The Cure Just Might Be Worse Than the Injury!

I try not to whine a lot, really I do, but I am REALLY not enjoying my feet right now!  My right foot has hurt since I was pregnant with Robert.  I do not know how I injured it - I don't even remember exactly when it started to hurt - it has just hurt for a long time.   It hurts the worst in the morning when I first get up, or after I have been sitting and then stand up on it, but it always hurts. I limp around like an old lady sometimes.  I just figured it was part of the pregnancy aches and pains and would eventually go away. Then, I sprained my right ankle before Christmas, and it has never healed up completely either.  I want to start exercising and losing the baby weight, and my foot has been getting worse instead of better, so I finally broke down and went to the doctor.

He diagnosed me with Plantar Fasciitis.  He told me that I had injured the bottom of my foot, and a tendon was torn right where it met up with the bone in my arch.  He said because I had let it go so long without treatment, I had lots of scar tissue built up and lots of swelling.  He also said that was the reason my ankle hadn't healed up - because my foot couldn't support it, and I was rolling my foot when I walked to compensate for the pain.  I was excited!  I knew what was wrong now, so let's treat it and be done with it!  Well, it turns out that it isn't that easy.  And my lifestyle is not meant to heal this foot injury.  :(

You might be wondering what I mean by that.  Well, apparently the WORST thing you can do with this injury is go barefoot.  The next worst thing is to wear flip flops, sandals or flats.  If you don't know me that well, you might not realize that I HATE shoes.  I wear them when I have to, but they come off the minute I enter the house.  I walk outside barefoot (I hiked the narrows in Zion barefoot - and yes, the bruises were worth it!), I ride in the car barefoot, I just do not like to have my feet confined to shoes.  So if I do wear shoes, it is usually something I can slip on and off quickly.

Well, no more.  The first thing my doctor said was "buy new shoes."  The he looked at the flats I had slipped on to go to the doctor, told me they were pointless, and said, "buy good shoes that support your feet."  I explained my problem with shoes, and he asked if I wanted to be in pain the rest of my life.  I didn't, so he told me to go get some good running shoes (and lectured me on getting good ones - I quote him, "Don't get $30 running shoes, or they will be $30 running shoes.  I want you to spend $80-$100 and get some good shoes that will support your arch and hold your feet in the right position."  Since I am often a Target/Walmart clearance shoe shopper, and have never spent that much on shoes in my life, he blew my mind.  :)  Then he told me that I had to buy Orthotic inserts to wear in the shoes and further support my feet.  And I needed a brace to wear on my foot at night.  Oh the $$$$ that was flashing in my mind.  The exercises and the ice bottle to roll my foot on were free, though.  I asked how long this foot was going to take to heal?  Of course that depends on how diligently I follow the treatment plan...but anywhere from 2 months to 2 years.  WHAT?!!!!!

So, I went shopping.  The Eugene Running Company fit me into a nice, expensive pair of Brooks running shoes, and helped me get some nice orthotic insoles.  I got my night brace, froze my water bottle, and started treating my foot.

And now I CAN"T STAND IT!!!!   I cannot wear shoes all day.  It is killing me!  I just want to rip them off.  It has been two weeks, and it is not getting any better (well my foot was getting better - I say was because I reinjured it the other day when I wore boots for a few hours instead of my running shoes...which was apparently stupid, and now I am starting all over again - but getting used to having shoes on all the time is not getting better).  I really am not sure I can do this.  It is going to come down to mind over matter I guess.  I just want my feet to be free again.  Summer is almost here, and I am going to be clunking around in these monstrous shoes the whole time, instead of feeling the grass and sand between my toes.  I just hope and pray that it doesn't take too long to heal.  I am totally committed to the treatment, so I can get these stupid shoes off my feet!  I guess I'll just take one day at a time.  Sigh.........  And now that I have ranted about this and got it off my chest, I will just suck it up and make the best of it!  Here's to a future of pain free feet!  :)