Day 4010

I think I finally know what is wrong with my foot. The cartilage between the metatarsal and cuneiform bones in the middle of my left foot has worn away, allowing bone to bone contact. This is basically the definition of arthritis. I also have a partially collapsed arch on this same foot caused by these bones not being aligned correctly. When I saw the x-rays and listened to the doctor, it all started to make sense. The doctor seemed surprised that I routinely walk as far as I do, but he said that if I want to stabilize the situation, I needed to wear a shoe with a very stiff sole to prevent the arthritic bones from flexing as much. This need for stiffness even explained why it was sometimes more comfortable when I walked with a limp. The doctor recommended two brands of running shoes that would provide the support I need and suggested that I wear them with arch support orthotics. He wants to see me again in six weeks wearing the shoes I selected.

I liked this doctor. He was able to explain exactly what was happening in a way I could easily understand. He also didn't recommend surgery, even though he was an orthopedic surgeon. He said in severe cases you could fuse the metatarsal and cuneiform bones to eliminate the flexing that was causing me pain, but that recovery was slow from this type of surgery and he seldom recommended it. You can't put any weight on the foot for a full six weeks after surgery. No thank you. I think I'd rather try some new shoes.

Dawn really didn't want to walk this morning. We only made it to the end of the block and then she refused to go any further. It was very cold this morning and she had to wear a sweater along with her outer coat, but I don't think that was the problem. Dawn had a rabies vaccination at her exam yesterday and I think she is feeling some soreness at the injection site. She also had another vaccination for leptospirosis. Hopefully she'll feel better tomorrow, but the soreness could last for several days.

Although it was overcast this morning, the skies had completely cleared by sunset. This looked like a good time to find a site to view the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21. It turns out that there is a a great place to view the conjunction very near the house. It's actually exactly where Dawn decided she'd had enough this morning and turned around to go home. I won't need to drive anywhere, and can just walk down the street a few blocks instead. Jupiter and Saturn are already very close together, but they don't look as dramatic as I expected. Saturn is pretty dim compared to Jupiter, but both planets are clearly visible.

I have one more trip to Baylor tomorrow and then my doctor's appointment marathon will be over. I learned a lot more than I expected today, so maybe I will learn something tomorrow as well. I've never had a swallow test before and I don't look forward to drinking the barium liquid they use to provide contrast for the x-rays they'll be taking. The whole procedure is painless and doesn't take long though. I'd like to know what is causing my periodic coughing spasms, but I'm a little apprehensive about what these doctors are going to recommend. I don't want any surgery on my esophagus and I definitely don't want to hear anyone say the word cancer.

I wish that dogs could talk. I feel bad that we tried to get Dawn to take a walk when she was feeling uncomfortable. It makes sense that Dawn was feeling painful from her rabies shot, but she could have just wanted to go back to bed. Dawn is a very stubborn dog.

Hannah is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 2773

Much to my surprise, I don't have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome after all. The orthopedic specialist I saw this morning told me that I wasn't having the symptoms that you would normally associate with Carpal Tunnel. He says the problems I've been having all these years are caused by arthritis. I guess it makes sense. Arthritis is common in my family. I wonder why I was so convinced that the pain and lack of mobility in my left wrist was caused by Carpal tunnel? The good news is that my sprained wrist has healed nicely. The bad news is that my arthritis will probably get worse.

I need to start doing my range of motion exercises again for both my wrist and my shoulder. The orthopedic specialist said he would be happy to recommend  a physical therapist, but that they would probably just tell me to do exactly the same things that my last physical therapist suggested. I know what to do. I just grew tired of continuing the stretching exercises after the first year.

It was so hot outside today that I didn't feel like doing much of anything. I went to the doctor and picked up something for dinner. That was about it. I've been watching Janet binge watch television shows all month and thought I'd give it a try myself. I downloaded season one of a series I meant to watch several years ago but never got around to it. I only meant to watch one episode today, but I can see now how easy it is to get sucked into watching an entire season in one sitting. Without commercials, each episode isn't really that long. TV drama episodes usually end on a cliffhanger, so you naturally want to see what happens next. When you finish one episode, it's easy to say "Well. I guess I've got time to watch one more." All the sudden it's dinner time and you've watched half a dozen shows.

Maybe I'll do something more useful and productive tomorrow. Then again, I might just finish season one of my show. In a world without deadlines, there isn't a compelling reason to overexert yourself. I kind of wish I had deadlines again. They add a certain structure to your life. At least from what I see on Facebook, most of my former co-workers seem content with traveling and spending time with grandchildren. Travel is good. Taking classes is probably good too. I just need to get over the idea that I always need to be making money. If I can find something challenging that I enjoy, it will probably turn into money anyway. That's certainly how it always worked in the past.

This is the time of year when it gets harder to illustrate the blog. The vegetation is drying up and the wildflowers are almost gone. Most of the animals are in hiding too. It's just too hot. Our walks are much shorter now, because we don't want Dash to become overheated. It upsets me when I see people jogging with their dogs in July. Dogs don't sweat and can't handle this heat as well as we can. People don't handle it all that well either. I see the EMT ambulances in the park a lot more often in July than I do in January. At any rate, I still take a new picture every day, but you might have to be content with seed pod images
 for a while.

I've stopped sleeping with my feet elevated. There's really no need anymore. Pretty soon I'm going to start going back to the gym again. Dash is eating well and seems to have fully recovered from his last vestibular episode. Janet is going back to work while she waits for the final minor surgery she needs to complete the reconstruction process. It's hot, but I think we all are going to survive the summer.

Queen is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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