Well, I guess it's my turn.
For about a month and a half, the ball of my foot has been bothering me. It had been getting worse slowly, but I've been so busy I had no time to get it checked.
And it wasn't *that* bad.
I thought.
After the endurance fun ride where Cibolo and I got kicked on the bottom of my stirrup on that side, it started to hurt worse and worse. So I decided that I was going to have to just ignore the 5 million things I needed to get done at work and get this checked out along with a few other things, like some blood work since I'm a woman of a ... certain age.
I found out that my vitamin D level was very low and have been put immediately on a high dosage of Vitamin D (did you know Vitamin D is actually a hormone? It's sort of confusing, so let's not go there). Of course, low vitamin D is not a good thing for bone density.
And over at the podiatrist I walked in hoping for the equivalent of a stone bruise. After doing a few excruciating tests, one of which involved a tuning fork (my foot is a C-Sharp), he determined I have a stress fracture of my sesamoid:
What kind of name is that for a bone? Sounds like seeds on top of organic muffins! I didn't even *know* I had one of these weird little bones. And I was good with that. I really prefer to think the whole system works with the help of leprechauns and duct tape.
I don't really know why I even got this "stress fracture," I'm not a runner or anything. I don't know if my accident back in November could have gotten it started, but I doubt it. Surely it would have manifested sooner.
I'm probably just ... a woman of a certain age.
Sigh.
So now I'm in a lovely "boot" for 8 weeks. And I'm pretty sure it won't fit in my stirrups, even though they are pretty wide.
Of course I had to explain to the doctor that there was no way I wasn't going to ride my horse for 8 weeks.
He gave me one of those pained expressions they teach them in the first year of medical school. Then we discussed how I could adjust my riding to minimize the impact. Cut down on the use of stirrups. Maybe pad my boots to protect my little sesamoidiacness. And of course, this will be a great time for me to work on my bareback skills.
But I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to handle my feeding duties. I can't exactly head out there in the muck...
Ah well.
26 comments:
Get well soon. Just got out of the same boot, I think they should be labled fashion accessories for women of a certain age.
Ouchiness!!
I am really low in Vit D. Seems odd for horse people who are outside all the time to be low in Vit D. anyway. . .heal quickly!
Just bag your boot before you head outside! LOL A heavy duty trash bag would be best, or even something tougher if you can, because you don't want it to get holes in it that will let the muck in.
When my trainer was pregnant she just about gave a nurse a heart attack when she told her she was still riding. Her doctor didn't want her to continue riding, either, but they compromised and she rode up until the end of her 5th month. :o) Can't keep a horsewoman off her horse!
You crack me up with this post...especially the leprechauns and duct tape part. You also inspired me NOT to go get the pain I am having in the ball of my foot checked. I am a runner...of a certain age. My TB stepped on my foot last week (on the top, obviously) and now the ball hurts. Could it be the sesamoid (or whatever it is called) bone? I can't stop running or riding. I am going to envision the leprechauns fixing my foot tonight!
I hope yours get better AND you can still ride while it is healing.
Oh no! Sorry to hear about your foot. Yep, I guess it's time to work on bareback riding, but carefully!~
Oh yeah, Vitamin D. My doctor always tells me I'm low on the stuff and I should take that along with Calcium so that I will have strong bones. I thought you could get Vitamin D from the sun- seems not! I'm certainly a 'woman beyond a certain age.' I keep forgetting to buy Vitamin D and calcium pills but now that you've reminded me...let me go write it down. ;)
Woman of a certain age? I know you're not THAT old. Yipes!
Bummer. Fractures are painful. I remember that compound fracture last summer,caused by Baby Doll, on my tibial plateau (another weird name. Sounds like the plains of Tibet. lol!)
It was still a whole lot less painful than rupping my ACL in half. gah!
We women of a certain age are certainly more fragile than our younger counter parts.
Be strong! Heal fast!
~Lisa
Somebody is missing an opportunity to market to women of a certain age...'cuz I only see those boots available in BLACK.
Hel-LO? Passionate purple. Perky pink. Sunshine yellow. Flowers, plaids, polka dots.
Am I right?
Duct tape and a plastic bag might get you through the muck. LOL
Well, you had the urge for duct tape, right???
Woman of a certain age, ha. I'm having the opposite problem with pain in my heel (plantar facitis). Even my favorite Crocs are not my friend now. I wish at least I had a boot to wear to correct it. So keep that boot on and get better. I like the bag idea to go out and get dirty.
Did you know that horses have sesamoid bones too? At the back of their ankle, I believe. Vitamin D is also good for combating depression, and preventing cancer.
What is it with feet today? I just got mine xrayed today because of all kinds of pain and numbness. Of course I won't get the results until next week!
