Thursday, October 31, 2013

PODIATRY

Yesterday when I posted about my failing vision as a sign of age, I forgot to mention the other unfortunate symptoms: I somehow injured my neck in my sleep the other night and am at this very second wearing an ice pack over my shoulder to help with the shooting pain. Also, this morning I went to the doctor to see about my ailing foot.

I was right in thinking it was plantar fascitis, but do you know what's CAUSING that ridiculous condition? It's arthritis in my big toe joints.

Arthritis.

And failing vision and a tweaked neck.

The good news is the PF is treatable and the doc had no doubts about me training for and running Boston. He did, however, say I had to wear different shoes.

"Do you have a job where you're on your feet a lot?"

"Um, yes," I said. "I'm a teacher. I'm on my feet all day."

"Yeah," he said. "Well, I'm going to recommend shoes with a hard, rocking bottom. Do you know Danskos?"

Do I know Danskos? The shoes I wore daily for several years until I embraced fashion? Until Tim Gunn told me via national television that my clogs were "the homeliest shoes in the world"?!

"I do know them," I told him. "I wore them all the time until Tim Gunn said they were the homeliest shoes in the world."

He looked unphased by this comment and basically said, "Do you want to run your marathon or not?"

I do, I said.

"Okay," he said. "I'll give you a coupon for Schuler's."

Schuler's. You guys, that's the orthopedic shoe store. Where the old people with their walkers go. Also, people who are only allowed to wear clogs. People with arthritis in their toe joints.

"They carry both the clogs and the berry-colored SuperFeet insoles I want you to have," Dr. L. continued.

Super. I can't wait to go there.

1 comment:

LH said...

I think Tim is wrong about the Danskos. But even he would tell you to "Make it work." Arthritis? I wonder if I have arthritis? My neck's stiff all the time. It's not stiff right at this moment, but it's usually not feeling very good. It's the most annoying feeling. Keep stretching your head and neck around and have family members give you some specifically directed neck massages.