August 16, 2011: Almost 4 weeks to the day after severing my EHL (Extensor hallucis longus) Tendon on my right foot, it is finally getting repaired. Ok maybe not repaired the chances of it ever being fully functioning and flexible is very slim. It will be internally analysed through a major surgical procedure. Yes that’s it.
July 16, 2011: Making sandwiches can be dangerous. I like to pack a picnic lunch before taking off to the beach with the family. I had my children gathered around the kitchen island at the cottage, whilst they were chatting away about all things snorkelling, I was prepping the area to make the focaccia and grilled portabella mushroom sandwiches for our beach fare. Enter Henkels International Fine Edge Pro 8 inch Stainless Steel Bread Knife. The knife was quietly on the counter with a sliver of the handle over the edge, I nicked the knife with my elbow. It fell onto the floor; reflex had me pull my foot back. I avoided the knife handle; the blade however was merciless as it guillotined the top side of my right foot.
Blood was spraying out from my foot; I screamed at my children to stay back and not look. I reached quickly for the paper towel roll and applied pressure. There was an intense pain (it felt like my leg was on fire). The pain began to resonate from my big toe to my ankle area. I was sure I had severed a vein, my thought was this is going to be bad. I lifted the paper towel to take a peek and saw a blue gaping slit; the train whistle was blowing in the distance. I knew what was about to happen as the world began to spin. I tried to prevent it; however I knew I was leaving the land of consciousness…
Running through the wheat fields with a beautifully new painted barn in the foreground, my fingertips gently tickling the tops of the wheat buds. Running, running, running not away from something – to something.. the great big barn all freshly painted… back to reality..
My hubby was telling me to “focus” and “come back”, the whistle blowing was out in the distance once again, but it had passed. I was overwhelmed with nausea. I saw the damage all around and I was reeling with pain all through the lower half of my leg. He carried me to the couch and wrapped my foot in gauze. Surprisingly the bleeding had fully stopped, however I could not move my big toe without sheering and splintering pain. Against my husband’s wishes I forgo a trip to the emergency. I was still in the land of the living. My foot was expertly wrapped and as long as my toe was secure the pain was not as severe. I was also putting on my game face or my children.
Fast forward through all our Canadian medical red tape-I had an urgent appointment with a Specialist in Orthopedics at one of the UHN affiliate hospitals. A quick poke around my foot and it was pretty obvious the droopy big toe had a grim prognosis. An MRI would identify exactly where the damage was. The results were more than dismal. The incision would be from the middle of my big toe up to 4 inches above my ankle. It will be quite the scar. Within the 4 weeks of urgently going back and forth trying to see an Orthopedic Specialist the severed tendon had curled back up into my shin and fused on its own.
So this is T minus one day. Tomorrow is a new day. I will be Zipperfoot…
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