About six months ago, my husband developed what are mistakenly called, by most of us, bone spurs. The real name for the problem is plantar fasciitis, but who could remember that? Our family doctor told him there's really nothing to be done for the condition except to wear shoe inserts, and indeed, the inserts have helped Cliff somewhat.
My ex-daughter-in-law has done many things trying to relieve her heel spur pain, including surgery. But she tells me the thing that helped her most was having shoe inserts made specifically for her feet. The cost was $800, but insurance picked up most of the tab. Cliff figured if our family doctor says there's no remedy for the problem, he isn't about to go chasing after a cure.
About a month ago, I began having the same sort of heel pain Cliff had been describing; I got the name of my ex-daughter-in-law's doctor, and had my appointment yesterday. He gave my heel a shot of cortisone, which, surprisingly to me, did help somewhat. And they'll call and let me know whether my insurance will cover the cost of those high-dollar inserts.
After the shot, the doctor covered my foot with a bunch of tape and told me to leave it on for five days and keep it dry. Huh?
"What's this for?" I asked.
"To support the ligaments."
It will amaze me if the tape stays on my foot, but if it does, I'm trying to figure out how I'll take a bath or shower and keep one foot dry. All the mental images I conjure up make me laugh. Anyhow, just how much support is a bunch of tape?
All of this reminds me of a poem I wrote about my feet several years ago.
I’ve taken walks for many years. I seldom miss a day;
It’s then I seem to hear from God, and find the time to pray.
I took for granted two good feet that carried me along,
And seldom thanked the Lord for them… till everything went wrong!
In fact, I griped about them. They were hideous to me,
And several sizes larger than a lady’s feet should be.
Shoes were so confining that I didn’t wear them much,
Except when going shopping, or to Sunday school and such.
Now, when a person won’t wear shoes, her feet get stained from grass
And spread out even larger, and look unrefined and crass.
The calluses grow thicker, and unsightly scars appear
From all of the abuses heaped upon them, year to year.
One day my foot was injured as I went about the farm
(Keep tempting fate for long enough, and you will come to harm).
The doctor took some stitches, and it put me in such pain
That I could see there’d be no walks. That fact was very plain!
Well, now I can appreciate the things my feet can do…
So many years I’ve used them, and they always got me through.
Who cares if they’re not sexy feet, or delicate or small?
I’ve learned to thank my Maker that I have these feet at all.
Two weeks I couldn’t take my walks; my foot was slow to heal,
But I can count my blessings with a gratitude that’s real.
This whole experience is one I hope I don’t repeat,
But one thing I have gained from this: I’ve come to love my feet!
11 comments:
I had the same problem in both heels. After years of wearing inserts one doctor finally suggested the shots. I got one in my right foot and almost instantly it was better. I never went back for the left foot as it seemed to get better on it's own after my right foot had the shot. My shot was about a year ago and boy what a difference it made in my life! I hope you have great results with yours too!!!
Hope yours and Cliff's feet get better, maybe he should get a shot also. I liked you poem. Helen
Garbage bag tied on your foot. One of those kitchen trash bags will work. I had the same problem with my foot but not on the heel. On the bottom of my foot and boy did it hurt. I could barely walk on a good day and not at all on a bad day. I took the shots (2) and found SOME relief for awhile. I had to go back and instead of giving me another shot I got clebrex (I think it has been taken off the market now) anyway the doctor had told me that you have to break the cycle of pain. The pain relivers worked and I have not been back in two years. Some days my feet ache but I think that is "old" age lol. It is nothing like the pain I had before. I sure did not want to have the surgery anyway one of my friends said even with the surgery they can come back.
Jesse has plantars fascitis also! He got the shot and was amazed at the difference! He hasn't shelled out the big bucks for a custom insert, but he did buy one that's done pretty well and lasted quite a while..
(btw....an empty bread bag and a rubber band works to keep your foot dry. <g>)
~Amy
I had this too! My doctor told me the only way it gets better is if you stay off your foot. LOL Kinda hard to do when I had a job that had me walking from desk to desk fixing computers all day long. Then I got really sick and was in bed for almost 2 weeks...and amazingly enough, it went away! Then I stopped working and haven't spent that much time on my feet since. LOL
We always to learn to appreciate what we have to do without or when we can't use it. I love my feet too ! I've learned to wear comfy and supporting shoes and baby them very much. Hope your's is better soon! 'On Ya' - ma
I have suffered from plantar fasciitis for years. It was so bad one time I had to tippy toe at the grocery store and then ride in the electric shopping carts. I have had the cortisone shots also. The doctor gave me too much cortisone however and that led to more problems. There is ONE orthopedic surgeon in the whole area who specializes in FEET. I have seen him and he told me to throw out my HARD inserts. I use a gel heel cup and they are about $50.00 a pair. It made all the difference in the world. THERE is something you can do and that is proper stretching of the fascia. It's kind of like hanging the bottom half of your heel off of a step and stretching it to the count of 10. You will feel the stretch from the foot up the back of your leg. I did that but my bones are so bad that I would get compound fractures of the foot, because of Osteoparosis. Bascially Mosie, I'll "screwed" by I think there is still help for you. SAVE yourself. Anne
Like your poem very much. I too remember so many things my feet use to be able to help me do. My problems are different but hurt never the less. I have started riding my bicycle for exercise again because there are so many things I can't do anymore, like long walks. Paula
I love that poem!! Love it! Boy, we do take for granted things on our body's, things in our lives, things we use everyday...but when they are gone, whether for good, or temporary, we sure do realize then how much we needed them, and how much we miss not having them!
I hope Cliffs foot get's to feeling better. Heal Spurs are very painful. Maybe if he sees how much better you are feeling after your Cortisone shot... he will reconsider! Maybe? hee
Jackie
I love your poem! It makes you think and appreciate what you rarely thnk about.I hope the doc helps your feet. I know how it feels to have aching feet, believe me I do...My heels use to hurt on the bottom, until I got some of those jel heel inserts. I wore them for about 6 months and the pain finally went away. I hope it stays away because it was very paindful!
love ya,
carlene
I was diagnosed with this and bought walking shoes instead of other flat shoes. It got better. I hardly have problems....Mom told me once to take a canned good or a coke bottle and roll it underneath my foot. That also helps relieve the tension and excercises it. I was really in pain, esp. in the morning getting up out of bed, I can even wear flat shoes now a lot of the time. But wearing those walking shoes which has better arches, helped. And a 40 to 60 dollar pair of shoes is much cheaper than 800, if it works.
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