Five weeks in the same shoe.

I’ve broken my foot-- specifically my fourth metatarsal bone. I went to urgent care on Friday, got X-Rayed, and the doctor said it wasn’t broken. She told me to take motrin and put some ice on it, and gave me a plastic velcro shoe thing to wear for a few weeks. I piped up that it hurt like a mo-fo and I couldn’t put weight on it. She replied that she didn’t prescribe painkillers for “this type of injury”, without actually elaborating on what type of injury it was, and to have a podiatrist look at it. Then she told me I was done and left. It took me forever to shuffle and hobble back to the car.

Saturday morning, after my roommate searched every drug store in the area with no luck, I called back and begged for crutches, or some information about how to deal with the fact that I couldn’t walk. I get a call back from an othopedist, who said she looked at my chart and x-rays, and she thinks it’s a stress fracture, and I need to come down for crutches now, stay off it, and she was going to have podiatry squeeze me in Monday. Also, do I need any painkillers? (I wanted to kiss her, as much as you can kiss someone through a telephone)

I saw the podiatrist today-- very nice man. He showed me my X-Ray and showed me where the crack is. Because it’s so slight, I am escaping having a cast. Instead, I have a hiking boot with a special insert that I have to wear at all times, save bed and the bath, for 5 weeks. I can put weight (and eventually walk) on it as soon as it doesn’t hurt to do so. I can also drive, as long as it’s comfortable. All in all, this is much better than the cast.

Except that I HATE shoes. Having a sock & full laced shoe on all the time is miserable. I don’t think I’ve had a full shoe (closed toe and closed heel) on for more than a few hours in many, many years. My foot feels hot and sweaty and constricted (doesn’t help that it’s all taped up in there) and I’ve only worn the thing for 8 hours now. I’m considering going to bed early or perhaps taking a second bath just to get out of it. I’m dreading having to wear it tomorrow. And for 34 more days after that.

Anyone have any advice on making this experience less uncomfortable? Anyone want to share how horrible it is to have one’s foot in a cast (for motivation)?

Make the laces as loose as the doctor will let you. Granted, my foot is not broken, but I never, EVER, un-lace my shoes when I take them on and off. The laces are perma-tied.