Finally some good news! It was getting pretty grim, just before Thanksgiving - my foot wasn't really healing visibly, the doc decided to put it in a cast, perhaps he would even recommend surgery afterall... gaaak! But just two weeks later and all is turned around. The latest x-ray experience was very exciting. The problem is a space, just under a centimeter wide, between the two shards of my broken metatarsal. When we went back for the 3 week check-up, the doc was surprised to see not a lot of healing going on. I had no idea what that meant at the time, because I was having a hard time envisioning the particulars of healing bones. I figured they might grow towards eachother? Slowly adding cells until they bridged the gap?
The x-ray educated all (Joshua and me) about what happens; now there is a hazy whiteness between the two pieces of bone. There are new bone cells just growing in between the two pieces. Magic! So I'm back in the hot seat in Elk, my back to the wood stove, and patiently waiting to see what happens in another 4 weeks! That'll be just after Christmas. Another week past that, perhaps, and I'll get my foot back... how much fun is that!?
I dreamt last night that I was running, literally running, around my high school. I was supposed to be in class, but instead I ran around playing frisbee on the football field, sprinting to try to catch the 'bee and not making it. Then I was running around full speed in the gym, playing basketball and loving every moment. I woke up with the feeling that I should be playing some basketball, what with all the free time I have right now, and how wonderful it feels to run. But it's cool. I'm working on hand-made Christmas presents.
I've gained important skills in sitting still and using crutches. Next up: knitting bone and learning to walk on two legs again. Below, the phases of this particular foot break. Sorry I don't have the digital x-rays. Things are a little low-tech with my used-to-be-head-podiatrist-for-the-Oakland-A's-in-the-80s-when-they-won-the-pennant awesome doctor.
The boot. Fun while it lasted.
Dead Sea mud treatment
Elephant. Can't even tell it's broken.
Caltrans #2 of 2 (they over-ordered on Halloween colors)
If I need a third cast, it might be black. Or maybe they'll have ordered some new colors? Joshua likes the orange. For safety.
And on another safety note (TSA), we did travel over Thanksgiving and I got to experience the feel-down for the wheelchair-bound first hand. Very handy. The lady in SF was a Korean Pat look-alike, short, curly hair-cut and everything. She was super professional, and I liked her. She warned me that she'd be touching my inner thighs, around my waist and breasts with the backs of her hands, and the rest of me with the front of her hands. She asked if I was okay with that. I said yes. She then asked if I wanted to go to a private room with her for this... I said no, thank you.
Wheelchair service is awesome. Joshua especially loved it, blowing past the people waiting in line. Of course he just had to carry the bags and follow, but the value wasn't lost on me, either. And yes, most people tip the wheelchair driver.
