Jewells of Thought

Today was my appointment with my podiatrist. It took under two months to get into him this time. He is a very busy doctor. I took it as a good sign when I got called back into the room before my paperwork was done. That wasn’t actually a good sign though.

Once we got back there and the nurse took all my information it still took a good half an hour before I was seen. While I was still in the lobby trying to fill out my biography the room had been empty just me and Mom. One page into the papers and one after another at least two different patients and their cohorts filled the lobby. One of them looked like what I will look like, kind of, in three months or less.

She was wearing a sling after having surgery on her arm or wrist just 4 weeks ago and having her foot looked at today. Mom immediately saw my future and began talking to her while I was trying to think how to answer these questions. It was a bit flabbergasting, but she was very nice and Mom was very chatty. Kind of reminding me of Grandma and our inside joke. In less than 5 minutes of talking Grandma Rosie would know all about her, her family and her social security number so Papaw would say. Grandma had a way about her; comforting and just plain relatable. It’s nice to remember these warm thoughts about my Grandparents; I miss them.

When the doc came in he wanted to talk; it had been a while since we had seen him and vice versa. I haven’t been in the office myself since at least 2020. He asked what was going on and Mom was goading me to mention my wrist surgery coming up. The doctor in him came out even more and we had quite a conversation about shaving off my bone and him adding to bones. Then he gave my hand and wrist surgeon the ultimate complement. I believe he said the scar on my right arm looked something like “beautiful work.”

Thankfully after doing some prodding and moving my foot; he figured out a plan. Therapy. I had some of this back in 2019 it helped but it was never a cure, but he does believe this will help me get back to our walking routine. When I told him what I have done in the interim with working at Dialysis I think I shocked him. He was amazed at what I was able to accomplish with a little Voltaren and determination. It was kind of a neat interaction.

What I didn’t expect was hearing about his information from Bloomington. Haitians have been moving in droves to Bloomington and I already knew about Washington. We didn’t know there were 2000 of them down there. He was concerned about what this will mean for us in the future of these two cities within 45 minutes of us. Every state is a border state after all. It’s just taken longer for them to get this close to me and my family. Another reminder how crucial this election is and to vote by or on next Tuesday. I think I know who my doctor is voting for it was all over his face today even without saying the name.

Within an hour or so of leaving the office we got the call from therapy at Greene County General. The funny thing is that they have to have a session where I come in and they look over my foot and what needs to be done for insurance. Then I am supposed to start the next day which happens to be my birthday. I still don’t have a surgery date for January on my wrist though. I am on the cancellation list so maybe there’s a chance to get in sooner. I am gonna look like that lady though for at least two weeks with a humongous wrapping over most of my left arm while limping with my right foot if I don’t get into therapy before January.

I should not complain though, I am getting these issues taken care of. That is the main thing. I feel blessed to have the insurance and the right doctors and therapists to help me to get to a better health level.