Foot Doctor Stumped

My dear mother sent me a simple, one-line email inquiry:

     "Tell me about your visit to the foot doctor today."

As a dutiful daughter would do, I immediately began emailing her back. As I tend to do, I got very carried away with my story and thought, ah ha!! Perhaps I should just turn my reply to her into an updated blog post for everyone to "enjoy" as that is my journal/photo story of my life. 

     SO--here goes another installment in the life of ME!! 

Dear Family, 

And anyone else who cares,

I have tumors in both my feet. I have been telling Glen that fact. I tell anyone who asks.

The doctor confirmed it today...although he might not have used the word "tumors"...

He said I'm still dealing with neuroma stumps. In both feet. Two stumps. In each foot. Total of four stumps. 

Just as a reminder--I had four neuromas removed in December (2015) before our mission when I had foot surgery to fix/remove bunions and bunionettes. Both of them. On both feet.

Both feet developed neuroma stumps in the four spots where the neuromas were removed. I have been told it's not that common to get stumps after neuromas are removed... So typical of me to be so UNTYPICAL regarding anything having to do with my many health ailments!!

The doctor in Utah was treating the four neuroma stumps with injections. When I got here 1 1/2 years ago, this foot doctor began injecting them as well.

This doctor did surgery over a year ago on the right foot "going after the neuroma stumps" as he phrases it. He removed two gigantic neuromas/stumps. Over the course of the past year + I have seen him for more injections because the added surgery didn't fix the problem. My foot has been electrified ever since.

June was the last time he injected the neuroma stumps in both feet again. He felt like that would be good and told me to ignore my feet until I finish my mission.

I have been trying to ignore them. Both feet. For months. And months. 

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: 

Quit ignoring both feet. Go see foot doctor. Again. For the umpteenth time. Because I can feel the stumps/lumps/tumors growing and they are getting more painful.

Now it feels like my two middle toes on my right foot are in pain along with being half numb from both of the surgeries. 

So, back I went to the doctor today and he confirmed it!

My right foot stumps/lumps/tumors are BAD! Especially one of the stump/lump/tumors. The left foot isn't that great either.

He got out the syringes, loaded them up and injected away in those four electrified nerve lump/stump spots.

I went into shock, shaking and trying to take deep breaths to calm down. He left me for a few minutes to compose myself while he went to see another patient. 

Glen offered a lot of sympathy and concern (HA!) as he ignored me and tapped away on his iPad answering missionaries' letters. 

All of you can calm down now to learn I was able to eventually get up and walk myself out of the office unassisted. 

BOTTOM LINE IS THIS...

The doctor said he has NEVER gone back in after a neuroma stump a second time. He only treats them with injections. He says based on past protocol, that is how he's dealt with them in the past. 

Of course, he says I now may be a special case... (as we all know I am!!! Special me!!!). But for now that's how he's going to treat them.

I asked about the left foot in which he has NOT gone after the neuroma stumps yet. I am thinking if there is any chance he can work some magic and get the left foot resolved with surgery, then I will just have to deal with my right foot. I am thinking if there's a chance for resolution, then it would be worth it. Worse case scenario--stumps don't get resolved and I am in the same boat continuing to deal with neuroma stump/lump/tumors in four spots in both feet. 

What's there to lose?? 

He agreed with my way of thinking--EXCEPT for the way he so delicately put it that he would never do surgery on my left foot right now when my right foot is this bad. He says I wouldn't have a good foot to stand on. The more we talked, the more I felt like I have stumped him. He laughed. I laughed. 

Glen almost laughed...except he was thinking more about his missionaries' letters than he was about the foot/stump puns going on around him!!

Doctor re-check in 4 weeks.