Begone, Foul Foot Pain!

[cjsmith]

I got my first four alcohol injections today. Seven more visits, spaced a week apart, and the four nerve bundles that have caused me so much trouble will be dead.

I forgot to rub my toes just beforehand to create a memory of what the sensation feels like. I will never again have sensation in some of my toes. I guess I'll have to depend on the memories I already had.

Yes, it hurt. It's a deep pinching/stinging/bruisy feeling... unique. The doctor was right when he told me the anti-inflammatory injections I had already had were worse, though.

Now it feels like half of each foot is asleep. Cold, tingly, numbish. Apparently even if there is no anaesthetic included, an injection into the metatarsal interstices will often have a numbing effect anyway -- something about the nerves being "spread apart" was what I heard. (My doctor is not big on detailed explanation.) So I left the office walking funny, as I have every time I've visited there. :-)

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the loss of feeling your toes, but I'm glad to know the pain will finally be gone for you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Up to the moment he started them, I was still second-guessing myself, a bad sign when an irreversible decision is concerned. Still, I'm VERY glad I'm going to get my mobility back.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

Up to the moment he started them, I was still second-guessing myself, a bad sign when an irreversible decision is concerned.

It's not a bad sign, it's totally normal. It's no different from buyer's remorse (http://content.realestateabc.com/homebuying/remorse.htm), or the young bride's classic questioning on the wedding night, "Who is this man? He's a stranger! What have I gotten myself into?!" You only get that with irrevocable decisions, because when they're reversible, there's no reason to second-guess them -- you can simply undo them if you change your mind.

What's great is that you only second-guessed yourself until he started doing the injections, not afterward. That's a very positive sign that you made the right choice!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oddly, for other big decisions I haven't had that questioning feeling. I knew I wanted to buy that house, was happy to make the offer, was pleased to sign the loan paperwork, even felt good moving in despite discovering the enormous waterfall in the upstairs hallway ;-). I knew I wanted my piercings, and even the pain was simply a sign that I was reaching the goal.

This one... ergh. I'm glad second-guessing is totally normal. I'm still second-guessing it, which isn't great for my peace of mind, but more and more I'm also convinced that it's the best choice. It's not a 100% happy choice. It has its drawbacks, and I'll mourn the loss. But it's better than the alternative. Every time I revisit the question (a handful of times a day currently) I come to the same conclusion.

[melanie.livejournal.com]

i've never heard of an alcohol injection before. anyway, here's hoping that it leads to relief, making it a worthwhile tradeoff.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

They do it for Morton's neuroma, painful noncancerous tumors of the nerve bundles leading to the toes. It's the last ditch attempt before nerve removal surgery. Thanks for the best wishes! I have my fingers crossed, and I am already planning to train up for Bay to Breakers (my favorite 12K) in the spring.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I'm glad about the pain going away. :)

Will you need to do careful foot care (http://familydoctor.org/x1498.xml) to monitor the numb spots?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

My doctor hasn't mentioned such foot care. I suspect that while it would be a good idea, I won't need it as badly as does someone with diabetic neuropathy. The numb spots are localized and somewhat protected.

Alcohol injections?

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that it's really not anything fun like shots of Jaegermeister.

Re: Alcohol injections?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That'd be a waste of good Jaegermeister. I wanna taste it going down! :-)

Yeah, the alcohol kills the intermetatarsal nerve bundle. I have tumors on four such bundles -- noncancerous, but they hurt -- so nerve death will be a good tradeoff. It's interfering with my SQUARE DANCING goshdarnit! That's just not acceptable!

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Glad the pain's going away. Sorry you have to go through that. :-(

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm hoping hoping hoping that this works. I don't want surgery. And really, the injections don't hurt all that badly. I pinch myself to take my mind off what's happening. If such a simple trick works, it can't be all that bad!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Maybe save the French rugby players to laptop hard drive and bring it to the doctor's office. There's a distraction for you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

DEFINITELY distracting! 8-)

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

You may have forgot to rub your toes, but at least you didn't remember to stub your toes before.

I hope it all goes well and I admire anyone who can deal with shots. *runsawayinterror*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

True! :-)

I have a big psychological reaction to shots. Anything related to needles has a fair chance of making me pass out. But it's still better than surgery...

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

So we will be the last two people on the planet to get tattoos. Works for me!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Not too awful a fate! :)

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

But it's still better than surgery...

...which also involves needles.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, and sometimes that's the worst part of it for me. Last time I had general, they put the IV in a good 45 minutes before they needed me for anything... that was the most awful 45 minutes of at least that YEAR. :-(

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Oh man. That sounds so scary. I hope it works for you. Keep us updated.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I hope it works too. I'm sure I'll keep posting -- it's the weirdest thing I've gone through in years. :)

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

So I left the office walking funny, as I have every time I've visited there.

I'm desperately trying to make a joke here.

Desperately.

Um.

*fart*?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That made me giggle! :-)