Monday, March 4, 2013

Anxiety and a broken foot


I took a step forward in taking care of my physical health, and I ended up wearing a new boot.
In my last post, I wrote about the need I had to take care of my physical health. One of the problems I’d been experiencing was ongoing pain in my right foot.
I finally called my family doctor’s office Friday. They are in a temporary office location while a new facility is being built, so they are without on-site x-ray services. They suggested I go to a related practice that sees walk-in patients.
I went there Sunday and after they did x-rays, they told me that I had fractured the fifth metatarsal in my foot. They think it’s a stress fracture.
They outfitted me with a boot to keep the foot immobilized and will call me, probably today, with a referral to an orthopedic doctor.
As I sat in the exam room at the doctor’s office, waiting for them to finish all the paperwork, I could feel anxiety start building up. I admit that I let the anxiety take over for a while.

*It’s not safe to drive while wearing the boot. I drive fairly often for my job. I don’t want Larry to have to drive me everywhere I need to go for work. If I drive, I have to take the boot off. Will that hurt my foot more? How can I balance out the driving?
*How will I keep the boot clean? I thought immediately of the public bathroom at work. The floor doesn’t always look clean. How will I deal with that?
*What if I have to have a cast? How will I manage showering?
*The weather forecasters are calling for rain, sleet and snow on Wednesday. If I have my orthopedic doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, will I be able to get there?
*I did some Internet research on foot fractures. The need for surgery seems very unlikely. But what if I do need it? How will I work that out with my job?

Of course, these worries are based on fear of the unknown, fear of what might happen, on what ifs.
When I managed to push off the anxiety long enough to really think about my fears, I realized that I was worrying about things that might not happen.
If they did happen, I would adapt. I’ve adapted before. I can do it again.

*The orthopedic doctor can advise me on driving. I’ll work it out.
*Many years ago, I had bunion surgery and had to wear a light boot. I wore it everywhere I needed to, even in public places. I adapted.
*Several years ago, I had to wear a bandage on my hand for weeks to protect a bad cut. I had to cover it to take a shower. I adapted.
*I can reschedule a doctor’s appointment if that’s necessary. I’ve done it before.
*The orthopedic doctor will know what needs to be done to help the foot heal. I’ll adapt to the treatment he or she recommends.

I’m looking forward to healing and getting back to normal. If I have to adapt along the way, then that’s what I’ll do.

When have you had to adapt to changing circumstances? How did you manage to do it?

47 comments:

  1. Wow, it's a fracture! Good thing you got it checked out huh?
    I understand--I worry about possibilities too.

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    1. Kristina, Yes, I'm glad I finally got it checked out. The lesson here is: don't wait as long as I did!

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  2. Yikes, glad you saw someone!
    I broke my hand in 2008. I wouldn't let anyone touch my cast and I was so worried about the bathroom. It all worked out fine, of course.
    Hope you're on the mend!

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    1. Thanks, Ann. I'm going to remember you and your hand and the way that it worked out fine for you, and let that inspire me!

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  3. What a wonderful outlook you have - and you're right, you will adapt.

    I'm glad you were able to check into what was wrong, and that you're now getting the help. And hopefully, it will heal super fast!

    I shall keep my fingers crossed!

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    1. Thank you, Amanda. If I want the foot to heal correctly AND get through this without multiple anxiety attacks, I'll have to adapt. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  4. Oh my I am so glad you finally went to get that checked out. Take care it will all work out hug B

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    1. Thank you, Buttons. I was past due to get it checked out. No snowshoeing for me any time soon! :-)

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  5. Good thing you got it checked out or it would have worsened over time!! Sending happy thoughts your way Tina and I hope your foot recovers quickly!!

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    1. Thanks for the happy thoughts, Keith. I hope I didn't do any damage letting it go so long. I see the orthopedic doctor this afternoon.

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  6. I'm glad that you got it checked it out!

