could be worse, I guess

[alonewiththemoon]

Saw the podiatrist today.  The good news is that there's no arthritis anywhere in my foot.  The not so good news is that a) there's a ton of scar tissue stemming from repetitive injury built up in the ball of my foot, and it's pushing my bones around, tightening my foot mobility and impinging on a nerve or two and b) there's a bone spur in the first joint of my second toe.  With regards to a), I have already had a cortisone shot which seems to be doing some good, at least relieving some of the tension in there, and some physical therapy should help.  Unfortunately my foot has become skewed somewhat due to this, so the PT will focus on realigning my foot and breaking up the scar tissue as much as possible.  I think they might use ultrasound for that as well.  With regard to b), there's nothing really that can be done, short of surgery which would probably end up being worse than the original problem in its likely complications.  So I just have to get used to the annoying discomfort of the popping in my toe, unfortunately.  On the plus side, it's not likely to get any worse, and it's not impacting anything else in my foot.

So all in all, I will do my best to be optimistic about this.  I'm already pleased that I'm not reacting to the cortisone shot this time around.  The doctor said it would be fine to go to dance class this evening, and hopefully I'll feel a difference.  I'll get to check out BU's shiny new sports injury rehabilitation center on Thursday.

Bodies, man.  You just can't take them for granted.  I ignored a nagging pain in the ball of my foot about two years ago, and if I'd dealt with it then, I wouldn't be having this scar tissue problem.  Just because something has stopped hurting doesn't mean it's healed, or healed properly.  Lesson hopefully learned...  (says the woman who's icing her knee every time she dances.  but I can really only deal with one thing at a time, and fixing the foot may well have a strong positive impact on the knee anyway)

Well, in a more cheerful vein, Sunday night when I collected Seti at bedtime, he was so sleepy and relaxed I was able to fall asleep holding him in my arms like a teddy bear.  A teddy bear that cuddles back.  You can't beat that for sweetness!

Also here is a really nice article from the Boston Globe about Old Friends, a retirement facility for racehorses out in Kentucky.  They particularly focus on the stallions whose breeding years are done, since most other retirement places won't take them.  They are one of the charities I regularly give to, and I'd really like to visit someday.  As the article says, they encourage you to pet the horses!  And the stallions still race each other up and down the paddock fences, in at least one case recreating a career rivalry.  I'm sure they must trash talk each other as they run back and forth ;-)

Comments

[bluemoonsaga.livejournal.com]

my grandad was partners in a quarter horse race horse when i was a kid & i can still remember going to the paddocks at santa anita to visit.

[silentq.livejournal.com]

I hope that the scar tissue breaks up quickly and the spur doesn't cause any problems!
And definitely yay for not reacting to the cortisone shot!

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I'll be paying the price for some injuries I "toughed" it out on and never got treated. My poor knee has decided to start aching at times in a way it didn't (that I noticed anyway) immediately after the two falls. You'll get used to the toe-pop though ~ I have one that's done that to me since 8th grade! I was running up the stairs one day and noticed a little click, and it still does it off and on... luckily it never turned into anything worse, just an odd little companion that begs to be noticed now and then :P

The ferret hugs & horse haven stories are utterly cute and sweet :)

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

And the stallions still race each other up and down the paddock fences, in at least one case recreating a career rivalry.

What a lovely picture!

Sorry about the mixed news about your foot. I hope that knowing is half the battle and that you'll have better relief soon.