Did you know that horses have sesamoid bones too? At the back of their ankle, I believe. Vitamin D is also good for combating depression, and preventing cancer.
What is it with feet today? I just got mine xrayed today because of all kinds of pain and numbness. Of course I won't get the results until next week!
Oh no, that stinks. I'm sure you will figure out a way to get things done. Where there's a will there's a way. I like your very amusing take on things, especially the look the teach them in first year med school. Ha! There's actually a vitamin supplement I take, that incorporates, Vit.D,Magnesium and Calcium all rolled into one. Most people don't know they are low on magnesium and we really need it. Feel better soon.
Oh no! Hope you're well and back to normal shoes again with no problem. Oh, those "boots"... the wrecker of wardrobe. Hang in there!
I would think you could ride without stirrups, but I'd worry about the dismount. I'd want someone to lower you down slowly so that you don't jump onto the foot. I wouldn't advise risking a one-foot landing, because then you might injure your other ankle. I'm such a wuss that I avoided riding when my pinky toe was broken, because if it touched anything it hurt.
Stress fracture?? WTH?? Good grief, girl. And, yes, sesamoid does sound like a type of muffin! LOL As women, we tend to put ourselves at the bottom of the pile when it comes to maintenance; we take care of everyone else and learn to accommodate any discomfort. Time to start taking care of yourself!! Glad that you can at least ride bareback....carefully. Get better.
Ugh. I had a stress fracture which occured during Officer Candidate School in '01. Luckily, it wasn't bad (I guess) and in was in one of my left leg bones, don't remember which now. I didn't have to wear anything, but I do remember it KILLING me if I drove my standard for too long. Living in DC traffic, I did suffer a bit. But the bottom of your foot? How did you get so lucky? I was told at the time my stress fx. was diagnosed that I have VERY ODD sesamoid bones which are bumps on the TOPS of my feet. Most of the human race don't have them because they have evolved, which I apparently haven't! Yeah, that felft good to hear. I never evolved. Boy. That expaines ALOT! And I have to watch the type of shoe I buy and where it hits on the tops of my feet. I'd say these "bumps" are about 2 inches directly above my big toes. When I broke my shoulder 3 years ago last month I refused to not ride and really didn't do well with the sling either. Sadly, the break was the least of my worries. I have all sorts of fun damage in there that I just live with now. It hurts every day. I need surgery that would require 3 months out of work. Oh, yeah, SO GONNA HAPPEN! So, girlie, my advice. Take care of the bottom of that foot. I know about my stress fracture and it healed so well, I am NEVER bothered, but again, quite a different location. It has to heal easier if it's just on a leg bone than the bottom of a foot. Just take it a bit easier, although I know staying off the horse is next to impossible. But I still wonder. If I had listended and stayed off J. would my shoulder still require surgery? Probably. But one still thinks..... Maybe I'll take a picutre of my sesamoid Non-evolvment for you to marvel (or not) over. I never even realized that not everyone had bumps in that location. Some nurse, eh?
Hope you feel ok, heal woman, heal!
~Mindy
UGH!!! What a bummer! I feel for you, glad you were able to talk with your doctor about adopting your riding habits for a bit to accommodate healing.
Having had the boot on last year... make sure to double bag and duct tape the bottom of it before heading out into the muck!
Heal quickly!
Ouch! I hope it heals up well and quickly, and that it doesn't interfere too much with your horse work (house work, who cares?)!
Two words: plastic bags. They're banning them in San Francisco, so I guess I could send you my now illegal ones.
Sesimoid? As in "Open Sesimoid!" ?No?
Okay, what the hay, girl? Does this mean you'll have more writing time, with your leg propped up?
I have a foot issue too. Sucks getting to be a woman of a certain age. Whatever that age is . . .
Get well quickly!!! I rode all summer in a soft cast on my wrist after ripping all the tendons between the radius, ulna (fore arm bone) and my wrist. So if I were you I wouldn't let some little ol' boot stop ya!
I do agree with NuzzMuzz.. dismount is gonna hurt!
Get well soon! And get rest when you can, those stress fractures can be a bugger.
Reminds me my doctor once told me that Horse People were sometime the worse patients to treat cause they will never not do stuff with their horse. He said almost every other type of athlete can be convinced to take it easy but horse people were the worst! LOL!
I really think my husband has a stress fracture in one of his feet, and I can't talk him in to going to the doctor. :( Grats on getting it diagnosed, and good luck staying off of it!
Ouch. When my trainer is feeling sadistic, she has me practice posting without stirrups. It's a killer workout for the inner thighs. And, we women of a 'certain age' know how important that can be.
I didn't know that about Vitamin D. I know I really feel it when I don't get enough sunshine. I may look into adding yet another vitamin to my daily regime. Who needs real food anyway?
Carolynn
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