Not a Weanie

The whole point of seeing a podiatrist today was to get an answer to the question: Is there something wrong or am I just a weanie?  I called around until I found someone - anyone - who would see me today.  I wanted an x-ray and an answer: wrong or weanie?

Turns out there is something wrong.

The second metatarsal in my left foot has a lot of shading in it, indicating repetitive long-term injury, and the doctor is not sure why or what it really is.  He sent me for a CT scan and we will know more when the results arrive.

In the meantime, I do not like this podiatrist.  The second I said I had been running barefoot, he looked aghast. I might as well have said I was dancing naked with the devil on a beach.  Which I'm not.  Just to clarify.  I will not give another dime of my hard-earned money to that man.

It occurs to me that finding a good doctor who will not negatively prejudge my desire to run unshod is probably going to be a lot like finding an obstetrician who did not respond patronizingly when my preference for natural childbirth came to light.  I fired the doctor who looked at me like I was a neanderthal for not wanting a medicated labor and proceeded to say I was welcome to have a doula, as long as she did not get in the way.

After some research, I found my beloved OB/GYN who not only welcomed my doula, but had worked with her before - and never once pressured me to do anything with my pregnancy or labor and delivery that I did not want to do.  I made the mistake of telling too many women in the neighborhood how fantastic she is and now there is a seventeen month wait for an annual appointment.  Evidently, we all love her.

Anyway, the lesson here is to shop your doc.  Find someone you trust and respect.  You'll both benefit.  Keep looking!

So, that's what I did.  I have an appointment with a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon - actually the same doc who helped me through a right ankle sprain last summer.  (I actually tried to call them first this morning, but could not remember the name of the doctor or the practice - DUH.  It was happenstance that I called them this afternoon.)

When the receptionist asked what happened to my foot and I mentioned running barefoot (yes, I was *totally* testing the reaction), she exclaimed one of their physical therapists swears by it.  Eureka!  Sign me up for an appointment..

Tuesday afternoon.  I will take the the CT scan results with me and hopefully learn what we do next.

Sigh.  Well.  At least I'm not a weanie.

Poop.