Got up at 4:10 and then just a minute later my cute neice says "Rachel...It is almost time to go." She was worried I wasn't getting up :) What she didn't know is that I just had to brush my teeth and I was out of there - and hoping my foot wouldn't hurt when I stepped on it (wishful thinking, but it did feel better!) We got on our way and I was SO tired! Talking to her was the only thing keeping me up. Once I saw her through security I went back to the car...crawled in the back seat and slept! I slept for over an hour and paid my airport fee for it, but any fee was better than what I would've paid with if I'd driven home...well, tried to.
After I got home I went to sleep again, then got up in time to get my 8 and 11 year off to their first day of 3rd and 6th grade! This is last year I get to send my daughter to elementary school...CRAZY!!! Before I left I'd called Dr Brinton's office and he was out until Monday...crap! So, I asked for a doc with sports injury specialty and they said they'd get me in at 11:00. Perfect. Got the kindergartner to his testing appointment, picked up the sitter and headed off.
Well, the doctor was a douche bag. He told me to rice it and stay off it for a week - with no help of doing so. Just rest it for a week. He said it was a tear of the Plantar Fascia (hello...I'd figured that out!) and to rest it for a week and come back if there was still pain. Really?!? How exactly do you expect me to keep my foot up for a week with 4 kids - one of them a 2 year old?!? I asked him to help me with something I didn't already know (respectfully). He said he could put me in a nursing home for a week, or admit me to the hospital, or give me a wheel chair (um, I have a 2 story home!) or put me in a full leg cast - IF I wanted it. Also asked what kind of pain meds I wanted. What the heck?!? I wasn't there for a band-aid I wanted some answers and some help as to how to be functional in daily life. How to heal from here, how to get back quickly, how to heal in the best way possible to get back a soon as possible. He couldn't answer any of them. He finally suggested a splint and said I could get crutches instead of a cane without a rubber bottom that was 10+ years old and made me look like an 80 yr old woman - thanks doc. I was SO frustrated and cried the whole last 10 min or more of the appointment trying to communicate what I wanted - not just a band-aid fix, but some answers to what was wrong with me and how to best and quickly heal.
The nurse came in and did a splint on then told me they didn't have any crutches in their office or in the hospital pharmacy (the office is at Riverton hospital), but I could pick some up at Smiths, most likely. She then came back with a wheel chair to take me out to my car. I was SO frustrated I stood up, grabbed my cane and said "I'm fine!' "you don't want help with the wheelchair?" "No! Are you going to follow me to Smiths and help me in there so I can get crutches?" "well, no" "then I will do it on my own...thanks!" and I walked out.
I went to the car and cried and screamed and cried some more. I called my sister (QP) because I knew she was stuck in a car driving and couldn't avoid me. She was nice to commisserate with me and suggest I just call my PT. I'd called him earlier, but he hadn't returned my call yet. So, I tried again. He was there in appointments and I broke down (surprise, surprise) to the receptionist and she said she would have him call me asap. Well, when I called my sister back I decided to just drive over there and see what I could do. My babsitter was SO nice and said she was good to just hang out...love her!
When I got to TOSH, I contimplated stopping at the desk, but decided to be bold and self-centered and just hobble on back to his corner. I saw Joel and started crying and babling all over again. So, basically...I cried my way in. He actually TOUCHED my foot (the doc didn't even touch my foot, I know they're ugly...but c'mon!) and I finally got some answers and hope.
He thinks that the swelling is more painful for me than the injury to the PF. So, if we can get the swelling down then I should be able to walk pain free within 72 hours. This is good news for Spudman on Saturday! He said it is impact caused not calf tightness caused, because I can rise up on my toes pain free. This means that when the swelling is down I can bike! He did a cold compress thing on my foot while elevated to help swelling, then did a steroid patch with a battery and light on it...crazy weird! He also told me to keep the foot at 90%+ with a splint (doc said just neutral foot) to aid the calf and PF in healing properly to be able to return as quickly as possible once pain free. See?!? ANSWERS!
So, 4 hours after my journey began I finally got to Smiths and picked up my crutches and splint (also Papa Murphy's for a work-free dinner!). I got home in time to see the kiddos get home from school, take the sitter home then sit and enjoy first day of school stories and papers as I sat on the couch.
I'm still sitting here and hubby is helping me all night. Kids are in bed and hopefully, asleep. Now, I'm going to get to bed and heal. So, don't expect many other posts from me for a while.
As far as Spudman goes, PT gave me clearance to swim and bike, but I can ONLY walk the 10K if I am pain free Saturday morning. No running allowed. And I have to get some soft arch supports before that as well.
As always, I'll get through this. With some hope from the PT I am no longer in the bawling mode and am ready to tackle this and get it gone. Now, if only my house will survive me sitting for another 2 days... :) | 
