Nov 11: The Foot

Haven't been feeling much like writing. but haven't felt like doing much else, either.   There are other things I should be doing now, so in putting them off this rose to the top of the 'needs to be done' list.

The Foot:  it's not going very well.  It's now more than 9 weeks out, and I've been scrupulously good about  staying off TF. (Note: last time had abbreviated to The Damn Foot, but started thinking it was not a good thought to be sending down to it.  It's trying to heal, no sense in piling on negativity.)  Saw the doctor 2 1/2 weeks ago, and she gave me permission to do a very little weight bearing: always with the boot on and only a couple steps, such as scooter to the bathroom door and then walking in, or walking the few steps back to the cat's food bowls instead of bumbling with the scooter.  The good news is the ankle seems fine, but TF isn't, most specifically the 4th metatarsal which has been fractured at least once before if not twice, started hurting again.  Went back to staying off, although there is a certain amount that can't be avoided: stepping into the bathtub before sitting down, getting the scooter in and out of the car and the stairs into the house.  Other than that I either use the wheeled office chair or the scooter for even a couple steps. 

Not really sure why it isn't healing, although probably a combination of being re-fractured as well as being on the prednisone.  As mentioned before, I really thought that no longer working and being able to stay in the house for days at a time would speed up the healing, but apparently not.  Frustrating doesn't begin to cover it.

Doing the bone stimulator, compression stocking when it's going to be down for a while; there isn't anything else to do.  I only take Tylenol because, as I told my patients in the past, pain is the indication to stop what you are doing.  The problem now is that I'm having way more chest pain than I remember from before, from the sternal non-union and lifting the scooter.  This scooter is much more sturdy than the other one, but it's also about 6-7 pounds heavier, weighing in at 21 pounds.  Trying to get that in and out of the car can be a real challenge, especially if there are no handicapped spaces which allow the door to open up further. 

People are often fascinated by the scooter, but they don't often jump to open any doors.  A few people offer to help get the scooter in and out of the car, but not frequently.

My fatigue has been worse than normal, I'm assuming it's coping with everything that has to be coped with and adjusted around with the foot.

Chester has vomited three times in the past nine weeks, which is not unusual for a cat.  Unfortunately, two times have been on my bed right in front of my pillows, sinking all the way down to the mattress cover.  SO glad, again, to have the plastic cover on the mattress.  The other time was a massive one of wet food under the bed--in the direct center where it was almost impossible to get to.  And just to make it worse I didn't find the piles of  stuff until I was getting in to bed and exhausted, which just makes everything worse.  Had to strip all the way down to the plastic cover and re-make the bed, which is a real challenge when unable to bear weight on one leg.  It's difficult to close off the bedroom because I have to go around to get to the bathroom.  So the coping mechanism has been to have the kid I pay to do errands buy me two shower curtains, which I then cover the whole bed with.  (This, of course, takes more time)  Chester is not happy.  I don't care.  I did find a few covers bought when Tabitha was having her problems, and they now go  over the shower curtain.  With these pads Chester lies on his bed, although not looking all that comfortable.  He's making a statement.  It is, after all, his bed. 

Thanks for following my story,   Laurie