Toes

Toes are wonderful things until they hurt. Then they are vulnerable things, sticking out there just waiting to get stepped on, or bumped or something dropped on them. Then ... ouch!!

I was working Sunday, cleaning the house, in anticipation of our guests. I'm moving things around, sliding things, and my big toe kept hurting. OUCH! OOh, there it goes again!@#E! Boy, does my toe hurt. Finally, Sunday night I took my socks off and looked at the poor thing. It was swollen and purplish on the one side, and it hurt. Do not touch me, it said. And I didn't.

Monday, at work, I pretty much ignored my hurting toe. Sitting at a desk, working on a computer doesn't require much use of your toes.

Monday night, I sat in the tub (with wonderful whirlpool jets!) for over 40 minutes, just letting the warm water and the epsom salts supposedly work their magic. I got into bed, settled in, and fell asleep.

I must have moved my foot just the wrong way ... and ZINNNNGGGGGGG, pain shot through my body like a lightning bolt! I was instantly awake and my body was electrified with shimmering, pulses of pain. Wow!

Now, I'm pissed. My toe is obviously infected, the soaking bath didn't help, it's 1:30 a.m. and I'm wide awake with adrenaline coursing through my veins. I'm ready for a fight! I ended up sleeping poorly the rest of the night, trying to protect my throbbing, hurting big toe, keeping it out from under the covers while the rest of my foot was cold and complaining about it.

Thankfully, my guardian angels of health were working in the background. I called a podiatrist that I happened to see an ad for the previous day (I did have toes and podiatry on my mind) who just happened to have an opening for that morning at 10:30. Could I make it? You betcha! An hour-and-a-half later, I left after foot surgery (yikes!) on not one, but two toes, both infected and requiring local anesthesia, tourniquets, excising ingrown nail, treating the cuticle bed, so on and gruesome details so forth!

My toes were numb for the rest of the day. I was thankful for that. This morning the feeling has returned, but thankfully, it doesn't hurt anything like it did yesterday morning.

Thanks, Dr. Podiatrist. You are an angel of toe mercy!