I just met with my podiatrist today.

thank you for the insight! I has suspected a small bunion starting about a year ago. I just recently started noticing red marks from shoes rubbing. I occasionally have pain in the ball of the foot and feel like my toe needs to pop or is jammed. Other than that, it seems to feel minor compared to the heel/arch pain. Podiatrist said it will get worse over time and because of the type, it's better to fix is now than wait. Bunions run on my mons side of the family. She told me stories of her grandmother's and great grandmother wearing slippers with holes cut out for the bunion to stick out. She too had a bad one, and I recall her surgery when I was in elementary school. So my hope is that since it's early and not that bad, Maybe that part of surgery will be easier? One can hope anyway. After reading about recovery it seems that non-weight bearing will be hard without a wheelchair if both feet are done. Luckily my husband is no stranger to assisting me through surgery recovery. He has already helped me through 2 major back surgeries, 1 ankle surgery, and many spinal injections and blocks over the years. He is a trouper! I am lucky to have him. Even today he was out picking up special ice packs for my feet from the pharmacy.

that's pretty much where ai am at. Even if I get them healed with as active as I am with work and dance, it probable that it will be recurring. To me it would make sense to fix the problem permanently for Longer term quality of life. Unfortunately my competitive gymnastics background and dance training in my younger years has done a number on my body. Plantar issues are pretty common for dancers as are bunions from what I understand. I would go insane if not doing something all the time. 1 week is a challenge. I am already feeling antsy and trying to not think of what I could be doing

I think I’ve gotten to the point where I realize that I have to heal my feet in order to do what I want.  I did six Cortizone shots and they worked for 4-6 weeks, but if I would’ve allow them to work overtime and not keep going knowing that I had PF I could’ve probably gotten rid of it lot faster.  I’m definitely going to stay off of my feet and let them heal for as long as it takes.  This way I can definitely get out and run an hike again.

that is going to be a challenge for me for sure-surgery or not. If I could just pick a time of the year for my feet to heal, then it would be okay....one of my internal battles is that I own a busy catering company. I have contracts booked out for the next year. While I have a team that I employ, I am not one to sit back and let others do work while I sit down and rest. I feel guilty if I feel like I am not pulling my weight. For me, I can't just take a day off or give my boss a note from the doctor. I FEEL that I have to be present although I know my team is capable. Its a control thing. In years past, precovid, staffing wasn't an issue like it is now. In my area food industry workers are hard to find. So with the shortages, and despite taking fewer bookings, my time is more of working events or in the kitchen rather than being in the office. I had "retired" from working events after my back surgeries due to wear and tear on my body-I am no spring chicken. But out of necessity, I have gone back to "working " events. Unfortunately, I may ultimately have to consider either canceling contracts or think about downsizing again. I just landed a huge contract with a very well-known online shipping company that has multiple Warehouses in our area and nationwide. We will be providing meals for their employees daily and expand to all of their local locations. My hope is to launch all of the Warehouses and then once everything settles in sell the company for permanent retirement. I am so close to being there. I just don't want to jeopardize THAT contract. It's huge for a small business and will be life changing for us, but it will also be the most demanding as it is everyday with multiple shifts per location. So I do understand that ultimately I may have to decide what is more important long-term.....my health or my business. In my non-rational brain, I try to convince myself that setting myself up for long-term financial success is the answer so that I can take all the time in the world to heal and get healthy-do it later mentality. In reality I know that's not going to pan out well. So I have some internal battles and stubbornness to fight. I had tried to make this year different by consciously making sure I put my health, well-being and family before work. I did very well most of the year, but had a bad covid infection and got very behind in paperwork. From there, EVERYTHING health and self-care wise seemed to spiral. Now here we are looking at surgeries. So thank you for making that comment. I mean that feom the bottom of my heart. I think I needed ok hear it. As I relpy to your post, I realized to you triggered some self -reflecting. I need to get my priorities back on track and start taking better care of myself again.

wow that’s a lot to have to think of and I do understand.  I am also not a spring chicken and came into my hiking passion later on in life.  Now all I think about is living as cheap as possible, being in the best health possible and being able to hike as much as possible.  I am an epidemiologists and I worked on the COVID vaccines when my PF started. It was easy to consume my entire day, working 16 hours a day to bring a vaccine to everyone that needed it.  I realize that life is short and I won’t have many days to enjoy my life, so I really need to do what I can to make sure that I enjoy as much of it as possible.  I wish you nothing, but luck 🍀

thank you. And you are exactly right. At what price do we sacrifice our health and our well-being for the benefit of others and presumably our long-term future? In the end is is worth it? I'd rather have long and hopefully pain-free later chapters of my story. And what I do NOW will ultimately determine that.

that was me until I literally could not walk. I had surgery last Weds, 2nd one in 3 months.

I think I need surgery tried everything else, probably takes years though as uk nhs waiting lists are horrendous.

same, I feel like I’m too young to not be able to run and hike, I need to heal and run for life!!!

definitely!

I may slaughter the spelling. Hallux rigidus? It's on the big toe joint.

There are groups for that on Facebook. You may want to join one. There are multiple surgery types based on what type of doctor you see and how severe it is. Its not just a bunion, it’s often accompanied by cartilage loss. I had that on both big toes- ended up with joint replacements.

I will look into that. I haven't researched much yet and have a lot to learn from what it sounds like.