Broken, but not out!

Stubborn!

While my family was away for our church's youth Summer camp, I carried on with my usual activities, including my weekly trail run.  This week, I decided on a longer run outside of San Antonio since I didn't have anyone at home.  Eisenhower Park is a beautiful park by Camp Bullis on the north side of San Antonio and has nice improved and semi-improved trails with long gradual inclines and a few steep ones.  Many trails traverse the single hill that includes a wooden overlook where one can see for miles in each direction. 

But...

I have sprained and strained muscles, tendons and ligaments over my lifetime.  Run and hiked plenty of trails and have come to expect the usual twists and turns that my ankles and knees have endured.  I have never broken a bone. I have come close, but never a clinically-confirmed diagnosis!

Until Tuesday, July 12th 2017th. 

I just finished the 2.5 mile upward trek to the Overlook at Eisenhower Park, and on my way down.  I decided, wrongly, to take a switchback on my descent.  I usually can roll with the loose rocks and gravel I encounter.  This was not a new area for me.  However, this time I hit some rocks that were not loose and my foot ended up wedged in the crevice as my body kept going.  It did hurt, but not so much at the time. 

Pain

It did hurt, but it was my ankle that I figured I sprained, not my foot so much.  Recognizing the pain was not normal, I slowly walked/jogged lightly the last mile back to the car.  When I got home, I did the correct things, iced and elevated my ankle and foot.  I took it easy and hobbled around for the next few days.

Stubborn

I did not go to 'Sick Call'.  That is the Army's way of dealing with an illness and injury.  One goes on 'Sick Call'.  It means sitting in a large waiting room with a bunch of sick and diseased soldiers for hours waiting to be seen.  In my 26 years of being in the Army, I have NEVER gone to Sick Call.  Never, never, never.  And I wasn't going to start now.  Sure, my foot and ankle hurt, but I have twisted my ankle, stubbed a toe and wrenched my knees plenty of times.  Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate.  Anti-Inflammatory meds were consumed. 

I had things to do!  Our trip to Florida was coming, we had a son going off to college for the first time.  Busy!  I promised my wife, friends and co-workers I would get my foot checked out upon our return.

As the swelling and pain subsided in my ankle, I did notice that swelling and pain in my foot and big toe did not.  I knew that something was not right in the two joints.

Doctor's Appointment

So, I did not go to SICK CALL.  I made an appointment with my doctor for September 7th, 2017.  He took some X-Rays, and after reviewing them, he said "...you have been walking around your foot for how long?"