I was looking forward to, and yet dreading, the trip back to the foot doctor. I kept asking myself why I made the appointment for 9:20 a.m., because it meant I’d have to leave by 8. There are times when that doesn’t seem early, yet lately, I seem to be a slug abed, and since I require a couple hours to wake up, eat breakfast, clean up and get out the door, there was no time to lollygag around.
I questioned if I would be able to negotiate all of the required round-abouts, and not lose my way in Appleton, but I did have my mostly trusty GPS. Of course, that day it kept turning itself off, and it never talks to me when I need direction the most, but down the road I went.
I got there uneventfully and in time. I wanted to be able to tell them how great my foot was, but that would be a lie. So I told them the truth, pointed to where the worst of the pain was and shared some of my concern.
I expected to hear them say that it takes time, that it is not a year yet, but they ordered X-rays instead. In the end I was told that the surgery did what it was supposed to, although one part had not fully healed as yet. However, the pain I am having is from new arthritis that had formed down the toe line, all the way to the little toe.
He said if he had known that was to happen, he would have fixed it all along the toe part, not just the first couple of toes. Can do more surgery, he said, but the healing would be pretty much the same as the last surgery.
“I can’t imagine going through that again,” I replied. “It is going to have to get a lot worse before I would consider that option.”
So, I got a shot of cortisone in my foot. Then as I am putting my shoes and socks back on, an alarm began to sound. I guess I always tend to feel it must be something I did, but I knew I didn’t pull a lever or push a button.
The alarm kept sounding, piercing my ears, and I got to thinking it must be a fire alarm, but I couldn’t smell any smoke. I was beginning to hear people talking in the halls, wondering if it was a test. Soon the nurse poked her head in, and told me that we had to evacuate the building. I finished lacing the shoes, and out I went.
I will give the staff credit, as patients with crutches and walkers, and me with my cane, hobbled our way out down the hall, the staff stayed with us, making sure the patients were safe. Of course, we couldn’t take the elevator down, so it was the stairs, which I am slow on, but I get there eventually.
The alarm quit sounding as I reached the door, a fire truck came rushing in from the highway, and soon staff and patients went back into the clinic. My visit there was concluded, so I was off to do something. I decided to try check to see if the GPS plug was connected properly, because I thought it was time to go shopping. So I punched in Sam’s Club and away I went.
As I traveled home I reflected on my attempt to be able to get more active again, not quite working as I planned, but I know that God is taking care of me no matter what. For as Acts 17:28 says: “In Him we live and move and have our being.”
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