Doctor, doctor gimme the news
I've got a bad case of lovin' you
No pill's gonna cure my ill
I've got a bad case of lovin' you
Robert Palmer
While we were in Buffalo, I hurt my ankle. I don't know what I did. I really don't remember. I could have slipped on some ice. I could have just twisted the damn thing. All I really know is that after 3 months or so I went to see an orthopedic doctor. He took some x-rays, told me that there appeared to be a tear, gave me a cortisone shot and said if that didn't help, we'd have to think about surgery.
The shot helped - for about 2 days. I just may be one of those people that corticosteroids just don't work well on. When I went back, I told the doctor that the shot really didn't help and he said, well, there is nothing more I can do for you. This really surprised me because the first visit he was talking MRI and surgery and blah blah blah.
OK, now what?
I left the country. If you have ever been in a Chinese hospital, you will understand my complete lack of faith in their healing infrastructure.
Back in the states, the ankle still hurts, but I hate taking off from work for doctors and the Cape really was not a place to receive care. However, once I was unemployed I had time on my hands and off I went to see an orthopedist (again). This one took some x-rays, told me that I had plantar fasciitis and physical therapy might help, but if I didn't want a cortisone shot there was not much he could do. Out I walked with a prescription for physical therapy, but no referral or recommendation for finding anyone that would be willing to take my Affordable Care Act insurance.
We move to New Jersey. I see several foot and ankle clinics while walking through the campus neighborhoods. After I meet and establish a primary care doctor, I ask for a recommendation. Yay, hurray, his practice includes a podiatrist. I call, make an appointment, go for a visit. The podiatrist explains that you cannot see soft tissue problems ("tear" "Plantar fasciitis") on x-rays. This makes sense to me - I thought it odd at the time, but I don't have an MD, just a biology PhD - what do I know? Podiatrist says, we really need an MRI. Great, I say, when can we do it? Well, first we need insurance authorization. OK, when can we do it? Call back next week.
Over the next six weeks I call, text, see my primary care doctor, call, text and consult with the insurance company to see if they have even received a call requesting an authorization. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Ok, so obviously this isn't going to happen.
I call the podiatrist office that is located 3 blocks from my work office. It takes a couple of weeks to fit me in, but I'm in. We talk, we chat, I explain my six year saga getting to his office and the lack of MRIs. He says, Maybe we need them, maybe we don't, but first let's get an x-ray to follow all the insurance flow-chart steps. So we get an x-ray. Doctor looks puzzled. Yes, I have bone spurs in the heels, but I have this crazy arch. Where is the pain in my heel? Now I'm confused - I don't have pain in my heel. I have pain between the third and fourth toes and my ankle.
Ah! no pain in my heel? Nope. Pain in the front of the foot? Yes. High, crazy arch >>> neuromas in the toes (ankle is still another issue). Neuromas! yes, this makes sense the nerves in my toes are being restricted and that leads to the numbness I have been feeling in the toes.
Shots, physical therapy, and shoe inserts are called for! There is much I could write about, but what I really want to say is that today, as the therapist is working the shit out of my ankle (which had a bad relapse after receiving the cortisone shot last week) I really felt like my pain had been validated. It doesn't matter that I'm over weight. It doesn't matter that I'm woman. I had been injured. The injury did not heal and this has led to a host of other problems.
The pain is bad, but it's getting better.
No pill's gonna cure my ill
I've got a bad case of lovin' you
Robert Palmer
While we were in Buffalo, I hurt my ankle. I don't know what I did. I really don't remember. I could have slipped on some ice. I could have just twisted the damn thing. All I really know is that after 3 months or so I went to see an orthopedic doctor. He took some x-rays, told me that there appeared to be a tear, gave me a cortisone shot and said if that didn't help, we'd have to think about surgery.
The shot helped - for about 2 days. I just may be one of those people that corticosteroids just don't work well on. When I went back, I told the doctor that the shot really didn't help and he said, well, there is nothing more I can do for you. This really surprised me because the first visit he was talking MRI and surgery and blah blah blah.
OK, now what?
I left the country. If you have ever been in a Chinese hospital, you will understand my complete lack of faith in their healing infrastructure.
Back in the states, the ankle still hurts, but I hate taking off from work for doctors and the Cape really was not a place to receive care. However, once I was unemployed I had time on my hands and off I went to see an orthopedist (again). This one took some x-rays, told me that I had plantar fasciitis and physical therapy might help, but if I didn't want a cortisone shot there was not much he could do. Out I walked with a prescription for physical therapy, but no referral or recommendation for finding anyone that would be willing to take my Affordable Care Act insurance.
We move to New Jersey. I see several foot and ankle clinics while walking through the campus neighborhoods. After I meet and establish a primary care doctor, I ask for a recommendation. Yay, hurray, his practice includes a podiatrist. I call, make an appointment, go for a visit. The podiatrist explains that you cannot see soft tissue problems ("tear" "Plantar fasciitis") on x-rays. This makes sense to me - I thought it odd at the time, but I don't have an MD, just a biology PhD - what do I know? Podiatrist says, we really need an MRI. Great, I say, when can we do it? Well, first we need insurance authorization. OK, when can we do it? Call back next week.
Over the next six weeks I call, text, see my primary care doctor, call, text and consult with the insurance company to see if they have even received a call requesting an authorization. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Ok, so obviously this isn't going to happen.
I call the podiatrist office that is located 3 blocks from my work office. It takes a couple of weeks to fit me in, but I'm in. We talk, we chat, I explain my six year saga getting to his office and the lack of MRIs. He says, Maybe we need them, maybe we don't, but first let's get an x-ray to follow all the insurance flow-chart steps. So we get an x-ray. Doctor looks puzzled. Yes, I have bone spurs in the heels, but I have this crazy arch. Where is the pain in my heel? Now I'm confused - I don't have pain in my heel. I have pain between the third and fourth toes and my ankle.
Ah! no pain in my heel? Nope. Pain in the front of the foot? Yes. High, crazy arch >>> neuromas in the toes (ankle is still another issue). Neuromas! yes, this makes sense the nerves in my toes are being restricted and that leads to the numbness I have been feeling in the toes.
Shots, physical therapy, and shoe inserts are called for! There is much I could write about, but what I really want to say is that today, as the therapist is working the shit out of my ankle (which had a bad relapse after receiving the cortisone shot last week) I really felt like my pain had been validated. It doesn't matter that I'm over weight. It doesn't matter that I'm woman. I had been injured. The injury did not heal and this has led to a host of other problems.
The pain is bad, but it's getting better.