The best thing I did besides following the Dr.'s orders to rest and elevate my leg was to rent an orthotic scooter for the month. This eliminated the need for extensive use of crutches and really enhanced my mobility and independence. I used it the first week primarily to go from the bed to the bathroom, then later to the living room where we stacked 3 pillows on a large foot stool to keep my foot elevated. The pillows kept slipping so I sent my husband to the basement in search of some mesh that keeps loose carpets in place. He couldn't find it but came back with a long forgotten roll of rubbery shelf liner that helps keep them in place. We have wood floors with low pile area rugs in the living and dining areas. The bedroom is carpeted and we took up all rugs in the kitchen and bedroom. By week two, with my foot up at 90 degrees on the scooter, I was able to help with meal preparation. I even went to one store in the mall with the scooter and out to eat several times. When I go out to eat, I ask for a booth where I can prop my leg or an extra chair. Unlike with crutches my leg is rarely vertical as it would be with crutches, and this has resulted in less pain and after the first week, very little swelling. I did spend at least part of each day the second week in bed with my foot elevated on 3 pillows. Now in my 4th week, I am down to two pillows in the living room, we are going out to dinner with friends tonight and tomorrow and I am spending very little time in bed. I attribute much of that recovery to the convenience of the scooter. I am walking more with a wedge shoe and two drug store heel lifts (0ne on top of the other) in my regular shoe to make walking less gimpy. Still the difference in height between the two feet makes walking any distance awkward and so I use the scooter. There is so much more freedom and independence than with crutches. Unfortunately, the scooter is considered non-essential and so most insurance companies will not cover it even with a prescription. Yes, they will cover crutches and wheelchairs, but that doesn't help mobility in the same way.
I was instructed not to get the bandage wet, but every two days I feel a great need for a shower. Fortunately we have a built in tiled seat in our shower and I put a plastic step in there that I can elevate my foot. I use a tall kitchen can bag with draw strings and then duct tape the top to my leg so I can keep it completely dry while showering. If you leave a row of duct tape around the top starting at the ties you can reuse the bag over and over just applying new duct tape over the edge of the old tape and your skin for a completely dry seal just below your knee. I can use the bag over and over again just pulling and or cutting off the new tape.
Before I had surgery I went through my socks and since we live near the Great Lakes where it is cold in the winter, I selected an older pair of large warm socks and cut the toes off of them. I then zigzagged around the cut portion of the sock on my sewing machine to keep it from unraveling in the wash. I cover the toe with a knit baby premie hat volunteers used to knit for the maternity ward until they decided against using any homemade items. My husband got one of the last ones when he had foot surgery and we kept it. The Dr's office usually gives you stockingette and you can ask for another piece which works just fine in the warmer weather. Pins come out this Wednesday.
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