I could use some of your thoughts and prayers ***UPDATE*** 10-2-08 post #16

[Catlady711]

Well I had my appt with the specialist today. I found that the Motrin really did help with the pain while waiting for today to come, so at least I haven't been so miserable in that dept as I was. My regular doctor did give me some anti-anxiety meds to take before the appt. and I'm happy to report that they helped quite a bit!!!

The foot dr. was really a nice lady. She explained things very well and wasn't pushy or overly technical, and very patient when I explained my fear of needles.

She said the fungus most likely is from my hubby who has cronic athletes foot and doesn't keep it treated. She prescribed a more powerful antifungal cream in a HUGE tube so both of us could use it.

She also offered a surgery for my flat feet that would correct my ankles turning inwards which could cause many more problems if let go later in life. I passed on that one for now.

As far as the ingrown nail went. I had two choices once I got there:

I could have had the whole nail pulled out and it would grow back, most likely ingrown again, and may or may not have still had the fungal infection which could cause the regrown nail to possibly be deformed.

OR

She could do a partial removal just along the side where it's ingrown, treat it with acid and most likely would never have an ingrown toenail again.

Well I debated for a while on that and finally decided I'd just have her do the partial removal and do both big toenails since I was already going to be tortured. Not sure she cared for my remark on the tortured. lol

Anyways, so she only had to give one shot to numb it and it was not near the joint like they did for my finger stitches. She also sprayed it with something extremely cold to help dull the pain of the needle. I actually didn't feel the needle, but I DID very definately feel the sting of the medicine for which she kept appologizing all while she's injecting me. I found that to be much easier to tolerate than with my finger. Of course I cried like a banshee, and hyperventalated, then held my breath until the nurse helping kept repeating over and over to me 'BREATH'! LOL

The dr. said she'd just do the one toe first and see if I still wanted to do both. When she was done she asked if I still wanted that other toe done. I said yes since I was already crying anyways and told her to just freeze the heck out of the sucker and I'd be fine. LOL So a repeat of the above scenario including the nurse repeating 'BREATH'. lol

Once that part was done she left the room for a bit so it could really get numb. She also said that I didn't have to watch the surgery part or if it bothered me to just close my eyes and lay back. Well instead I got out my camera so I could take pix. ROFL She said she's never had a client taking pix of their toes being operated on before. lol I think she kinda enjoyed it though because when she put the long stick with the acid on it at the base of the missing nail she stopped, leaned back and said 'that would make a good picture for you'. ROFL It did too. I did spare you guys by NOT posting the gross pix though.

Once she got in there working she said the bad one was really badly infected and prescribed some antibiotics for 10 days, and when she started in on the second toenail (which I thought wasn't too bad at the time) turns out it had pus in it as well. Hmm, so much for what I used to think of as doing just fine huh?

So anyways I'm supposed to unwrap them tonight, soak them in warm vinegar water, wipe them with peroxide, then put neosporin on them TWICE a day for at least a week when I go back in for my recheck. I'm supposed to keep a bandaid on it all the time, and can wear normal shoes, and still even go to my water aerobics classes!

She said the nail could grow back, not a guarantee it won't, but if it did they could repeat the procedure then she didn't think it would grow back again after that.

It doesn't hurt now at all. She said the numbing would probably last a whole day, which is fine with me.

On my whimp scale for pain: this rated as more painful than having the dentist do a crown on my teeth without novicaine (yes I'm that paranoid of needles) but since it was only 1 injection each and didn't last nearly as long as the dentist drills, overall I'd say it's something I could do again if necessary as long as I had my anti-anxiety pills before the appt. Not sure overall I'd prefer it over the dentist though. ROFL

So here are some before and after pix. I told her when she was done it looked like Christmas decorations with my green bandaged toes with her red wall in the background. ROFL

Here was my toes this morning. The red on the nail is leftover nail polish I tried to remove so my dr. could see the nails. I was afraid to get too close to the nail bed so some of the polish was still there.




Here's my toes getting numb waiting to be fixed.


Here's my Christmas bandages. LOL



So anyways, I'll have to keep you updated on the progress of healing and pictures of it when it's not likely to gross anyone out. lol

Thanks again for the support and prayers, much appreciated!

[Medusa]

Good grief, that description of your ordeal made childbirth sound like brushing your teeth! I'm getting the vapors here! I'm glad you're not in any pain, though. You definitely are a brave one. I think I'd need to be put under for that. We'll keep the prayers going that you heal nicely and quickly. Whew! I'm shaking!

[Catlady711]

it was REALLY painful at first but I seem to be able to get enough of it out from time to time to take the majority of the pain away but it's still there and causes discomfort and then when it grows back it's really painful again until I can get some of it out.

I used to be able to do that to mine too, but after years of doing that the nail bed gets deeper making it even harder and more painful to get it back out. Also I'm told that there can be a 'spur' in your nail that is what's causing it to keep digging in and that part is waaay down there where you're not likely to be able to dig out.

I'll have to see how long before everything heals and if the nail grows back there, but if I never have to put up with swollen painful toe the whole thing will be well worth it.

Good luck with your toenails.

[K9karen]

I'm jealous..you got your toes Christmas wrapped! I got plain white gauze and bandage. How boring. If you're going to suffer, might as well have some fun.

Thanks for the pictures (not! ) I think it's hysterically funny that you took them while sitting there! I never thought of that!

I opted for a partial removal too. I had forgotten. I've been fine for umpty ump years. I think my right big toe will need help one day.

BREATH!!! I take it you hold your breathe in anticipation like I do??? *Smacks you 5* I despise needles too. Just looking at them makes my head spin. Ick.

I'm happy you survived your ordeal! And glad you went! I hope you feel better and that it was a good solution for you!!! Keep wiggling those feetsies!!!

[K9karen]

Have you ever tried PENLAC? It's a fungal treatment that you apply like nail polish. I had a fungal infection once, and my MD prescribed it. Worked great!!

No I haven't. I think my girlfriend used that..the nailpolish part sounds right. She said it worked great too, She used it as the podiatrist kept cutting off the nail. Her feet are beautiful and gets pedicures now!!!

I wrote this down and will ask the doc. Thanks Grace!!

[Catlady711]

I think it's hysterically funny that you took them while sitting there! I never thought of that!

BREATH!!! I take it you hold your breathe in anticipation like I do??? *Smacks you 5* I despise needles too. Just looking at them makes my head spin. Ick.

Maybe it's just the photographer in me, or the fact until recently I've never had to have any type of surgery on myself to speak of that I take pictures. Either way it's different.

I don't hold my breath in anticipation so much. Mostly when I'm done hyperventalating I get to crying so hard during the injection that sound and air come out until I'm breathless then I just plain hold it rather than breath back in. Not quite sure if that's normal but I had already told them if I pass out just let me lay there, but wake me up before they start doing anything interesting. ROFL