My Left Foot.

Well, I finally hauled my ass to the ER for my foot. It only took 4 hours in total which actually isn't that bad considering and it took 30 min. before the Triage nurse even showed up to assess me but they did have a critically ill patient at the back they were all attneding to but it wasn't croded or busy; I went early; at 8 am and I was the first one there actually and then even later there were only 6 of us in total. I did get an X-Ray like I wanted and it turns out I have something called Plantar Fascititis (I hope I spelled that right!) which is basically an inflammation or tear in the ligament or something connecting the heel to the foot and it will just get better on it's own ,in time, up to 6 months to a YEAR! All I can really do is rest it as much as possible, apply ice, take Ibuprophen for inflammation and pain and wear a special orthotic for my foot to take the pressure off my heel and support my arch, which I have now.

  You'll also never guess who I saw there in the hallway while I was waiting for my X-Ray? One of our priests from church! He recognized me first, actually, and at first I didn't know who he was, dressed in jeans and a parka; out of the normal surroundings and context and without his priest robe I knew he looked familiar and my poor brain was trying to recall where I knew him from, and he goes, How's your dog? and I'm like, thinking to myself, Who is this guy,and how does he know Buddy? and then I wondered if maybe he might be one of the neighbours that's seen me walking him or something and then he undid the zipper of his coat and I could see his priest collar....and then, all of a sudden.....zing! I knew who he was.  :D

  The doctor also said that inadequate arch support in the foot is a common cause for this foot disorder and wearing the "wrong" types of footwear and the fact is, I hardly even ever wear shoes. I mostly go around barefoot or in socks and only wear shoes when I go out. I think it's uncultured to wear shoes indoors anyway as it tracks dirt and mud on your carpets,and besides, I've always preferred it more "natural", going around barefoot(I don't like to wear a bra,either) and, in fact, I can even remember my friend D (in Jr. High) calling me Horsefeet because I went around all summer barefoot, even climbing fences barefoot,and if I'm not barefoot in the summer I'm wearing flip-flops, not exactly the best for foor support, and even when I do wear shoes my footwear of choice is my beloved Converse Chuck Taylor hi-tops, also again probably not the best arch support. In any case, the new orthotic really works well and the pain is much less and I can walk more now,too!

  Funny as well: A FB friend commented on my photo here saying about my foot, It really does look swollen! but the thing is it's the bottom of my heel that's the problem and that's just my usual everyday bad edema and fluid retention in my feet, ankles, legs, etc. that I always have, and have had for the past 2 years or so now. Even the ER doctor mentioned it and was concerned about the severity of it saying it's not normal(my own doctor isn't concerned) and when I said I'm on Lasix for it yet still have it this bad she looked shocked. She also said I'm not old enough yet to have arthritis and that it tends to be more in the ankles anyway and not in the heel  and at least the X-Ray ruled out a stress fracture. I was beginning to wonder if I was walking around with a broken heel for the past month, like with my mother's grandfather, who had a broken hip for a week and never knew it; they'd apparantly read the X-Ray wrong and said it was fine...until the radiologist re-looked it over again and saw it was indeed broken a week later.