I have a lot of doctors. A few, like the gastroenterologist and the cardiologist, are specialty guys that I only see for special occasions, like the super-special colonoscopy, and that sort of thing. Others, I see often enough that I ought to be sending them Christmas cards. There’s:
my Primary Care Physician (at least twice a year)
my Ophthalmologist (every 4 to 6 months)
my Retina Specialist (also every 4 to 6 months)
my Dentist (um, I really need to make an appointment)
the kidney guys (every 3 to 6 months)
and, my Podiatrist (every 3 to 6 months, unless …) And we have had a recent “unless.”
I was having a regular appointment with my regular physician, and I showed her my right foot (for a rather non-podiatrical reason) and she said, “When are you seeing the podiatrist again?” And I said, “In December.” And she said, “Why don’t you call them up and see if you can get in sooner.” Really? It’s late October and I can’t wait a month and a half? Hmmm. When I left that doctor’s office, I drove right over to the podiatrist’s office and said, “My doctor says I need to come in sooner,” and they made an appointment for last Wednesday (Nov. 4).
I’m not a big worrier. We were raised that way, I suppose. If Mother and Daddy worried a great deal about things, they never let us know. And if big things came up, they got dealt with. Therefore, I wasn’t all anxious about the hurry-up trip to the Podiatrist. There might be a problem. If so, there would be a solution.
Oh, yes. There was a problem. I have Charcot Foot. The arch in my right foot is collapsing, and if not stopped, will keep on going until I have a rocker sort of thing on the bottom of my foot. The first step in easing the problem is immobilizing the foot.
These are what I have. These are not right.
“I’m going to put you in a boot,” said the doctor, and went off to find one. The nurse was sitting at the laptop, punching in information and I was sitting in the examining chair and sighing. “I wish I’d known,” I said. “I have a couple of those at home, from other things.” (Toe things, like toe ulcers that were lackadaisical about healing up.)
“You have a boot?” asked the nurse. “Yes,” I said, still not understanding. “I had toe surgery a few years ago …” “Oh,” said the nurse. “Like a post-op shoe.” “Yes,” I said. “Exactly. A post-op shoe.” “You’re getting a boot,” said the nurse. “It goes all the way up to your knee.” Hmmmmm. “No, that’s not what I have,” I said calmly. “WHAT!!” I said in my head.
Ollie, Mollie, Gollie. This thing is HUGE. When I finally got around to weighing it, I was stunned to see that it only weighs 2.5 pounds. That doesn’t seem like much, does it. It has a curved sole, which does help with walking, because the sole is thick, thick, thick and doesn’t bend. But it takes a while to get used to the gait. And I’ve finally become able to walk without an enormous CLONK with each step. It’s not really uncomfortable, just awkward.
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- Getting my new boot. I took this photo to send to a friend who had to wear one of these a while back. She was appropriately dismayed, but very helpful with advice.
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- Evenup (all labeled for you) on the athletic shoe
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- Evenup on the cute floweredy shoe
One very irritating feature–The doctor said, “You cannot drive.” “I CANNOT DRIVE!!!” “No, you cannot drive…with the boot on. You have to take it off and put on a shoe when you drive.” Whew.
But that process is wearing. Get in the car with boot on. Remove boot. Put on shoe. Drive. Park. Remove shoe. Put on boot. (Putting on boot requires fastening five giant Velcro straps, managing it all in the front seat of the car.) Clomp into Target and shop. Go back to car. Remove boot. Put on shoe. Drive to library. Park. Remove shoe. Put on boot. Walk into library and spend 60 seconds checking out a book that was on hold. Walk back to car. Remove boot. Put on shoe. And so on. Running errands seems to take twice as long. But, and this is huge, I qualify for a Handicap Tag. And I am not too embarrassed to use it.
