Praise then darkness, and creation unfinished

It still doesn't seem like a good idea to eat in restaurants here, so we celebrated my birthday as well as cattitude's at home. We celebrated Cattitude's birthday on the actual day, but adrian_turtle was waiting a cautious three days after seeing her other partner.

So I had two small at-home birthday dinners this year. My actual birthday dinner was bay scallops, cooked very simply, because we saw them on sale at the farmers market that afternoon. Two days later, he cooked duck breasts for the three of us, at Adrian's place; before we saw the scallops, I was going to have duck for a birthday dinner.

This also got me two birthday cakes: lemon cheesecake from 7Ate9 at home, and a homemade carrot cake at Adrian's. Adrian made a cake with a cinnamon glaze, instead of the usual cream cheese icing, and it worked very well.

I think we have one piece of the carrot cake left; about half the cheesecake is in the freezer, in single-serving slices.

I've been to the podiatrist again. He asked how I was doing, and I said "better, but not well." I gave him some details, and after a bit of discussion, he gave me another cortisone injection. I have an appointment four weeks from today, and in the meantime, I'm to keep stretching and icing.

And this morning my heel is a little tender, which I suspect has to do with having spent three or four hours standing yesterday. Not the strong just-out-of-bed pain it would have been a week ago, but noticeable when I was doing my shoulder stretches. Tea, then heel stretches and ibuprofen.

Addendum: I have now done this, eight sets of the stretches rather than ten because it seems like a bad idea to overuse and possibly re-damage the shoulder in the course of treating the heel. Ten worked last night, I will continue to aim for ten, but not fret at eight.

I went to the podiatrist yesterday morning.

He talked to me, felt my heel, and gave me a cortisone shot. Then he showed me a useful stretch, told me to do it twice a day, each time doing 10 30-second stretches for each heel, and icing my feet (in an ice water bath, not with an ice pack) for fifteen minutes after the evening stretches.

He also said offhandedly that some weight loss would help; I'm going to take this as encouragement to find a smaller and thus lighter day-pack, and otherwise leave the subject alone. And I'm to go back in a month (standard is three weeks, but I'm going to be in Montreal then). In the meantime, keep taking ibuprofen, and my New Balance walking/gym shoes are fine.

I'm now in Arlington with adrian_turtle. I woke up this morning, walked around the apartment a little, and realized "my foot doesn't hurt." It is characteristic of plantar fasciitis that the heel hurts on waking.

We walked around earlier, along the bikeway and then the path at Spy Pond, utterly pain-free for at least a mile, and then only a dull ache. Total distance between 1.5 and 2 miles, I think, before we got to Za, where we had a fine if unusual pizza: a white pizza topped with duck and apricots. Being moderately sensible people, we took the bus back; the foot is much better, but that doesn't mean entirely well yet, and I'm slightly out of practice for long walks.

I am much encouraged, and relieved.

I've seen the doctor. She is referring me to a podiatrist for the heel pain: she said that if what I've been doing hasn't resolved it by now, I may need a shot. Rather than sit around her office waiting for that and the mammogram referral, I asked them to mail the paperwork. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll call and ask what podiatrist they're using--not knowing any, I asked them to pick one of the ones they know and work with, based on insurance accepted and geography. Once I have a name and number, I can make an appointment.

Also, she doesn't think I should get a hepatitis vaccine, after asking me questions about various possible risk factors; there's no point in more physical therapy on the shoulder, just keep doing the stretches and exercises; my weight is stable, and my blood pressure is a reassuring 124/80. She took some blood simply because I hadn't had bloodwork in a while, and have no bad reactions to having blood drawn (neither low enough blood pressure for a problem, nor any psychological difficulties). They'll call me in a couple of days if there's anything odd in the bloodwork, but I don't expect there will be.

I went out this afternoon, bus and a bit of walking, for lunch and groceries. By the last half-block on the way home, my right ankle had started to hurt. I hope this is just a twinge, and not a sign that I need to coddle the foot some more.

I think I did slightly less distance today than yesterday.