    I broke my foot in 2008 and didn't need surgery, but was recommended physical therapy. You aren't recommended to drive, because it does affect your foot. I wasn't allowed to do it for a few months and it was so annoying having to rely on other people to drive me around, but it's worth it.

    Hope you get well soon, and kudos to you for taking the step to get it seen!

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    1. Thank you, Yaya. I see the orthopedic doctor this afternoon. If he says no driving, that will be hard, but I'll have to cope. I don't want to impede the healing.

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  7. Yikes! You were walking around with a broken foot for weeks?? You're tougher than I am! I'm so glad you're getting it treated now, and I hope to hear you're feeling MUCH better soon. Hang in there! Hopefully by summer this will be a bad memory.

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    1. Thanks, Jean. It was hurting, but I kept thinking, It will get better soon. And I was taking over-the-counter pain medication. So I made it. But I should have gone to the doctor a lot sooner than I did.

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  8. Wow Tina, hope you that foot heals quickly so you can walk properly again when the weather gets nice again. Don't know how you managed so long with so much pain!
    I had my teeth pulled 4 years ago, just to find out there was something wrong with my palate. (don't know why the dentist didn't notice before) But I could not wear dentures because of it and had to have implants. Everything that could go wrong went wrong and all in all I had to manage without teeth for 3 years. Could only talk with the dentures in, even laughing made them come out, and had to eat without them. Couldn't stand the sight of mashed food anymore in the end!

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    1. Klaaske, bless your heart! I'm sorry you went through such a time with your teeth. That must have been very difficult. I can understand not liking the idea of mashed up food anymore!

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  9. Glad you are taking care of your physical health, Tina. And you are right, you will adapt just like you always do. Hope your foot heals well and quickly.

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    1. Thank you, Janet. I am hoping for a quick healing!

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  10. Glad to hear that you had your foot checked out! I hope it heals quickly.

    This is a great example of the "what if" exercise that I learned in my anxiety management program years ago. Instead of quashing the "what if" questions in your head, you listened to them and came up with answers...this is a wonderful calming exercise to do, something that I still do a lot for myself.

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    1. Thank you, Nadine. I didn't start out planning on doing the exercise. But after I wrote out my fears, I decided I needed to counter them somehow. It was a helpful exercise for me, and I plan on practicing it again.

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  11. You are so capable of adapting! You can do this. I am glad it will now get better! xoJ

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    1. Thank you, Jodi, I appreciate your encouragement. I'm glad I went ahead and saw the doctor.

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  12. I am sorry it is broken. Paul had a stress fracture in his foot a couple of years ago and it healed just fine. Hope it feels better soon.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I'm hoping it will heal as quickly as possible.

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    2. Just got your comment about Quiet - so glad you read it and liked it! I liked it so much I gave a copy to my aunt for Christmas, who is also quite introverted.

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  13. I am so glad to hear that you went in to the doctor, Tina! Now let the healing begin!

    And you are right ... you will adapt.

    Proud of you!

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    1. Thank you, Jackie. Yes, indeed, let the healing begin! :-)

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  14. Am SO sorry about the broken bone and boot. You are truly brave in facing head-on the anxiety of all the "what ifs" this brings. YES you can and will adapt... and come out on the other side an even more strong and beautiful person!!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words. I am trying to have a positive attitude.

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  15. I am relieved that you went to the doctor, Tina! That took a lot of courage, and I believe you made the right choice. I am very proud of you. I am praying that your foot heals rapidly.

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    1. Thank you, Linda. I waited too long, but I'm glad I finally went to the doctor, too.

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  16. I am so glad you went in. I too am always hesitant to go to the doctor. I always feel like it really won't be anything and the Dr. will think I am wasting their time when they could be with someone who is really hurting. I had a bad bike wreck one time and the ER doctor chewed me out for not calling an ambulance (I called my husband and laid next to the road till he came. The funny thing was I begged my husband to just take me home but my bike light was embedded in my hip so he was like, no way.
    I am sure that Larry will help you do whatever you need to do and sometimes maybe it is good for us to accept help. You are in my prayers and I hope you heal quickly.

