Bunion Surgery

Okay, so here’s what’s going on. I am a 23 year old nursing student from Vancouver, Canada, and I have bunions. Bad bunions. And after years of pain and suffering, and lots of money spent on custom orthotics, shoe inserts, splints, cushions, etc., the time has come to get them fixed with surgery. Well… just one of them for now.

For those who don’t know, a bunion, or “hallux valgus”, is “an enlargement of bone or tissue around the joint at the base of the big toe (metatarsophalangeal joint). The big toe may turn in toward the second toe (angulation), and the tissues surrounding the joint may be swollen and tender. Today the term usually is used to refer to the pathological bump on the side of the great toe joint. The bump is the swollen bursal sac and/or an osseous (bony) deformity that has grown on the mesophalangeal joint (where the first metatarsal bone and hallux meet). ” That definition was taken from this Wikipedia article, which also explains more about formation, treatment, and why people have surgery done on them, which can be summed up in one word: pain!

In three weeks I am having surgery on my left bunion, and then after that, I get to spend the next 8+ weeks on my couch unable to walk. I’m going to be doped up on some awesome painkillers, while simultaneously learning several new hobbies such as knitting and making cute stuffed animals, as well as watching tons of movies and playing lots of games on my new Wii (but at the same time, will be temporarily saying goodbye to Wii Fit!).

But what could make all of this even more fun? Blogging about it, of course! So I welcome you to the Bunion Chronicles.

This is how my feet look now! Ouchies!