Day 49

(Oh so swollen and painful....)

9:58 p.m.

I took these pictures the other night, just to put them on here. My feet have been hurting constantly these past few days, just from standing and bending my toes. I am ready to get back to running.

Speaking of running, I did do 30 minutes of pool running tonight. It was an interesting experience. My legs hurt a little bit from it. Not much else to say here.

Off to finish my homework.

Goodnight

Day 45

9:31 p.m.

Well, this weekend was fun. I went to Cooper Reeves' birthday party with Ryan Schnroeder and Brandon Beckman Friday. We played some sweet table hockey game at Corunna's Little Caesers followed by 2 hours of bowling. Yeah, my feet were pretty sore afterwards, but I won the first game with a 103. Brandon ended up winning overall (4 games). He bowled a 140 or something crazy in his second game.

Saturday, after coming home, I did some homework, and then went to Church at 4. First Communion masses take freaking forever. Oh well, I was there once, and at the time, it was very special. After Church, Jessy and I went out to Mancinos in Owosso. Then we went to visit with Uncle Doug. Afterwards, we hung out at her house from 9:30 to 11, of which 15 minutes were spent listening to the radio in my car because she forgot her house keys and her parents were on their way home from her sister's.

Today, I woke up at 9:30 and immediately started doing homework. I had to read 200 pages in a book and do 2 math assignments. I finished at 4, and then spent some time with Jessy working on her grandma's memorial garden. I'm now here typing.

My toes are coming along well. In just 3 days, I can bend both of them about twice as far as Thursday at my doctor's appointment. I'm excited about all of this. But, to see how far I have to get my toes to bend, I had Jessy bend hers up and down once, and the only thought I had was "Holy Crap."

In other news, I really need to get a picture on here of my feet. They are looking so much better now than even a week ago.

Well, I'm going to bed. Goodnight All.

Day 43

12:45 a.m

Bored and I can't sleep. Feet are very sore, as I was cleared to wear regular shoes today, as well as starting to bend my toes. I really need to get some pictures up. I wish I could show you what my feet look like now. They are so much better than even two weeks ago.

I guess I ended up with 2 screws in each foot. I have 1 in my first metatarsal and 1 in the first part of my toe in each foot. It was kind of cool seeing all that on the x-rays.

These next 3 months are going to be tough. I get to start biking in 2 weeks, and then hopefully running in July. It's getting closer! I just have to rehab right. I know it's going to be tough, and it's going to be painful, but in the end, I hope it's all worth it. I pray that I haven't thrown away a good 4 months of my life.

I had a vision today, or rather, a very emotional thought (for me). I ran my last track race last spring, at the 2nd meet of the year. When I return to track, it will have been almost 2 years since I raced on a track. I know that cross country will likely bring a state championship this year (fingers crossed), but I don't know if I will cry before my first race on a track, or after. Decisions, decisions!

Well, as it is only Friday morning, I still have school in the morning, so I am going to go to sleep. Goodnight all, or rather, good morning!

Day 37

11:50 p.m.

These past two weeks have gone by so fast. My pain has been very light, or non-existent, with my left foot hurting slightly more than my right.

The cruise two weeks ago was AWESOME. Thank you mom and dad for that wonderful experience. I still wish was in the Carribean. (I'll get pictures on here from the cruise as soon as I can, but I am on the wrong compter right now).

This past week, Uncle Doug flew in, and he and his family are coming back to Michigan! Hopefully the economy will get better so everyone else can too. I miss all of them....the Alaskan half of my family. I'm excited that just one family is coming back, but I am nervous about seeing them all again. The last time I saw my cousins, they were about 6 and 7 years old or so. How much have they changed? :-/

Last night, I got to watch the Chesaning boys distance team (track) kick some major @$$ in the 4 x 1 mile relay. We won by a landslide, and it would have been a lot more if I could have ran. I miss running so much. I just feel incomplete without it. I don't feel entirely useless, however, on the days that I lift weights. That's how I am staying sane. I can't wait to get clearance to start cycling, so I can build up my cardio again. With all my commitments, I will probably have to do morning workouts!

