Lucky number 5

I had surgery eight days ago to fuse my first metatarsal, intermediate, and medial cuneiform. I now have six screws and a metal plate in my left foot. Coincidently, the surgery was a year to the day after my hardware removal surgery on the same foot - originally had ORIF operation on left foot in October 2015 and hardware removal February 28, 2016. 

By now I should be used to these types of surgeries, - this was my 5th Lisfranc related surgery on my feet in the past year and a half - but the pain, nausea, and dizziness never get any better. The pain and swelling from the surgery were the greatest in the first few days. Initially, it felt as if a sledge hammer was pounding a railroad spike into my midfoot. This pain tapered off around day three, which is also when I began weening off my pain medication. Personally, coming off the pain medication was nearly as awful as the initial pain from surgery. Nausea and dizziness were my two least favorite friends that didn't leave my side for days following my surgery. My head spun for three or four days after I stopped taking the pain meds. Eventually, my body detoxed itself and I have felt better since. 

I have been religiously keeping my foot elevated to reduce swelling and pain. Each day my foot feels a bit better. It is nice to feel healing progress. I take a calcium supplement every day to aid a healthy fusion of the joints. My surgeon says I have to be non-weight bearing in a cast for 8 weeks. I go to the doctor in one week to take off my splint and take out the sutures from the surgical incision. After that, I will be put into a medical boot instead of a hard cast. 

Sadly, I have been through this process numerous times now. I know the steps by heart. Thinking about it doesn't sadden me until I take a moment to let it sink in that this routine has encompassed my life for over a year. I can't remember what life is like not in a continuous state of surgical recovery. Hopefully this is lucky number 5...

In other thoughts... I have compiled the list of books I have read over the past year. I am proud to say that I have nearly read more books in a year than I have read the entire preceding 25 years of my life. Since surgery, I have already read three books. It took me until I was no longer in school to finally realize the importance and joy of reading. I hope all my past teachers would be proud nonetheless. Better late than never.

1. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2. Walk Across America - Peter Jenkins
3. A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson
4. Lost on the Appalachian Trail - Kyle Rohrig
5. The Appalachian Trail: a journey of discovery - Jan D. Curran
6. Hiking Through: One Man's Journey to Peace and Freedom - Paul Stutzman
7. Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot - Bill O'Rilley and Martin Dugard
8. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
9. Stay - Allie Larkin
10. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
11. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith - Jon Krakauer
12. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster - Jon Krakauer
13. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman - Jon Krakauer
14. Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
15. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon - David Grann
16. Eat and Run - Scott Jurek
17. Finding Ultra - Rich Roll
18. Dividing the Great - John Metcalfe
19. The River of Dought: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey - Candice Millard
20. Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane - Erik Larson 
21. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania - Erik Larson
22. Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at a Fair that Change America - Erik Larson
23. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin - Erik Larson
24. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang - Chelsea Handler
25. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - Mindy Kailing
26. Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's Learned - Lena Dunham
27. Eat Sleep Ride - Paul Howard
28. Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
29. Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
30. Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
31. Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
32. Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
33. Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
34. Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
35. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
36. Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival - Norman Ollestad
37. Skywalker: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail - Bill Walker
38. AWOL on the Appalachian Trail - David Miller
39. Wild - Sheryl Strayed
40. The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey - Rinker Buck