It wasn't for a football injury, that's for sure. When the doctor told the nurse he wanted a *football bandage* on my foot, I was surprised and asked the doctor what it was. I imagined that it would be a kind of raised, football shaped pad to keep the pressure off my injured toe. He had said he could tell I was putting pressure on it because of the callus that was forming. I knew he was right because I didn't wear the special shoe unless I was going outside. I told him I always kept socks on my feet or my booties that the Princess gave me for Christmas. He shook his head and said it wasn't good enough even if I wasn't doing much walking. And I wasn't really.
So he told me that since he was using a treatment that had to remain for the full week until I saw him again, I was to keep the football bandage on all week too and not get it wet. So I am still imagining this pad that will lift and keep my toe from any direct pressure. Kind of like those corn plasters, know what I mean. Imagine my surprise when the nurse starts pulling out all these supplies and tells me that the bandage will replace the special shoe. Huh? Then the layering begins....and covers my whole foot. There's this one layer that looks like a special sponge padding (and that's actually what it was). She had to have used about two yards of it starting beneath my toe line. Then came another couple of layers of a sticky white bandage. On top of that was a sticky bandage that reminded me of one of those bandages you use for sprains. THEN...she takes this material that's like a heavy gauze and covers the whole thing up to my ankle twice over. The toe had been bandaged loosely all by itself to cover the dressing the doctor had put on it. It actually looked like I had a small football that engulfed my foot.
Since I had to walk on it to my car and then into the house, she covered that all up with a plastic bag and then one of those blue papery slippers over that. I looked like I had just had some kind of surgery on my foot. But, when I stepped down on it, it actually forces my foot on my heel and elevates the toes. Problem solved from the doctor's point of view...LOL! I felt like an idiot when I headed out to my car. The plastic bag was to protect the bandage from any puddles or moisture still on the sidewalks and/or driveways due to the snow we had. It was melting all over but was not dried up yet. I have to cover the bandage with plastic any time I go outside for the next week. I doubt I will be going out much for the next week, trust me.
The bad part of this bandage, as I discovered when I took my nap, is that forcing my lower leg into the unnatural position puts pressures on various muscles that aren't used to the position they normally are in. So guess what woke me up in terrible pain? Cramps and spasms of the aforementioned muscles. I have never had a charlie horse in the front part of my lower leg before. And it hurt like hell! It's made me reluctant to try sleeping again even though my eyes want to slam shut. I kept zoning out trying to play bingo online but I really feel I have to be close to unconscious or I will wake up screaming in pain. I gave up trying to play bingo because I found myself locked in place over one number or another and never even heard the caller continuing for several numbers before I snapped awake.
I think I am almost tired enough now to call it a day and it's 3:30am! Say a little prayer for me. I have no idea how long this type of pain might continue or if the muscles will get used to the new pressures being put on them. I'm not even sure that is a good thing. But you have to trust your doctor, don't you?
The Beast managed to refrain from laughing at me.....barely. I had planned on stop at Walmart to pick up my prescription that was ready but decided against that once I had the bandage on. So I made the Beast go pick it up instead. Not really a big deal since he had planned on going for some chicken for the dog anyway. I was grateful because it was for my pain pills and I really needed them when I woke up in pain.
We got up into the 50's today, as predicted, but no sun. It was overcast all day so it felt cooler than that temperature would have felt with a bit of sun shining. It's down to 30 degrees now and feels even colder because there's a breeze and the humidity is high because of the melting snow. It probably would have melted away with some sunlight but, alas!, no sunlight so there's still snow left. Not much, but still.........
Love you all. I'm going to post this and brave my bed. I really, really need the sleep now. I pray that's enough to keep me from waking up, screaming in pain. Enjoy your weekend regardless of your weather. We are all on the *right* side of the grass so we should be grateful for that. ***Hugs***
No comments:
Post a Comment