Foot Fetish

I've always admired my feet. 

I know that sounds weird, but before you judge me (don't judge me!) just let me say that I'm not obsessed with them or anything.  I just thought they were cute.  Cute toes, good shape, nice color (not counting weird summer sandal tan lines), no scars, just nice. Unlike my weird, stubby hands, but that's another post.

And then a few weeks ago I noticed a callous on my left foot.  I didn't think much of it; I thought it would just go away.  It didn't.  In fact, it got bigger and started to annoy me.  I started to worry.  I was pretty sure I knew what it was.  Going to the podiatrist today confirmed my fear.

That, my friends, is a bunion.  

Apparently I have 80 year old feet.  Okay, not really.  But don't you associate bunions with old people?  I always did.  And I couldn't figure out how I got it, since I only wear high heels four or five times a year, and the rest of the time wear comfy, wide shoes.  But the pediatrician explained that bunions are hereditary - did anyone in my family have them?  Yep - my maternal grandmother did.  Lucky me.  

Drat my genes!

Then he told me what I had already read about online but was hoping was wrong: there's not really much you can do to stop bunions.  Once they're there, they're there. And they're not going away.  You can only slow them down.  Over the next 25 years I have orthopedic inserts, cushions, steroids, cortisone shots, and (finally) surgery to look forward to.  Great.  Just what I wanted to hear.

Wait, no it's not.  What I really wanted to hear was that he had just developed a new therapy that dissolved the bunions so that they never returned and that this therapy came in the form of a hot fudge sundae that I had to eat every month for the rest of my life, and that since I was the first patient to come to his office for bunions after his new therapy had been approved by the FDA, I would get these medicated hot fudge sundaes for free.  Forever.

*sigh*

Instead of leaving his office with a sundae I left with these shoe inserts.  And the knowledge that I will probably have to battle it out with my insurance over the next year to get custom-made orthotics.  Hooray!  My favorite pastime is battling with my insurance company!  (Note the sarcasm here.)

I also got this little pad to help ease some of the pain.

Oh man.  That's a good look, isn't it?

In order to help slow down its progression there's no more running around barefoot or wearing flip flops.  Supportive shoes only!  That's easy enough to follow in the winter, but in the summer?  And with my cruise coming up?  You're killin' me, bunion!  (I'm still wearin' sandals during most of my cruise... I just don't care!)

I know in the grand scheme of things this really isn't that big of a deal; there are a lot of worse things I could be dealing with.  But the fact that there's no cure, and that it's just going to get worse - a lot worse - before I have to have surgery is really bummin' me out.

My poor feet.  And poor me.  I'm totally feeling picked on. 

On the plus side, I think this is the perfect excuse to do a little shoe shopping.

There.  My day just brightened a little.