Tonite, I got permission from my parents to drive. My dad let me drive to the car wash with my surgical shoes on, and then home. After he decided it was o.k., I drove with Sam to Owosso. Now I don't have to wait until 7:30 to get to school every morning.

My recovery has gone very well. My left big toe is healing slightly closer to the other toes than the right one is, but there is still a Space between my toes. It's going to be weird. I'm used to the skin of my big toe getting pinched underneath my other toes when I run. No more. When the inside of my second toes itched, I could move my big toes, and the itch was gone. And flip flops used to never fall off my feet. Now they will. I won't miss anything abut the bunions though. They were painful.

I have a appointment with Dr. Duncan on Thursday to get my feet x-rayed and see if I am ready to start biking. hopefully I will be able to wear wider, regular shoes. That's what I am hearing, anyway, but I will have to wear splints on my feet too. So, hopefully, just 5 days left of bandages. I'm excited!

Well, goodnight. I have to get up for an 8:30 a.m. mass, followed by Mcdonalds, followed by homework and maybe hanging out with the girlfriend. Only 40 days of school left!

Day 31

8:07 p.m.

Just got back from the cruise. Haven't had internet all week, so I haven't posted all week. The trip itself was very exciting. Now I am typing a paper that is due tomorrow. I will post pictures from the trip later this week maybe, but for now, I will say that my pain last weekend was up at a 6 for a few nights, and today it was a 3 a couple of times. I have to finish this paper, so goodnight all.

Day 23

9:56 p.m

Another long, boring day today. We were in the cars from 10 to 9:30 today, driving from Mcdonough, Georgia, to Boca Raton, Florida. My feet felt much better today, but I am still trying to figure these splints out so that they will do their job without causing too much pain.

This is going to be a long week. I have a feeling that I am going to be a "spectator" as everyone else swims, swims, and swims. All I can do is dangle my poor feet in the water. Oh well. I can't complain, I wanted this done. This is just going to be a tough week for me. (Stubbed my left toe twice...that hurts)

Well, going to go for now. Feet are tingling (I am using a stand up computer in the hotel). I'll post later.

Day 22

11:33 p.m.

Haven't posted in a few days. I have been busy. We are in Mcdonough, Georgia for tonight. Let me bring you up to speed.

I went in on Wednesday to get my feet checked out, and instead of getting them re-wrapped, I recieved two removable splints and four gel toe spacers. I have to wear the splints inside of my surgical shoes, of which I now have two pairs (blue and black). When I bathe, I have to use the toe spacers to keep my toes apart, but at least I can wash my feet now.

The past two days since have been miserable. I can't sleep much, and these splints HURT. They will be ok for a while, at which point I will fall asleep, and then I will wake up to shooting pains running along my toe underneath my incisions. I'm having a blast. :-/

The drive to Georgia was pretty exciting. We stopped and ate in Clio around 9 p.m., and we drove, and drove, and drove. We crossed into Ohio around midnight, and then into Kentucky around 3 a.m. Cincinatti was very pretty. I wish I had some pictures.

Around 5 a.m., we pulled into a visitor center in Kentucky. My parents took a nap for a few hours, and then we were back on the road by 8. We stopped at a Shoney's Restuarant in Knoxville, Tennessee, and had an amazing breakfast. After leaving around 10:30 or so, we drove through Atlanta, and then we encountered a TRAFFIC JAM. A 3.5 hour ride became a 5 hour ride, but by 3, we were checked into the hotel.

Since then, I took a 5 hour nap, and then hopped on my crutches to a nearby gas station to buy some food. My feet hurt right now, and I will probably not sleep well tonight. It's worth a try though, I guess.

Goodnight.