Health Concerns

I am not sure how much of this may be a repeat of things I mentioned before, or if much of this may be new.  But, here it goes:

As you know, I have been dealing with Plantar fasciitis that arose in my HEEL tendon that moves towards the paddle region of my foot.  This bout of Plantar fasciitis is awfully damn different than the mild bout I had a year or two ago in my other foot that was focused fully in the arch of my foot.  That earlier bout was alleviated in about a week with simple stretching.

My current situation is vastly different.  This heel tendon variant of plantar fasciitis has been wiping me out.  I have been experiencing considerable discomfort from this for roughly 6 weeks now.  It has DRASTICALLY diminished any joy or positivity I have towards running.  I have been running somewhat sporadically of late (something I had never done during the several years I have been running.... I was always happy and content with my consistency in running).  

The foot/tendon stretching machines I wrote about in the last two weeks.... I believe the pair of them have been EXTREMELY HELPFUL for me.  I am finally noticing what appears to be consistent, LASTING improvement.  I have found it relatively easy to sleep with them too.... for about 4 hours a night that is.  Usually about 3:00-4:00am I end up waking up to have to urinate.  But now, when I wake up at that time, as these devices are not able to be walked in.... I unstrap them from my feet so I can walk to the bathroom.  I do admit that they feel rather uncomfortable when I wake up to go to the bathroom.... but not because of the stretching which actually feels helpful.... but because I have damn hot feet, and I am used to sleeping bare footed, and typically with my feet OUTSIDE of the blankets, quilts, etc. as well.   But, the myriad of straps and platforms and foam and fabric associated with these stretching machines basically entombs my foot while I wear them at night.... and they get hot as hell... even if I stick my feet outside of the blankets.   

So.... I am happy to report that I have had thus far this week FOUR running days now with SIGNIFICANTLY less discomfort in my foot.  I think the machines are helping.  

BUT.... this process of using these stretch machines had me thinking about how and why this has occurred.  I am running out of time to try to flesh it out here this morning, but I will talk about it further in another post soon.  WHAT I BELIEVE ultimately was the culprit of this whole mess, which would extend back to a bit further than a year and a half ago is that I had developed for only the SECOND TIME in my life.... a Plantar Wart.  

I developed a Plantar Wart once as a very young graduate student many decades ago.  That plantar wart was on the ball of one of my feet, close to the big toe.  Through health services of the U I was at for graduate school, it was able to be treated and destroyed over the course of several weeks.  

But, this plantar wart I acquired about a year-and-a-half ago was a damn site different.  It was on the heel of my foot.  And I firmly believe this ultimately is responsible for the damn plantar fasciitis I am working through now.  

I unfortunately need to get to my U work, so I will stop here for now.  I will try to pick up on this story in the next few days (probably next week) to explain my thoughts and reasoning.  It is an annoying story, so I am not sure I will be in a mood tomorrow (probably not as it is the weekend) to flesh it out.... or if I will pick something else to write about.... but I will get back to this as soon as I can.

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