Rx

I finally got in to see the doctor after work on Tuesday, thanks to A-train sacrificing his vacation time to pick me up after my 12 hour night shift to drive my slap-happy ass out to Westlake (It turns out the doctor had appointments available in Twinsburg and the scheduling people botched it up.  I think the doc was more aggravated than I was about it). 

I was able to get in almost immediately and went through a series of x-rays and then I headed upstairs to meet with the doc.  His aide took my heart rate and blood pressure.  It was 64 bpm and my blood pressure (get this) was 140/80.  I explained to the aide I had only slept 3 hours in the last 30 or so hours and drank an absurd amount of coffee to get through it, including one of those red eyes (that stuff really works!)

The doctor was pretty cool and let me examine my own x-rays with him.  I was a little surprised to see an extra bone in the medial side of my right foot.  I can actually see where it protrudes from my skin and always thought it a bit odd it wasn't on my left foot.  The doctor's diagnosis is that I am completely flat footed (I already new that) and as I run, my feet collapse distributing pressure/weight inappropriately throughout my feet (I already new that) and that puts unneeded stress on my plantar fascia and a few tendons (I already new that).  He told me I had a pretty bad case of plantar in addition to having a few tendons in my ankle/foot inflamed.  (Do I have to say it again? I already new that too!!) 

As I described my histroy of running with the pain for a year and a half, (including 3 marathons and an average mileage of 30-50 mpw) the doctor realized how much of a stubborn idiot I was.  He even stated "I am beginning to see the problem."  He recommended I get custom orthostics (can you hear the cash register "cha-ching?"  They are a few hundred bucks!), stretch, ice and try not to be a dumbass and run.  He said I should "at least wait until after I get my orthotics and break them in."  He also gave me designated left and right heel cups, which helped alleviate some of the pain almost immediately. 

It's been a week without running and the pain is getting better everyday.  I have managed to restrain myself from actually going for a run.  Heck, I didn't do anything last week for the first time as far back as I can remember.  I took a week off from EVERYTHING.  I have sprinted up and down the halls at work a few times for emergencies, but that's part of the job. 

I feel like I am going to be starting all over again with my running.  It's definitley a little frustrating and I feel like I'm taking a lot of steps backwards (or none at all if you think about it), but I suppose I will have to deal.  My biggest fear is that none of this works, that my foot wont ever handle the mileage, that my glory days are over and there will be no PRs (personal records) in my future.  The term PR for me will come to mean only past records. 

Now that it's over...

I have no real direction with my training, except I need to keep active somehow.  I am terrified my weight will sky rocket and I will become softer than I already am.  I hate to say it but I think my hair is going grey too...F!!!!

I have done a few runs at easy pace, just to burn the calories and collect on my RDA of Vitamin D, but the left lower leg and foot hurt pretty bad during and at times worse after thsoe runs.  After a year and a half I am suppose to see the doctor on Tuesday, finally.  I feel it will be futile and time consuming, but maybe I can get an injection of cortisone at least for the pain.  I have the sneaking suspicion the plan of care will include resting, no running and minimal activity, but that's impossible seeing as how I am a nurse and my job requires me to run around.  I am uncertain if I could even wear a boot, because a percentage of our patients have c-diff , requiring contact precautions.   This means anything that comes in direct contact with the disease will be covered in the bacteria (Gross!)  Worst case scenario, I have developed some kind of bone spur that's irritating the tendon and I have to have it filed down (God, just the thought makes me want to vomit). 

I am kicking around the idea of hitting up east side cycling when possible and taking advantage of the W.O. Center and the American Cancer Society gyms.  Whatever I choose it has to be something that will burn some calories and go easy on my foot.  So no races, no training schedule, just fix the foot so I can start the next chapter.