“Hey Doc, It Hurts When I Do This”

“Then don’t do that!”

Do you ever get that sort of response from your doctor??  I seem to encounter this more than the average patient since I am most certainly not the average patient.  My trips to various doctors, usually specialists in their field, involve a long list of diagnoses and medications to discuss along with the complaint that has brought me to their exam room to begin with.  When I have had the misfortune to encounter a less than enthusiastic doctor, I usually leave with no resolution to my problem and with the feeling that I know more about my condition than they do.

Today’s trip to the podiatrist was one of those encounters.  She did a fine job of examining my feet and assessing the problem.  What she didn’t do was offer any real solution other than to tell me to stop running.  It was all I could do not to laugh in her face at the absolute absurdity of that suggestion.  If lupus, fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain hasn’t stopped me from running, then I don’t think a little foot pain will.

It seems I’ve developed some posterior tibial tendonitis in both of my feet because I over-pronate when I run.  It’s not horrible pain…but then, I am quite used to pain so for someone else, this might actually hurt a lot.  Stretching, icing and being careful to not increase my mileage too fast should keep this at bay….I pretty much knew all of this before I shelled out my $30 co-pay.  The point of my visit was to ask about custom orthotics, but she was not convinced they would help.

I have a 5k mud run to do on September 21.  After that, I can scale back my miles again if I need to.  I hope I don’t have to, but I will if that’s what it takes.  What I won’t do is give up my marathon dream because one doctor didn’t help me find a solution to a common problem.  I wonder how many patients give up things they love because a doctor said it was the only way.  If I have learned one thing in my nearly 20 years of being a medical oddity, it is that I will never let a doctor tell me I can’t live my life the way I want to just because of pain.  I have always found a way to work around it.  I see no reason I can’t work around this as well.  I am a little on the stubborn side.  Just a little.

While I believe the vast majority of doctors are very good at what they do and genuinely care about their patients, you will inevitably run into the ones who, for whatever reason, are unable or unwilling to help you.  Diplomas on the wall are not a guarantee good advice and you should always seek another doctor if you are uncomfortable with a diagnosis or treatment plan.

My Personal Prescription:

Listen to your doctor, but if stomach upset occurs, take it with a grain of salt and never be afraid to seek a second opinion.  🙂

Week 4 Day 1 of the C25K I’m Doing

This was a great run/walk!! I felt light on my feet, my breathing and heart rate was steady, and it was a perfect 63F! I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my day. 🙂

Super Sexy, Yes??

I’ve been having some pain at the inside part of my heel just below my ankle.  It’s not enough to keep me from running, but I have been wearing my hot pink CEP compression socks around the house all day while cleaning.  I am, of course, wearing a pair of shorts because it’s hot so my calves are looking super sexy in these socks.  So sexy that I won’t step outside where the neighbors might see me.  I wouldn’t want to start a big neighborhood orgy…I mean, not while my husband is at work, because you know, he might be mad he missed it.  😛

PS…No, I will not post a picture, this blog is rated PG.  😉

Are You a Diet Soda Junkie Like My Husband?

Are You a Diet Soda Junkie Like My Husband?

For some time now, I have been trying to get my husband to drink less of the canned and bottled poison that he loves so much, but I have not had much success.  The amount of money we spend on his beloved Diet Dr. Pepper alone should be reason enough to switch to water, however he continues to cling to his bubbly addiction as if it were a life raft in the middle of the Atlantic.

I know what you’re thinking.  Damn nagging wife, leave the man be, at least he’s drinking diet soda and not getting all the sugar from regular!!  Right??  I know you were thinking it and he probably thinks it too, but let me share with you his weekly consumption:

We purchased three 12-packs cans of caffeine free Diet Dr. Pepper and one 12-pack cans of caffeinated Diet Dr. Pepper each week when we do our grocery shopping.  Then he also typically purchases three 6-pack plastic bottles of caffeinated Diet Dr. Pepper that he takes to work with him so he can save a little money off the bottles he typically gets from the vending machines there.  He buys these, as well as every 20 oz bottle that he purchases every time he walks into a store (I kid you not), with his weekly $20 mad money.  The 12-packs come out of our weekly grocery budget.  

Now, let’s add it all up:

48 cans and 18 bottles, that I know of for certain.  There’s really no way for me to determine how many extra bottles he purchases for sure, but I would hazard a guess of at least 5 per week on average.  

48 x 12 oz each = 576 oz

18 x 16 oz each = 288 oz

5 x 20 oz each = 100 oz

Grand total:  964 oz per week of Diet Dr. Pepper

Wow.  Just wow.  =/

Follow the link in the title to see what http://www.thealternativedaily.com has to say about the dangers diet soda.  Maybe get yourself a glass of ice water to sip on while you read it.  🙂