A post in which a minor miracle occurs

Having accepted that I have plantar faciitis, I have pretty much accepted that my feet will hurt for the rest of my life.   Sad, but that's the way it is.  There really isn't any effective treatment, other than stretches.  The stretches help a lot, and got me walking again when I feared that I was going to have to have a cane; but each step still hurts, and my feet and legs are stiff a lot.  If I don't have any grace anymore, well there are a lot of people who wish they could walk as well as I can.

I had considered going back to see Christie, the wonderful woman who used to do therapeutic massage on me, but a) I'm pretty sure they ran her off from the place she used to work; and b) it seems decadent to file for therapeutic massage on my health insurance (I don't know if they would pay any more, but they used to).  My company is self-insured, and they are constantly fighting rising health-care costs.  Plus, they just saved my life in 2011 (at great expense) and it seems unfair to ask for more.  Since I didn't know where Christie was now anyway, it seemed a moot point.  But there is a guy in town named Tom who does massage.  Tom was a bit warm for my form, and had been trying to talk me into coming in.  I had been resistant, first because he is pretty expensive and that's not something I can really afford right now, and secondly because he's not really my type.

But Tom got in touch today and started selling me again today.  He had a cancellation, etc, and agreed to take me at a discount if I would come on.  So I did.  I wasn't really sure what to expect from him, but he put me right at ease.  He gave me a great massage (he does excellent glute work), and then moved to my calves and feet.  I was a little self-conscious.  I have plantar warts on my feet that are most unattractive, and I usually don't let people see my feet because of that, but again Tom put me at ease and went to work.  I was very surprised at the condition of my good calf - I guess for taking the extra load from the 'bad' leg - but he worked them both well.  My feet were weird because I don't have any feeling in my toes.  Well I didn't.  I could feel him working one pinkie toe.  It was the first feeling I've had in any toe in two years. 

When I got back to the office, I felt awful.  I just wanted to go home, assume the fetal position, and suck my thumb.  It is woo-woo theory that massage releases toxins from your muscles that have to be flushed out, and I had followed Tom's admonishments to drink plenty of water.  That theory has been debunked, but couldn't help but wonder how many toxins are still lurking in my body from chemo.  I know that after pissing out several gallons this afternoon, I felt much better.  I also am walking better than I have in at least a month!!  I was doing the Debbie Reynolds chicken-walk all over the office this afternoon.  I couldn't believe the difference.  I was actually walking this afternoon, relatively painlessly, instead of hobbling or cripping around as I have been doing of late.  I sent Tom an effusive email of thanks.

After work I went to pick up Rhonda.  She had asked if she could borrow the car tomorrow, and of course I said yes.  We went out to supper at Jason's Deli, since she wanted salad, and I really needed to east salad.  We had a nice meal, and caught up.  After supper we went by the fabric store to pick up some Grandma's Secret Spot Remover.  The second washing of my new hoodie (with a stain remover recipe I found online) had lightened the stain, but hadn't removed it.  Eve swears by this stuff, so I tried it.  It worked!  My hoodie came clean.

When we got home, I threw the hoodie in the wash and started working on my feet, which were really over-due for some attention.  I'd been putting it off, but had kind of scheduled it in my head to do them tonight anyway.  Plus I was more conscious of them after Tom seeing them today.  I don't mind doing that kind of stuff in front of Rhonda, so we chatted and watched TV while I soaked, sanded, and treated.  It's always good to see Rhonda.