Blue is cool

So now I have a blue cast. Yes, today was my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon regarding my bum ankle. And it went pretty much like I expected. I am improving some but definitely not "all better." And I didn't improve as much as he had hoped. So he put a new cast on me, and told me to come back in two weeks. At that time, I'll get fitted for an orthotic insert to help support my foot once I get the cast off. Of course, these things take a few days to make, so they told me to expect yet a third cast to be put on at that time until my insert is ready.

At that time, I'll get the cast off for good and wear a boot (such as you wear if you break your foot) with the insert in it. Then I'll slowly transition into wearing the insert in regular shoes. After a few weeks in the insert, we'll evaluate whether this treatment has done enough to allow the tendon to heal and whether I can live with whatever level of pain I have at the time. If I can't, we'll have to look at surgery. Oh joy.

An unexpected side effect of all this is that we are discussing whether it would be wise to sell our little yellow car and buy one with an automatic transmission. I can't drive the car right now at all because of the clutch, and if I have surgery, I won't be able to drive it for months. I hate to do this because it is paid off and the suburban is just 4-5 months from being paid off. I meant to ask the surgeon about it today, about whether the motion of pressing the clutch is something I will ever be able to do. Guess I'll have to ask him in two weeks.

The nice thing was that I did get a chance to shave my leg, wash my foot clean, and scratch! I wish I had had something to soak my foot to get it feeling really clean. I also wish that I had thought to bring something to scrub my foot with - like a loofah pad - to get more dead skin off. I'll have to remember that in two weeks. Too bad I can't get someone to come with me to the appointment to give me a pedicure while I wait for the doctor...