The Feet Have It

Well, I have perhaps gotten some answers today. I have been having that gout type pain in my right big toe again. I needed to call the Lt. that works with my doc yesterday anyway, so mentioned it while I was talking to him. He put in a lab order for blood work to check on the uric acid levels, the standard test for gout, I guess. He suggested I call this morning and try to get a same day appt. So, I made sure a stop at the lab at the clinic was on our list of things to do yesterday, and I called this morning for an appt.

The first surprise of the day, and a pleasant one, is that my doctor isn't gone yet after all. From the way the Lt. had spoken, I thought he was gone by now. I found out while in Germany that my doctor would be leaving. Always a shame to lose a good doctor. Anyway, he is still here (although he told me he leaves Friday of next week) and I was able to get an appt this morning. He took a good look at my toe, and was a little surprised at where the pain and swelling is. I understood that, since I checked the Mayo Clinic web site this morning, and found that it is generally found in the lower joint of the big toe, the same joint that the bunions are located at. My problems are up at the very top section of the toe. Anyway, he said it sure sounded and looked like gout. The blood work was back, and the uric acid levels are the high end of normal. He said that could just reflect that it is getting better. He said they could jab a needle in my toe and collect a sample, as if it is gout, crystals will show up in the sample. However, he said we will just call it gout and not torture me! Basically, we will just keep an eye on it. This is the most drawn out bout I have had with it---it started last week sometime. It is not as painful this time either, but I think the ultram I have been taking is at least partly responsible for that. I am not complaining, in any case! The toe is still quite swollen and tender though, so shoes are not fun for too long! He ordered x-rays, just in case it is something else, that might show up on the film.

While I was in, I also asked about the pain I have been having in my left foot. I first thought it was pain in my ankle, then found it actually seemed to be in a bone in the arch area. My doc thinks that actually it is plantar fasciitis. However, the area at that bone is also tender and the plantar fasciitis doesn't explain that, so he ordered xrays of my left foot too, to make sure there wasn't a stress fracture or some such thing causing me extra problems. All the symptoms he mentioned for the plantar fasciitis do sound like just what I have been going through. The only difference is that most of my pain is in the arch area, rather than the heel. I am sure he is right though---we could even see that tendon in my foot, rather stretched and tense.

So, I still have two sore feet, but also some answers, and I think that always makes things easier to deal with!

No word on the baby front, I am sure Michelle is keeping Brian and Christine busy! I would imagine Brian is getting ready to go TDY, too---he is to go to Turkey later this month. It seems to me that the projected dates are not that far off. I am sure they are both feeling much more comfortable with Mitchie by now---they were doing great while I was there! Brian's TDY isn't long, just a couple/few days, so he will be back before she knows it! I will continue to pass on any news I hear!

It continues hot here, by the way, the rain has stopped and it has been pretty steamy! It looks like this batch of storms is going to pass us by, and we don't mind a bit! You all take care and update those blogs!