I swear: One more injury and I may have to change the title of this blog to Donna Whines About Her Health.
I was determined not to make the same mistake I had back in January, after I slammed my car door on my thumb (I refused to believe the injury was serious enough to warrant a doctor's visit... and discovered later that it was broken). So this time, I saw a doctor 24 hours after my silly little toe stub.
The x-ray confirmed that I had indeed suffered a hairline fracture.
"It's so small there was some question about it," opined the orthopedic surgeon I was referred to yesterday. He proceeded to test it.
"Does it hurt when I do this?" he asked.
No.
"How about this?"
No. That's why this particular mishap was so weird. I did not suspect that I'd broken anything until I'd walked on it all day Sunday -- and removed my shoes and socks to discover that my big toe had begun to resemble a teeny, tiny purple eggplant.
He grabbed the toe and pressed down in it.
"Uh-oh. Did you feel the bone crackle just then?"
Yes. I heard it, too.
The doctor pointed out that the length of my middle toe makes it perfect to use as a splint, so he showed me how to tape them together. Then we discussed the problem of footwear: that I needed to be careful not to choose shoes with soles that are too flexible. And that it may be difficult to wear a shoe on my right foot at all.
That's when he decided I might be best off with one of those steel reinforced, Velcro boots that have replaced old-fashioned casts.
"Would you believe this thing costs $400?" he asked. "Insurance picks up most of that."
Idle medical chit chat.
I asked him if I could drive.
"Oh no. Never with a broken toe. How did you get here?"
I never realized how convenient it would be to have a teenager with a learner's permit. Megan has had the privilege of driving me to my multiple doctor appointments this week.
I had planned to stop for groceries on the way home, but walking with the splinted toe within the boot turned out to be more uncomfortable than the flip flops I'd been wearing since Monday. We went home and I ordered groceries online from Von's.
I am supposed to go to Detroit on Tuesday on assignment for AskPatty.com, and am now trying to decide if I need to cancel. Being unable to drive isn't that big a deal, since the auto companies usually pair the writers up in the cars; I can still glean a lot as a passenger.
But after just a few hours of wearing the boot, my foot and leg feels pretty sore. So I am having doubts about my ability to navigate LAX and the airport in Detroit.
I'll give it at other day.
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