2023 52 Card Project: Week 39: Foot

[pegkerr]

A little over a week ago, I started feeling pain in my left foot as I was doing my usual walk around Lake Nokomis. I'd broken a toe on that foot last July, but it had seemed to heal up fine. What was going on?

I resisted for a few days, irritated by the prospect of paying yet more medical bills, but when I had to resort to using a cane to go up and down the stairs, I gave in and went into Urgent Care. They did an x-ray and sent me to a podiatrist.

So, apparently, I had nascent mild to moderate arthritis in my foot, and the injury aggravated it. I am now the proud owner of a surgical boot, which is definitely a Glamour Don't. I have to wear it for the next two to six weeks and stop exercising. Ice two times a day.

Worst of all is that I am not supposed to go barefoot or in just my socks, even in my home. I have a collection wonderful of cozy slipper socks that are not to be used anymore. Instead, I have to buy shoes with rigid soles. Very, very expensive and rather ugly shoes.

After a week of being mostly inert on my couch, I am going rather crazy. In addition, I'm finding life maintenance to be rather more difficult at present: dealing with the boot while cooking, cleaning the bathroom, washing dishes, going outside to water the new grass seed my landscape company just put down, etc.

Admittedly, I'm sort of bitter about all this. True, I can eat ice cream whenever I want, but in many ways, growing older has a lot of unfortunate drawbacks.

Image description: Center: x-ray of a foot. Lower left corner: a pile of slipper socks, with a 'No-prohibition' circle over them. Above the slipper socks: a cane. Lower right: a view of a woman's legs crossed at the ankle. The left foot is wearing a surgical boot. Upper left: a woman's shoe. Upper right: a Haflinger clog.

Foot



Click here to see the 2023 52 Card Project gallery.

Click here to see the 2022 52 Card Project gallery.

Click here to see the 2021 52 Card Project gallery.

Comments

[dreamshark]

I feel your pain. Literally. I've pretty much given up walking because of issues with my feet and occasionally hips. Fortunately, biking still works. And swimming if I ease into it gradually. You wouldn't think that there is any way that swimming could hurt your feet, but if I overdo it I get foot cramps. *sigh*

Are those shoes at the top your new "ugly shoes?" I think they are quite attractive, actually. Or maybe I just think they look comfortable.

[pegkerr]

I need to turn around my attitude. I think I'm not happy about the shoes because 1) they're super expensive and 2) I really hate to give up the shoes I have now, as well as my slipper socks, which is one of the things I put on when I get home to give me a cozy feeling. I don't find the Haflinger clogs as comfortable (at least not yet). But you're right: what I have bought so far is not as unattractive as I feared they would be.

Change is hard. Yet, I must remember that I've always considered learning how to accept change with grace as an essential component of aging well.

[dreamshark]

You've had a lot of challenges lately. I can see how giving up your favorite footwear would be just the last straw. Surely you can still wear your coziest slipper socks when you're curled up on the couch reading or watching TV or whatever, and just slip on the clogs when you have to get up and walk around? Still a bit of an adjustment, but better than trying to curl up with clogs on.

[pegkerr]

Yes, I've thought of that--so I'm not going to throw them out! Maybe I can keep the basket I store them in right by the couch.

[pameladean]

Argh. I had a surgical boot for a much shorter length of time and it was so very annoying. I had to get a lift to put on the outside of my one shoe so my hips didn't rebel utterly. I was able to do upper-body exercises, though, and I am not sure why you can't. It's not as energizing as walking, etc., but it's better than nothing.

P.

[pegkerr]

Yeah, I should concentrate on weight lifting. I could even do lower body floor work.

I’m just being crabby about everything.

Sorry.

[pameladean]

Absolutely no need to apologize! The boot is low-level annoying all the time and all of the changes at once make it hard to feel adaptable.

P.

[aome]

OK, seriously? Immobilizing is NOT the cure for arthritis. You actually do better to keep moving it. I get maybe a rest period to calm the irritation but I feel like, in the long run, rigid shoes are not the solution. Maybe a sports medicine doctor or rheumatologist would have a better perspective? I feel like PT might serve you better than tossing your slipper socks.

[pegkerr]

This was a podiatrist—feet are what he deals with all day, literally. I have to trust that he knows what he is talking about. He showed me on the x-ray the way that the joint has shifted a little, due to the injury perhaps, and gave me inserts to put my shoes.