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- My all-important new friend
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- Evenup on my black shoe (not quite as wide across, so the label’s not quite so clear)
For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Psalm 138:13 (NRSV)
Thank you, God, for knitting me together. It appears that I’m going to need some additional knitting over the next few weeks. Thank you for making our bodies able to do that.
A couple of days ago, at Target, I was walking up toward the door. A lady came out, and we made brief eye contact. She glanced down at my foot and looked away. It’s okay. I know some people feel awkward about problems, and they don’t know what to say.
Last week, when I was at the library, waiting to check out some Playaways (which have to be unlocked by librarians), a young woman came up behind me. After a few seconds, she nudged me. When I turned around, she pointed down to my floweredy shoe (see above). “Cute shoe,” she said (bless her heart). “Thanks,” I said. And I never meant it more.
I finally made myself get up to quiet the pestering thought which awakened earlier. I did not remember typing a prayer request for one of my friends along with the rest of our small groups. Sure enough, I had left Carmen’s request off the list when emailing it last night! Have no excuse but overload. Thankful to the Holy Spirit for the wake up call! And, for the opportunity to read of your latest dilemma which I might not have read until much later in the day. Thanks again to the Spirit’s wake up call, albeit 3:40 am is a bit early! Nevertheless, it gives me another prayer request to lift up not only early, but throughout the day. “Pray without ceasing.”
Hope this problem resolves itself with the boot and following the other orders the doctor no doubt gave you. Julie is moving to Frisco on the 27th, ( where she has a new counseling position.) Things are busy here as you can well imagine. However, there is always time to pray…fortunately I can do that while doing everything else. In addition, I will do so thanking God for His answer to this inconvenient and I’m sure uncomfortable problem. Please let me know how you are progressing. Beverly is here for a few days, having come up with Judy as Joey had her tonsils removed Wed. She is doing well thankfully. God bless you Gayle. I look forward to an update. Love always, Suzy
I’m always glad to be on your player list, whatever time of day.
Oh. My. Gosh. I am SO sorry! Does this mean that you won’t be spending quite as many hours on the treadmill for the next few weeks? Take care of that foot! NYC awaits!
I brought that up. At first she said no treadmill, but an exercise bike would be all right. I said I don’t *have* an exercise bike; I have a treadmill. And then I explained (with fervor) how practically every physician I have (PCP, kidney guys, cardiologist) want me to walk, and how especially the physical therapist says it’s *the* most important thing to do for spine health and I am trying to keep sciatica at bay. And she said, “It’s the impact of walking on a treadmill.” And I said, “Oh. What you are imagining is what you see on television. When *I* walk on my treadmill, I’m holding on for dear life and walking at about 1 or 1.3 mph. There’s no more impact than if I was walking around the house.” So, she said okay, but put it down from a slope (which was *barely* there) to level. So, I’m walking a little more slowly, and maybe just twice a day.
So sorry, Gayle. Sure hope that food mends fast! And knowing you – I bet you’re already rocking’ that boot! You take care of yourself and follow the doctor’s orders!
Thanks. And yes, I’m very compliant about what the doctors tell me to do. First, it’s a good idea. That’s why we *go* to the doctors. And, second, they *always* know when we’re not.
Wow, what a pain (literally), but I admire and enjoy how you always produce lemonade words out of lemon events! Praying that God will heal that foot!!!
Thanks for your prayers and your encouraging words.
So sorry to hear about your foot, but I’m glad you see the silver lining of being able to wear the shoes that have been hiding in the closet for a while. Remember, when I broke my right leg years ago, I learned to drive with my left foot–you might consider that as an alternative to the boot on-off-on routine. I was surprised at how easy it was to adjust, as long as I had enough pillows on the other side of the console to prop up my right leg!
Thanks so much for that idea!! I’ll start practicing today. I have a friend who drove with the boot on and she said it was possible and I said, “If someone plows into me and I get out of the car w/my boot on my driving foot, things would not go well.” But your way seems safer, from all views. And I have a bench seat, so it should be easy to just sling my right leg over there.