My Ankle Surgery Part 1

Over the next few days and weeks I will be writing about my experiences with my ankle surgery. So far it has been an adventure and a half. I am not new to having any kind of operation done on me. When I was fourteen I had a spinal fusion for scoliosis. For those who don’t know scoliosis is when your spine curves in either an “S” or “C” type pattern. Mine was definitely an “S”. What the doctor did was put a metal rod and hooks into my spine to straighten it back out. However when I was 20, I developed a staph infection on my back and the culprit was determined to be my hardware from the spinal surgery. So I ended up having the hardware removed. Fast forward to 2009 and 2012 when I had Hushpuppy and Dumpling and there were two more surgeries. So suffice to say I was a pro at being put under general anesthesia. 

My ankle problems began back in 2012. I had a love for wearing five inch heels and one day after church we had a dinner in the family life center. Well during the dinner, Hushpuppy wandered off and of course me being in mommy mode, I took off after her. However my heels decided that they were not made for running and slipped which in turn led to me twisting my ankle. After that there were days when my ankle would be sore but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. However in December 2012 after starting to work for the Corrections system and all the standing and walking that it entailed, my ankle started to really hurt. So I went to an orthopedist who at first prescribed an ankle brace, contrast baths, and PT that I could do at home. So I started to do those things and for a while everything seemed alright. Then of course one day I stepped the wrong way and my ankle became sore again and I went back to the orthopedist. He then had me fitted for custom orthotics for my shoes because my left ankle (the problem one) had absolutely no arch left in it and my right foot had slightly more. He figured that the flat footedness was contributing to my ankle problems.

My First Ankle Brace (but not the last)

Well I used the orthotics and continued the at home PT until one day when getting up for work, I stepped wrong on my left foot and my ankle gave way. The pain was excruciating. I swore that I broke my ankle. Lovey carted me off to the emergency room and after they did x-rays they saw no fractures but recommended that I get in touch with my orthopedist right away. Well I went back and he had me fitted for an air boot to give my ankle time to heal and a MRI to see what was going on. When the MRI came back it showed that my joint was damaged and I had lots of inflammation and scar tissue on the tendon that ran along the inside of my foot (classic symptoms of over pronation and flat foot). I was given a cortisone shot and orders to keep the boot on for six weeks. Well after six weeks my ankle was still a mess. So I was referred to a surgeon (who happened to have done surgery on my mother’s ankle as well as a consult for my grandmother). He wanted me to try outpatient PT and to keep the boot on for a few more weeks to see if that gave my ankle some relief. It did not. So it was decided at that time to schedule me for surgery. 

My Airboot (Which I still wear now)

The procedure that would be done was medically called a calcaneal osteotomy with FDL tendon transfer. Basically what was going to be done is the doctor was going to take another tendon from my foot and run it along the inside of my foot to replace the worn out one. Then he was going to reset my heel so that my foot would point forward again instead of out. I was ready for it but I had no idea what would be in store for me afterwards...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Trying to Find the Best Regimen For My Skin

Ask anyone in their thirties and they’ll tell you, adult acne stinks!! It’s true. I have struggled with skin issues ever since I was a teenager, but they really seemed to flare up once I had children. In fact there is a picture of me and Hushpuppy when she was a newborn and I have a zit the size of Raleigh on my chin from the hormones starting to fluctuate. Every so often I get an outbreak on my chin or worse near my mouth. I have googled and googled trying to see why I break out in these places. I even posted a pin on my Pinterest board that explains why breakouts occur where they do. 

Since I had my ankle surgery (more on that in another post), I checked out a book from the library to pass the time called Brown Skin: Dr. Susan Taylor's Prescription for Flawless Skin, Hair, and Nails. In this book it gives information on how to care for African American skin and hair. I didn’t pay much attention to the hair part due to the fact that I pretty much have my hair under control. However I did get into the skin aspect of the book. I would describe my skin as oily. I used to think it was combination and in high school and college my skin did lean towards that direction. However the older I have gotten the greasier my face has become. Dr. Taylor recommended for oily skin a cleanser that would break down the oils on the skin as well as a toner to remove any excess oil and dirt. Finally she recommends using an oil free moisturizer to hydrate without adding back and oil to the skin.

After reading the book me and Lovey ventured out to Walgreen’s to find the Neutrogena Transparent Cleansing bar that was mentioned in the book. I read that while this cleansing bar cleaned the skin of excess oil and dirt, it also had glycerin in it to keep the skin from drying out. I have been using the bar for almost a month now and I can say that it does do the job. After cleansing, I follow up with a clear pore astringent from Dollar General that is comparable to Clean and Clear. Then I moisturize with a dual action moisturizer that moisturizes but also contains medication to clear up any acne blemishes and help prevent new ones from forming. It is also comparable to Clean and Clear and it is made by Wal-Mart’s Equate line.

One other thing that Dr. Taylor recommends in her book for oily skin is a clay mask at least once a week to exfoliate as well as absorb excess oil. What I have been using for that is Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Mask. I have been using this mask for over 10 years and I have to say that it is the best in the world. It does the job and leaves my skin smooth and tight. One of the claims in the mask is that it draws out impurities as well as blackheads that may be in the skin. I’m not quite sure it does that but I don’t notices as many small blemishes after using it, so maybe it is drawing all the bad stuff out.

In conclusion, if you are in the midst of breakout city like I am, feel free to give this regimen a try. Or look into reading books that are geared towards your skin type. Once I get back to work and get some money together, I may see about seeing a dermatologist and having a thorough analysis of my skin done to see if I am doing the right thing. Of course if you are still in a rut about what to do about your skin, I would recommend you do the same. 

Until next time...