not automatically mean one gets to put full weight on the new ankle...this was a gradual process that took a week or two.) I am at Week 13 post-surgery tomorrow, and as you can see from the photos the scarring is minimal. Dr. P. seemed extraordinarily pleased with himself when I saw him today...as he well should be! Because I am, too. The photos below depict Weeks 7, 8, 9 and 13, and the walking cast, from the bottom up.
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| Sexy walking cast : ) |
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| Week 13 - hardly any scar left! |
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| Week 9 |
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| Week 8 |
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Week 7
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I know everyone wants to see photos of what my ankle looked like along the way, so I’ve posted the ones I took every time they changed my cast below (ah, the wonder of phone cameras…). Depicted are Weeks 4, 5 and 6 of the healing process.
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| Week 6 |
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| Week 5 |
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| Week 4 |
The joint installation involves a lot of what looks like Home Depot hardware; the best place to learn more about the process is the manufacturer's website, which they have recently re-designed so my really cool video link doesn't work anymore, but the Patient Information is on the right side for you to explore yourself at
http://www.inbone.com/.
Once I graduated to a removable cast that I could take off to shower (which is something I REALLY looked forward to), I began using scar-reduction medication. I used a new product called “Silvion” that worked very well; they have spray-on products for post-surgical cleansing and anti-scarring and moisturization. I can say that both work extremely well.
Thank you, Sunshine Girl! This was very helpful, from the narrative to the photos to the recommendation of Silvion. I will read your blogs next. I hope you have completely healed and are enjoying life again!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your chronicle of your journey through ankle replacement. It is extremely helpful with your tips, recommendations and advice. I was terrified of the surgery, but after reading your comments, my fear is gone. I hope you are completely healed. I, too, will read your blogs next. Thank you again!
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