A tale of two toes

At last I have a diagnosis for my foot pain - it's got the grand name Morton's neuroma. Thanks Morton for giving it a name - I really appreciate it.

So let's step back (no pun intended) a bit before the diagnosis. Lovely dog, Molly, loves to jump and stamp her feet. She really is very sweet but I don't encourage the jumping as she's a large greyhound. But because I haven't been able to take her out for long walks, she's fizzing with energy.

Three weeks ago, she was so excited about something that I can't recall now and she took a huge jump and landed on my little toe. Next to the one that's causing me trouble. Anyway, as luck would have it, I had an appointment with the Pod (podiatry) team the following week who confirmed that it was broken.

So now I had two toes causing me pain. I couldn't take the dog out at all. I couldn't get anything on my feet. 

Last week I had another appointment with the Pod team. This time for an ultrasound. Sadly the consultant had to really scrunch my toes together (tiny broken toe was making me flinch) but he could show me that I have (in his words) 'a large black hole' in a space between two toes. Basically, when they scrunch together (and they all cracked when he scrunched them which he really seemed to enjoy and kept on doing it, although he really was very lovely so I tried not to wince) he could show me on the ultrasound that this was causing the problem as fluid was driven into the hole and irritating the nerve. To be honest, I was pleased he could show me, because now it's not hurting because I'm not walking, I was starting to feel like a bit of a fraud.

So, right there and then he popped in a needle filled with anaesthetic and steroidy stuff. I had to keep my foot elevated for 24-hours afterwards, and yesterday it was puffy and sore, but today I am feeling pain-free - even the broken toe feels as if it is mending.

I've got an appointment to be measured for wide-fitting walking boots next week so I can get back to training. I need to resume activity so that when I go back to the Pod team in 6-8 weeks, they can see if the injection has worked. There's a 50-60% chance of success, but I'm hopeful. Very hopeful. This has to work.

In the meantime, I am so in debt to all you lovely people who are following me and who have donated. So far, I have raised 36% of my target. This is amazing. Thank you.

I promise I won't let you down. I will do that trek no matter what. I was really scared of having the injection but I kept remembering what Tim went through and how he faced everything that came his way with dignity and humour. I'm not sure I managed dignity but I didn't scream or cry - and I laughed a lot (at myself and the situation) and I know he would've joined in. It was funny.

I'm so behind now on my training schedule. I've booked to start aqua-aerobics and I'm using my exercise bike for cardio fitness. In another week I can resume walking longer distances.

There's still time. I can do this.

And hopefully as Molly will have longer walks she'll be less jumpy. But I might start wearing steel toe-capped boots around the house, just to be sure.

If you'd like to donate, I'd be ever so grateful. You can just click here. Thank you.