When the nurse removed the splint yesterday I remember looking at my foot and thinking it looked wrong. I knew it was my foot and yet felt disconnected to it. Then as I mentioned, when I felt my ankle and discovered the lack of nerve response I wanted to cry.
The disconnect continued when I removed the boot to go to bed last night. I again stared at my foot and even took cell phone photo of it.
The disconnect continued when I removed the boot to go to bed last night. I again stared at my foot and even took cell phone photo of it.
But I felt like I had no connection to it. Later in bed, I tried to position my foot in neutral. When I looked down I could see the angle of my foot, but when I closed my eyes I couldn't have said where on the bed my foot was and if pushed would have said my toes were down almost in a ballet en pointe position.
While the pain was less this morning, the psychological component was still there as was the lack of sensation, leading to a very nervous shower. I felt safer in the air-cast boot, as I knew my foot was tightly encased.
With this worry in mind I played phone tag with my neurologist this morning while having my physical therapy evaluation. I also did some internet research when I got home, but could not find any articles or abstracts dealing with psychological disconnect and neuropathy. But it feels like it should be related, especially as my sciatic axonal neuropathy presents with hyposthesia (loss / lack of sensation). I will try to talk to Dr. Shetty when she gets back from her conference, especially if this emotional component continues. Just what I need, new and strange foot issues!
On the positive side, I was able to get around in the boot with just my cane while outside and no support in my apartment. I even took a bus and subway home from PT (the return of my sociology study of who offers me a seat on mass transit); stopped at Target to pick up a few items; and was able to walk the six blocks home - albeit slowly.
The physical therapist sent me home with simple stretch exercises, though he seemed loath to start pushing me to stretch while standing until next week. Did tell me to bring a left sneaker to my next appointment.
Relatively quiet weekend ahead as I try to balance my need to stretch and move with not over exerting myself and doing more harm than good.
