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



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Comments

[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.