October 20th, 2023

It’s now been over a month since I stopped wearing the cast and started using an orthopaedic shoe. This important change allowed me to begin physiotherapy. But already after the second session, I noticed my foot had swollen significantly. The exercises were simple and shouldn’t have caused such a reaction. I didn’t have any pain, but I felt that something wasn’t quite right. At the same time, I had a fever, not very high (between 37.5 and 39°C), but unusual enough to worry me.

So, I booked an appointment with my surgeon. Unfortunately, he was on holiday, and I was seen by his assistant, who was also part of the surgical team. She prescribed a compression stocking, lymphatic massages, and a blood test. The stocking immediately reduced the swelling, and the massages helped a lot. However, my blood results weren’t great, and I had to restart an antibiotic treatment.

Still, I continued to feel a strange sensation in my foot. Hard to describe, but it felt like something was out of place. On Wednesday, I finally saw my surgeon again, now back from holiday. As I feared, the X-Ray confirmed my doubts: after the last operation, there was about a 50/50 chance everything would hold. But without the screws, the bones had shifted again.

So I’m going back to hospital next Tuesday for a fifth operation. I already had a CT scan yesterday to help the team plan the surgery precisely. This time, the ankle will be stabilised with a plate and screws. Before the operation, they’ll also perform a biopsy to check for any new infection, since the cause of my fever episodes is still unclear. I’m expected to stay in hospital for between 7 and 10 days.

What’s hardest to accept is the immobilisation ahead: another 12 weeks in a cast. It’s tough to swallow, even if deep down I was somewhat expecting it.

With hindsight and the experience I have now, I wouldn’t recommend anyone undergo surgery abroad, even though I’m convinced the surgeon in Midelt did his best. The delay between the accident and the operation in Switzerland was too long. This further weakened the ligaments and probably contributed to the infection. Today, I would advise stabilising the foot locally and arranging for immediate repatriation. But, as always, you’re wiser after the fact…

My travel insurance also bears some responsibility, even if they deny it. Fortunately, my legal protection insurance has handed the case over to a law firm, which is now handling the dispute with KPT.

I’ll keep my blog updated and let you know about this new chapter as soon as I’m admitted to hospital next week.