Shade of my Heart: Foot

2 months ago today, I did something really stupid. I attempted to play softball. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE softball! But apparently my body doesn't love it as much as my mind! We had a double-header on our first night of the season. The first game went great... we made a amazing comeback from 4-14 to win the game 16-14. (I play for a church league... I wish that gave us an advantage, but God doesn't play favorites! Our record shows that!)

We started our second game of the night. I got up to bat, hit the ball and proceeded to run to first. After taking 2 steps, I felt this intense POP in my foot and was overcome with SEVERE pain! I managed to make it to first safely and actually all the way around the bases one by one. I got back to the dugout, removed my cleat and didn't see anything sticking out of my foot, thank goodness! I tied up my laces and finished the game, hobbling a little, but none-the-less, I played out the game. By the time I got home, I was in PAIN! It was starting to swell and bruise quickly.

I ended up going to the ER the next morning because I could not walk or stand. They X-rayed it, told me it was sprained, wrapped it, gave me crutches and told me to stay off of it, follow up with my doc in 3 days if it didnt' get better.

So... 3 days later I was at the doctors in more pain that I had ever been in. He took one look at the severe bruising in my arch, said "This isn't a sprained ankle. Your Plantar Fascia is torn. But I can't do anything until I have MRI proof." (Another reason I LOVE the military!) and sent me to MRI. Long story short, 3 weeks later I FINALLY got my MRI done. A week later, results came in and, what do you know, my Plantar Fascia is 80% torn, just like he said! He said that in his 20 years of being a doctor he has never seen a patient actually tear it unless I was jumping out of planes. Great, a medical first! By now, I'm in a walking boot because the ace bandage was just not doing it. I couldn't walk, and stairs were impossible!

So.. another week later, I'm at the Podiatrists. He, too, is amazed that I actually tore it. When he saw the MRI results, he said he was actually excited to hear this was one of his patients... not that he was happy I was hurt, but he had never seen one of these injuries in person. He actually has put my case on a Plantar Fascia medical website. Yeah... I'm so glad I can fullfill some doctor's "Bucket List" of injuries to treat! Then he tells me I will be in a non-weight bearing cast for 4 weeks. WHAT?? I've just spent the past 5 weeks walking on it and NOW I'm supposed to NOT walk on it. Lovely!

So, that's where I was 4 weeks ago! I can't believe it's already been that long! I go in on Tuesday to start the next step of my 9 week long injury! Hopefully, this cast has worked and I will only spend the next 2 months in PT in a second boot! If this hasn't worked and I still have scar tissue in my arch, then the next step will be surgery. Oh joy!!! I have to say, growing up, I always wanted to have a cast and use crutches. Now, all I can say is WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!! Of course, I wouldn't have had 4 kids in a two story house with a deployed husband when I was younger! I did get creative and put some of my crafty devices to work! I loved having a blank canvas, literally, and this is what I decided to do. They started out as just pumpkins, but decided they needed some personality! I'm hoping I don't have a repeat project after Tuesday and a new canvas to cover!!!My brother, a Texas Tech alumi, helped me decorate the front of my cast! I come from a family of Texan Techsans, and went there myself, so I was proud to sport this! Elaine, I'm still a Techsan!!! And.. since my husband is a UT fan, I couldn't leave that school out. So I put it on the bottom of my cast! HA!!! It's the only time that Texas Tech will continously walk all over UT!!!