Day 88

Yesterday was day 88, but was too pooped to peck out the journal entry. 

Several years before my hip replacement, there was a day I spent in NYC where my footsteps were well over 10k. I remember it vividly today. VIVIDLY because my foot is killing me. 

I have plantars fasciitis & a heel spur & some soft tissue damage from what I call a catastrophic sprained ankle I endured in May 2019 when I tagged along on a business trip to Mexico. I am just thankful I didn’t snap my neck as the resort did nothing to make things right for me at that time; and here it is 3 years & 5 months later, and I am still hobbled by that accident. PS: Fuck the management at Nizuc! 

Anyway, yesterday was my regular six month appointment with my kidney doc—always a delight to see him. What a wild ride it has been the last 945 days. 

2020 I saw him in video appointments only. 

2021 I saw him in person, but no hand shaking. 

2022 I saw him in April and no hand shaking. I saw him yesterday (6 months later), and we shook hands. It was startling to me, and it seemed like such an intimate gesture after all we have been through. Part of my brain was saying “FUCK FOMITES!” and the other part of my brain ensured I sprayed hand sanitizer on my hands the first chance I got. 

So yesterday was like any other Columbus Day in the beforetimes: I had a double header of appointments scheduled, and even managed to go to the Neue Gallerie to visit the Klimt exhibits between my two appointments. 

I neglected to consider difficulties getting a cab due to traffic disruptions due to the parade. Maharajah kept suggesting getting an Uber and tbh my experience with Uber in NYC sucks, as they rarely pick me up at the door or location where I am, and I have to endure a game of “Where’s Waldo” trying to find the car. 

Time was of the essence and I just kept goofing it until I just gave up hope of hailing a cab at all—and in doing so, I hobbled myself like I did that last time. 

Every time I took a step with my right foot, it was as if I were driving a firey hot ten penny nail right into my heel. 

I had one more thing on my to do list, to visit one of the secret gardens in NYC (this one, at the Ford Foundation not far from the UN), but Maharajah but his foot down and made the executive decision to save it for another day. He got us an Uber, and I bruised my hip getting into it, and the driver drove us right past the building where I wanted to go. Perhaps another day. 

So good news is, my hip held up great during the 9K+ footsteps, but bad news, my foot really is demanding some relief. And I am reluctant to have surgery on it because the recovery time is much longer than for my hip, and it is my right foot which means  won’t be able to drive and do things independently. 

Today was a follow up with the surgeon as well as a PT appointment, and in both cases I had to emphasize my limping was due to my foot. Hip replacement was the project for 2022. I guess my project for 2023 will be my foot, though I am not sure how I will make that happen.