Hi -
How timely, I just had surgery 48 hours ago! I talked to my Neurologist and my PCP for advice in advance, over months as I tried to gather as much information I could, with huge thanks to @johnbishop for his help. While the Orthopedic surgeon was ready, I too didn't want to make my PN worse. In the end, my Neurologist said the surgery shouldn't cause additional nerve injury or numbness He believes the biggest adjustment will be in re-learning a new walk after the structural changes are made to my toes. I have been adjusting my gait over time to compensate for the curling happening in my left toes. Nobody knows if the clubbing was caused by Neuropathy or just a regular thing that many folks without PN get in their lifetime. They also can't say whether my PN could ever make me susceptible to an eventual return of hammertoes, but it is believed it would take a long time if it did.
I only got my left foot done, because the right toes aren't bad enough yet, and even if so, they thought someone with PN as severe as mine would be safer getting one foot at a time. I have to wear a special surgical shoe for 3 weeks, so at least I'll be able to drive (when not on pain meds) since my right foot isn't affected. They called it "arthrodeses" on my middle three toes, which now have wires in them for three weeks; they did something called "arthroplasty" on my pinkie toe, no temporary wire in that one. I'll see my foot unwrapped at the 10 day mark for bandage change. On Day 19 I'm to get the wires pulled out in his office. My surgical shoe will go with it, so that will be my time to adapt to a new gait and make any necessary shoe style adjustments.
Just like other parts of our PN journeys, we kind of figure it out as we go along, don't we, and see what works for us? Luckily, we have good mentors and members here to share experiences and articles. I'm fresh out of the gate with this surgery and will gladly share progress as I move along. My surgeon came highly recommended, and he is as anxious as I am to make this a positive outcome for me and my balance! Debbie