Part of my toe is gone! :D Specifically, part of the toenail. I had my podiatry appointment today, and I honestly thought it was just intake, but they were like O HAI HERE’S THE ANESTHETIC and I was like NO WAI. Then an absurdly large volume of anesthetic went in my toe and it LEAKED OUT THE PUNCTURES and I did a lot of staring at the ceiling and eventually they took off part of my toenail! I have no idea how much. I was busy staring at the ceiling. I like this office better than the main clinic, though, they treated me like a human being and listened to me and asked me questions and answered my questions without making me feel stupid. I don’t ask for much, medical profession. Just treat me like I have a brain between my ears instead of a lump of coal. (Once I said the magic words “granular tissue” they realized I was actually vaguely intelligent, and the discussion of what to expect got a little more elaborate than just “oh it’ll heal up fine.” Which amused me.) So I am pain-free like whoa, and she said the local should wear off in like 6 hours and the toe should be relatively painless by then, and in two or three months I go back for the permanent removal. Shortly after Christmas, actually. As long as everything goes well, I should have a real person foot by my birthday.
I’m suddenly realizing all the ways this toe has affected my life. I stand differently because of the toe, I have to buy special shoes because of the toe, I am utterly paranoid about bumping that foot into anything, I have to be careful of it in the shower, I have to clean gunk out daily, I have to be careful when I take off my socks, can’t kick things or catch doors with my foot or… It’s just a lot of little things that add up. Not having to do any of that again, just clipping my nails regularly and carefully, will be… weird. I hope everything goes well. Maybe someday I can wear sandals without shame.