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    1. Thank you, Krystal Lynn. I delayed going to the doctor, not really believing anything could be too wrong. I think your husband made the right call in taking you the hospital after the bike wreck! Larry is being very helpful. He drove me around today and didn't laugh too much seeing me try to use crutches! :-)

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  17. Good thing you went to the doctor. I hope your appointment today went well.

    My sister once broke her driving foot or ankle and had to wear a cast. She actually called the local law enforcement to see if there was anything against her driving with her left foot, and they said that there wasn't. But when she went to renew her license, those people wouldn't let her without a doctor's note, and the doctor wouldn't sign it, so she had to get rides for a little bit. I hope you can drive, but if you can't, I'm sure there are people willing to help.

    As for adjusting, that's a good way of looking at dealing with anxiety. I'm having plenty of the anxiety right now, so I guess I'd better think about adjusting, too. :) Thanks for continuing to inspire us.

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    1. Thank you, Abigail. I hope your anxiety is doing better. Adapting to situations isn't always easy, but we can do it! I don't think I'm going to be able to drive in the boot. The doctor said I could take it off to drive, but I could end up really hurting my foot if I was in an accident or even had to slam on brakes. So I'll play it by ear for now and not drive, at least at first.

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  18. Tina, I'm so glad you got that foot checked out!

    You make such a good point about adjusting - we adapt and adjust to things we never thought possible when we're faced with them, and usually without all the anxiety we would've had anticipating such a thing. If only I can remember that when I'm anxious . . .

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    1. Thank you. You make a good point about how we adapt to things all the time with less anxiety than we thought we'd have. I have a hard time remembering that sometimes, too.

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  19. Hi Tina, I'm so sorry about your foot. I hope you're not in too much discomfort--either physically or emotionally. It's good to remember that all those what-ifs will work themselves out. As my husband likes to remind me, "in a hundred years from now it won't matter a bit." At which point I resist the urge to smack him. LOL.

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    1. Thanks, Grace. Your husband is right--it won't matter a bit in the long run. I'm not too uncomfortable, but my doc doesn't want me to take any NSAIDS--said they could impede the healing process. I didn't want prescription pain meds, so I'm taking acetometophin. So far so good.

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  20. i can really relate to this entry tina. i cannot drive because i started having seizures almost 3 years ago. it's been one of the hardest adjustments of my life.

    i wonder if you could have two boots. one for indoors 9home) and one for out. i think they are pretty easy to slide in and out of. it would help with bringing in germs and dirt from out of your home places. that would concern me as well!!

    good luck!!

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    1. Debbie, I'm so sorry about your health problems that keep you from driving. I can imagine how difficult that must have been, to give up driving. That's a good idea about the boots. Right now I just have one that's covered by insurance. I may look into getting another eventually.

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  21. Oh wow - so sorry about your broken foot, Tina! That's terrible! I'm also sorry about all the anxiety that it is causing you, and I totally get it. Those are the exact same thoughts I would have too, especially about the public bathrooms.

    But YES, YOU ARE RIGHT - you will adapt! Absolutely, I'm so glad to hear that you recognize that even in the midst of your anxiety. As much as I have hated the different things I've had to deal with, I have usually managed to adapt as well. It stinks, but often it does end up being a good thing for my mental health in the long run.

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    1. Sunny, thank you. I like your hopeful statement that the need to adapt can be good for our mental health in the long run. I'll try to remember that! :-)

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  22. Oh no Tina! Well, at least you know more now than you did before the doctor visit.

    You'll do what you have to -- and get stronger for it. Big hugs and hope you get healed very soon.

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  23. Oh, Tina, my dear, I am so sorry. I hope you heal quickly. If it's any consolation, know that your fears about wearing the boot would also be my fears. You'll have to write another post sometime and talk about how you dealt with it all. Hugs!

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    1. Thank you, Elizabeth. It's amazing how many fears popped up when I found out I had to wear that boot!

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