Sexy Sandal

We rushed home today so I could make my appointment at the podiatrist.  I was both apprehensive and excited to see what he had to say.  I was also totally over Das Boot after hiking in Yosemite.  I have raw wounds on my ankles from Das Boot, my leg is sore from hoisting it around and in general, it stinks from wearing it 24/7 for nearly five weeks.  TMI, I know, but this is reality.  It is not pretty.

My podiatrist is nice enough, but he is a surgeon and pretty much all business.  While my foot is most important and consuming to me, I don’t think it is very interesting for him in the scheme of his daily encounters with foot trauma.  He is jovial today though, talkative and says, “Are you ready to be done with that thing?”  I almost jump for joy, although this would not be too joyful to watch because I would be hopping on only one leg.  He is referring to Das Boot!  “Yes, I have been hauling that thing around Yosemite for the past four days.”  He is clearly impressed.

He replaces Das Boot with a black, velcro sandal.  I put on my sock, then he slips on the sexy Jimmy Choo velcro sandal.  He says, “You can keep that on for the X-ray.”  When the tech comes to get me, he asks me to remove the sandal and I reassure him that Doc says I can keep it on.  He frowns, but says, “OK” and goes about the different angles for the X-Ray.  I am beaming.  I am sure these are the prettiest X-rays ever taken because I am in a Jimmy Choo sandal and not Das Boot!

Doc comes into exam room to review the X-rays with me and starts laughing.  It seems he meant I could keep my sock on, not the sandal.  Oops.  He finds this hysterical and the X-ray tech is mortified.  I apologize. I hope he doesn’t lose his job because of Peg Leg and her bossy personality.

Doc pulls up the X-rays on the computer monitor and holy moly, I have a screw in my foot! A big screw.  Wow.  I am dumbfounded and feel idiotic.  I didn’t ever ask how all this bone cutting and maneuvering was secured, but it is clear on the X-ray.  Did he tell me this?  Was I so traumatized by surgery that I blocked it out?  Was I so nervous that I didn’t ask enough questions.

Well, it is neither here nor there now.  My bone incision has healed perfectly, the screw is in place and I no longer have Das Boot.  More surprising than any of this is that I can wear my running shoes starting this weekend!  I can even “lightly jog” starting this weekend.  Can you believe this? I was smiling so hard my face hurt.  I have to be careful because my bones are not strong in that foot after so much time in a boot, but did you get it?  I can jog!

I asked if I could throw Das Boot away, but Doc said not yet.  I will invite you all to the burning or drowning of Das Boot when I am authorized.  Until then, start training.  I will be dragging you all out to the trails soon enough…or the elliptical at the gym in the meantime.  Watch out, I’m coming for you.