A New Hope - Wednesday, April 30

Here is another generation separating question (see previous blog "Notes In A Bottle - Friday, April 4"). As Maria in the Sound of Music prepares to report to the Von Trapp Family for the first time she sings a little song called Confidence. Do you remember what the first words of the song are?  They were going through my head this morning as I lie awake in bed before the start of the day. Actually, the first two lines. Should I tell you or wait for you to look them up and listen to them on YouTube? . . . "What will this day be like? I wonder.  What will my future bring? I wonder." What would the doctor find in Sally's foot?  Is our hiking over? Will we be back on the trail shortly?  I wonder? 

We were up at 7 and off to the doctor's suite of examining rooms by 7:45.  Sally limped into the reception area, filled out the forms and was quickly-by doctor office standards-escorted into an examining room. 

The nurse came in for the preliminary questions. She asked how the injury occurred. We told her we were hiking the PCT. It meant nothing to her. When we explained the concept to her she was very interested and asked lots of questions. The X-ray tech was next. I waited in the exam room while Sally was irradiated. The lively discussion between Sally and the tech as they entered the exam room following the X-ray let me know that she too knew nothing of the PCT but thought it a pretty cool adventure. 

The doctor entered and graciously introduced himself. He was fit, lively and full of fun. As he examined Sally's foot and listened to the PCT story he was very intrigued by the idea. He located the point origin of the pain and then showed us on the X-Ray.  It was not Plantar Fasciitis as we had feared, rather inflammation where the outside metatarsal bone joined the main bone of the foot. He brushed off our concern about another cortisone shot to the foot (Sally had 3 before she came) saying a small injection very localized to the point of irritation would be perfectly acceptable. 

When he returned with the syringe I asked if I could take pictures of him injecting Sally and he heartily agreed, thinking it would be fun to be on the blog. So as Sally winced and Dr. Seiberg poked I shot the scene. 

As we stood at the reception desk after the procedure chatting with the doctor and nurse another doctor walked up. Dr. Seiberg exclaimed, "These two are hiking from Mexico to Canada!"  The doctor replied in the most sarcastic tone imaginable, "Why!?!  Get a car!"

We laughed and talked with Dr. Seiberg and the receptionist for about ten minutes, explaining our "size 16 to 6 plan", and some of the events of the trail. We reluctantly left, having enjoyed our doctor visit and the positive results. 

Although the day is not over the important event is, yet the morning question has still not been answered. It will take a few days before we know "What will our future be?"  Hopefully the healing will allow us back on the trail soon.