The big reveal part 2. Doctor's verdict.

OK, I teased you a bit in that last post, but what's a little anticipation between friends?

Back at the orthopaedics department, we were called straight in and then waited for quite a while in a side room.

There were big signs everywhere saying "do not take pictures in here" I think mainly to stop you photographing your own X-rays, but laughably claiming it was to "protect your information". Right, not to encourage me to pay a fee to access my own information from you later, then. Of course not. Ahem.

So I took off the velcro shoes, and waited on the bed.

This was my view.

You can see how much of the steri strips I let the plaster lady pull off before I wimped out. My skin is still yellow from the stuff they paint on before surgery, and if you look closely you can see how dry and flaky my skin is.

At this point, I thought the worst dryness was on the top of my foot, near my ankle, and on the balls of my feet, where I could see it cracking.

After quite a while waiting a doctor came in to see me, but it wasn't Mr Nugent.

I have to say I wasn't happy about that. I had wanted to see my surgeon, and my dissatisfaction was exacerbated when this doctor - I didn't catch his name - said "Right, we'll get new casts on you then".

What?!

"Er," I said. "I've had them on for seven weeks, I thought they came off today."

"Oh yes," he said. "That's right, I thought you were at two weeks."

Really NOT confidence inspiring!

I was not happy. I asked him my questions about driving, exercises, shoes, and he told me "You can wear any shoes. You can drive on Monday. You don't need to do toe exercises. But don't exercise till you come back at 12 weeks."

Right.

So Mr Nugent told me to bring trainers, which I bought especially with money I don't really have, and now I'm told I can wear anything? And I don't need to do any exercises to improve my range of motion? And I can drive in six days' time?

I call BS on that, frankly.

I was, and am, really unhappy with that appointment. I feel that the doctor was not fully informed and I really wish I could have seen Mr Nugent.

Before I left, he got me to walk a little but I was SO SCARED that I couldn't really do it, and just put my weight on my heels. I was terrified of being in pain.

So I hobbled over to the computer and he showed me my X-rays. To be honest, I wouldn't know how good it was. I could see where the bone had been cut and moved, but without the old ones next to them, it was hard to tell anything really.

I want to know if Mr Nugent is happy with them, as he is my surgeon, but more of that later.

So, unsure about the shoes thing I put the velcro shoes on to go home and once we'd got the Little Lady to bed I ran myself a lovely warm bath so I could start de-flaking my feet.

If you want to see lots of pictures of that (my feet, not me nekkid in the bath) then look out for part 3 which is coming soon.