Monday, June 27, 2011

The foot debacle and an actual doctor (not webMD)

I pulled up to the doctor’s office telling myself that the doctor was going to be awesome and fix me. That’s when I saw the sign for the office taped on the door. With tattered tape. I don’t think good doctors usually have signs taped on the doors. They have big signs they ordered months in advance or their names engraved in the door, but not tattered tape. This was slightly concerning.


All my fears melted away when I walked into a very nice office with awesome tablet thingies that patients checked in through. I think that’s what sold me. I didn’t even wait that long before being taken back to a room. The nurse took my blood pressure and told me the results with a worried look on her face. I have no idea what those numbers mean. If they gave you a percentage that would be better. Or even a grade. That I could work with. I asked if my mysterious numbers were good or bad and she told me they weren’t great and wondered if I was nervous. YES I was nervous ! I ALWAYS get nervous! If it’s not bad enough going to the doctor in the first place, the blood pressure cuff makes my heart race because I know they’re going to try to suffocate my arm. Doctors are never fun. They’re always trying to poke you with something, and it’s never good. Some want to poke you in worse places than others, but it’s just never fun. I replied with showing her my shaky hands. She looked relieved and luckily she left me alone then. I guess my mysterious numbers must not have been too bad.


The doc was super nice and didn’t try to poke me with anything. I even got a brief foot massage although I think he was really just checking my foot. After asking me a bunch of questions which made me even MORE nervous, he told me what was wrong with me. The condition was some super long medical term that sounded terrible, like a condition where my foot was going to just fall off right there for no good reason (don’t worry – it didn’t). I asked if that was good or bad. I seem to ask this question a lot when I see doctors. I wonder what they think of me when I leave. So, I asked “good or bad” with this scared look in my eyes and I looked serious and jumpy at the same time. He laughed, said it was good for him, and explained how it happened and what it was in non-doctor terms. I can’t remember the name of the actual condition and unfortunately I can’t find it on webMD OR wikkipedia! It must not exist then? I’ll attempt to make sense here but from what I understand, I built up my calf so much and so fast from all the ladder activity that it’s pulling my Achilles tendon up and then when I walk it tears which is that terrible pain I’ve been feeling. I had to stop myself from laughing because it really sounded like I hurt myself from getting too much physical activity. I have never been told that before. I don’t just sit around at home on the couch, but I’m also not out running marathons. I’m not even walking marathons actually.


So, there really was something wrong with me, and it’s good I went in. I guess Mr. C and Ms. M do know what they’re talking about sometimes. I think they just got lucky though. The appointment was most definitely worth it though. The doc wrapped my foot for me and it felt oh-so good after. He even proceeded to draw a smiley face on it. Oddly, I think it kept me in a better mood all week. I’d look down, see the smile, and smile right back. I also have some stretches to do which he told me may fix me as soon as the next day.
I was sent for x-rays just to rule out any fractures just in case. It must have been my lucky day because he wrote on the order that they should give me the films! This meant that after the x-rays were taken I got a big envelope with the films which I promptly viewed once in my car. You should know that I’ve ruled out any fractures based on my review of these films. Of course I have no idea what I’m looking for other than a big line. Mr. C and I also examined them at home. And I made Ms. M look at them too. I would have kept going but the novelty wore off after the first couple days.


So apparently sometimes webMD isn’t the answer, but I’m still not agreeing to go to the doctor whenever Mr. C tells me to.


I’m not quite fixed yet but I can walk without wanting to cut my foot off or looking like a weirdo. Well, I look less weird anyhow. I’m pretty impressed with the results though and I’m hoping I can start one of my fitness challenges next week from my 101 list. I think the list is feeling neglected and I barely remember what’s on there. Plus, with my foot being out of commission while I waited it out, my clothes seemed to shrink the same rate. It’s mind boggling how that happens.

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