Matching feet

DISCLAIMER:
THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS-ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
***************************************************
I take it by your use of the words, "my consultant" that you are from the U.K. and under their National Health Insurance. I can't say that this has anything to do with it, but have you ever considered the fact that those who get paid the same whether they provide services or not, both in countries where doctors work for the government and patients do not have to pay for services, and in the U.S. in situations where doctors are on salary and not on a fee for service basis, such as in HMO's, often are less willing to provide extensive, costly and time-consuming services? It may, however, really be that your doctor's judgment is correct that the cure would be worse than the disease, but dollars to donuts, if he/she were on a fee for service basis, the judgment might be different, assuming the surgery was appropriate but totally elective. Of course, this takes a rather dark view of the situation which may be entirely untrue, but I offer it merely as grist for the thought-mill.

 

Thanks Foot Doc. Doesn't really answer my question about the principle of matching feet rather than aiming for full correction, i.e. compared to what? For what its worth, the orthopaedic surgeon is working in the private sector so would have stood to make money from the operation.

 

Unless your doctor is advising against surgery because he/she doesn't have the skill to pull it off or doesn't think that it would work out or that you wouldn't be able to tolerate it or that your subjective symptoms do not justify it, I cannot understand why a competent surgeon would not perform an otherwise warranted procedure just because it is difficult. Certainly, not all surgeries work out as hoped, and if you would be satisfied with improvement but not perfection, I can't see why that could not be a plan.

 

Thanks for your advice - pretty well what I thought, but appreciate the confirmation.