Dave,

I had a bunion removed from my right big toe about 8 years ago. Big spur on the "inside" of my right big toe. Looked like the tip of a thumb sticking out of the side of the toe. If I banged it by accident, lemme tell ya it really hurt.

So, my surgeon did two things. First, he cut off the spur on the side. Then he cut a wedge in the lower bone of the toe to let the top bone straighten out. (Over time the top bone had tilted direction and pointed to the right).

After the operation, I wore a soft surgical "shoe" for a few weeks, then sneakers when I was able. Took about six weeks or maybe a little longer to be able to wear leather dress shoes comfortably. In fact, he told me that in 60 days it was going to be as healed as it was going to get. And he was right. After two months I was completely healed and pain free, and the bunion hasn't grown back. Very light scar on the inside of my big toe about 1 inch in length.

After the operation, I took a pain pill for a couple of days, mostly to sleep comfortably. Had it done on a Friday, stayed off it for the weekend and returned to work on Monday. It was my right foot, so I couldn't drive a car for a while and I did hobble arould on crutches for about a week or so.
I had this done in late October, and come January I was ok. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to consider postponing it till the weather improves in a couple of months.

I'd do it again in a NY minute, if I ever have to.

Now, can I tell you about my 5 artery bypass surgery or my 5 level cervical fusion?

Good luck.