9 Weeks

I got in for a visit with the doctor today and I do like him.  He didn't have particularly good news but he did understand my frustration and has a great sense of humor.  Plus I also learned a few more things about what was going on with my foot.  

First off, it is a lateral metatarsal stress fracture.  When I do the quick and dirty google search, that is the fifth metatarsal which totally makes sense and completely explains where my pain was. I was missing this before.  (oh and now the information I have to read later on tonight!).  He did note that even though it has been almost 9 weeks, it isn't uncommon for the fracture to take 12 or more weeks to heal -- which is sad really.  And I have to think these old bones might even take longer (web sites said 6 to 8 weeks drat it all).    A few things to note (and it is easier to do it bullet style as I can't remember the sequence of the conversation):

• My ankle is fine.  It's been hurting but he thinks it is just because I've been compensating.  So if an ankle brace helps, great but there was nothing loose, strained or otherwise going on in there.  
• He said he could put me in a boot if I wanted.  But he thought it would be an unnecessary inconvenience and not really help at all
• He was fine with me wearing heels -- when I told him my foot didn't hurt at all in heels he then went on to explain that is because that changes my weight to the ball of my foot -- so I've actually been doing the right thing by heels. Who knew (I don't wear super high shoes -- but I've always got heels on when I'm not in running shoes).  
• I told him I was going crazy -- and he totally understood.  He laughed when I told him about my No Run = Cranky + Moody t-shirt and suggested that I add on the back:  Endorphin Deprived.
• He also said he's thought many times that he needs to provide support services (of the mental kind) to get us crazy runners through these injuries.  He then went on to tell me about a another woman he is treating with a hip stress fracture and how frustrated she was.  I told him if I ever get a hip stress fracture to just shoot me -- I probably couldn't handle it to which he said that he'd just buy me more t-shirts.  HA!  He said there were plenty of things we could come up with to put on them.  
• But -- this is all common -- from the injury to my reaction (which I was full aware of).  He said it is funny how the people who sit around all the time and could handle this sitting part were the ones who never got the injuries.  But the active folks get them and then fall apart.
• He did tell me to do whatever I wanted as long as there was no pain -- so I mentioned spin and he said that he bets I like spin now more than I ever wanted too!!  He totally got it and I loved that about him.    
• When I do start running -- I'm just to make sure that any soreness goes away in 24 hours.  So run to that point. 
• I go back in 4 weeks.  

So all in all -- business as usual.  I just need to calm down.  

I signed up for a race June 16th -- a 5 miler.  Apparently I'm living on the edge and like potentially throwing money away.  

Happy Monday!