resentful? impossible!

yes, youre right. the law students are likely resentful because no matter how much you look like youre suffering, youre still not reading a case from 1871 regarding a fox hunt and whether and how a fox may be property.  you still look like youre not decoding awful legalise writing, and/or worrying about how you dont get a concurring opinion and whether or not that means anything and whether or not youre slowly, slowly going insane with your multi-use of various highlighters... or perhaps? perhaps you tried to sit next to law students who are studying for the bar at the end of this month, who are terribly freaked out and basically have turned in all of their social skills for a few months and subsist on yogurt covered raisins, curried cashews, and unsweetened banana chips. or you know, more likely you just tried to sit next to typical law students, who are egotistical, rude, and pretty much unbearable, in which case, im glad you didnt get sucked into one of their social circles. i mean. im just saying. i dont have any experience with these things. plus, i bet theology students are nice because they talk about god all the time.

but i digress. last week i hurt my foot, im not sure if i wrote about it, but it was the bottom-side of my left foot, and it was painful to walk on it so i was going around all limpy.  this meant no running, barely any walking, and sustained grimmaces. first thing monday morning at work, i called several podiatrists to get an appointment. none of them had the right phone numbers; it was insane. finally, like the 7th provider on the list was able to give me the correct number for the doctor i was trying to reach. turned out she was no longer 2 miles from work, but about 10. nonetheless, i snatched up an appointment for tuesday afternoon. so yesterday, right, i go to the podiatrist. and i have to say, it was the most informative doctors appt that ive ever had.

first, its a teaching-hospital, so there were several 4th-yr medical students who were taking care of me, in addition to the dr. so one of them takes me in a room, and asks me about the pain, etc; inspects my feet (which i am embarassed to say, contain two black & blue toenails- both second-toes are longer & inevitably slam into the toe box when i run alot). we talk about running- i tell him i ran the miami half, he says he did it last yr, and the disney half as well. very friendly, kind, everything youd want from the experience. another intern then takes me in to get xrays of my left foot. after standing in weird contortions, we're all done, and they take me back into the room. the first intern, runner guy, comes back in with the xrays and tells me thankfully theres nothing broken or fracturerd, and then goes to talk to the dr. finally, i met the dr. this very nice, chirpy, friendly lady who goes through my xrays in serious detail. i learn, amongst other things, that i have two extra bones in my foot (!!!), my bones are starting to shift signifying bunions, my pinkie toe has two bones that are fused together, i have overly flexible feet and small heel cords (?) and ... my feet are flat. 

of course, none of this diagnoses the problem, but i am loving every minute. they inspect my feet again, discuss some possible diagnoses, and then the dr concludes its something called cuboid syndrome. some little bone has apparently dislocated itself and is putting pressure on the surrounding tissue: 

that thing in red is the bone. amazing! that space under it, is where my foot is killing me. so the dr says, theres this procedure, we can usually pop the bone back into place, im just not that good at it. and the intern says, oh, yes, we just learned it yesterday. and im like, give it a shot kid. so both the dr and the intern take turns using a procedure entitled, "the black snake heel whip" ( i kid you not) . in the middle of it (which doesnt hurt- it just makes me stand up while they hold my foot from behind and try to relax it, and then "whip" it into place) makes me horribly, horribly anxious, and i start to have this bizarro panic attack-- my vision gets blurry, my ears are ringing, im covered in sweat. right before i think im going to pass out, its over, i drink water, and it passes. medical anxiety, i tell you.

what a long story about my feet right?! anyway the procedure doesnt work, they fashion me some bandages that will slowly press the bone back into place, and i get the coveted prescription alleve. (ok, so not that coveted) with instructions to wear orthodics the next few weeks and keep this thing on at all times. all of yesterday it was killing me, but this afternoon it started feeling a little better, so keeping the fingers crossed. really though, how interesting!!! i love science.

to be honest, any story that wonderful simply cannot be fouled by other tatterings on. work is barely bareable, but the week is winding down; this weekend ill be in ny to see ben's show at the new museum & see my mom; and then a week from today, laurie will be down to play! perhaps i will even be able to stop wearing my running sneakers at all times.  if not, i remain content for the meantime to rock the "working girl" look. ha!

xoxo