An update

[thistlechaser]

I don't know if I'm feeling down (sad, depressed, no energy, no appetite) because my infection is back or because I'm worrying myself sick that it might be. Toe seems to be getting a little worse*, and I have a blister? pimple? something on the bottom of the same toe that hurts like heck (small red bump). Could be a blister caused by having tape put on and taken off three times a day for two weeks. Could be infection from my nail GOING THROUGH MY WHOLE TOE AND COMING OUT THE OTHER SIDE. Okay, maybe probably not that. Try telling that to my brain though.

(* Worse, but still within the parameters listed on the take-home care sheet they gave me. I think.)

I'm watching it closely. If it gets worse I'm going to have to go to the doctor again, even though I'm getting a giant fear about going to them because they might say I have to go back to the hospital for IV antibiotics. I just can't do that again. (I know this makes no logical sense.)

Sort of related to this, I canceled my gym membership. I hadn't been in two months (leg still healing + open toe wound), but more than that the locker room was so gross and dirty that I didn't want to risk going back. One of the infectious disease doctors goes to that exact same gym and we shared a laugh over how disgusting the locker room is. She said the value of exercising outweighs the risk of the locker room (and that she still goes there), but I just can't. I'll walk (once my darned toe heals), and soon enough it'll be warm enough to use outside pools (the town pools and the pool in my apartment complex).

I'm falling behind on posting about things that make me happy, but my brain isn't in a really happy place right now. Mostly I walk around in a fog of worry, losing myself in games and reading when I can. I just want to be healthy, darn it!

Edit: I've had this LJ since 2002, and apparently this is the most religious my friends list has ever been. In all those years, I can only remember one or two mentions of Lent. This year? It's all over my friends list.

Comments

[ghost-light.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I wish I could help :(

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Your icon is correct, I'm confident it's not Lupus! :P

[ghost-light.livejournal.com]

Dr. House is just that good!

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I think you are absolutely right about the gym. If it is that gross you are not safe there. When the time comes that you are well enough, you can exercise some other way.

I know what you mean about the iv antibiotics. I always resist thinking I have to go in for them. I have never yet gone in and been sent home. I usually leave it as late as I can. But I try to see it as a time to rest and sleep. They usually hit me with something that knocks me out anyway.

I hope you are ok this time.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

The gym locker room really, really was gross. Giant clumps of hair everywhere (I mean the clumps were six inches wide, jet black). I could put a towel down to stand on, but I still hated touching the walls or anything else. Plus the towels were small and more than once I had to put my bare foot on the floor to keep my balance.

Yeah, I learned that you'll never just get the IV and go home -- they want to see that it's working first.

Thanks! I hope so, too. Hopefully I'm just worrying too much.

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

Hang in there. I really do think that walking is all the exercise most folks will need. But I think a lot of folks take up huge intimidating workout plans and end up losing weight and being fit, but going back to their old selves when they can't keep up the demanding workout schedule. Or if they get hurt and can't work out. So I think walking and focusing on dietary changes is the best path to long-term success.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I liked using the pool because I could exercise longer, but walking will work as well.

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

I hope that blister is nothing, but don't drive yourself nuts worrying about it, OK? Would some antiseptic ointment help?

I've had this LJ since 2002, and apparently this is the most religious my friends list has ever been. In all those years, I can only remember one or two mentions of Lent. This year? It's all over my friends list.

Yeah, I noticed that too. Funny.

[resonant.livejournal.com]

Same with mine, too. Odd.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Very strange. I thought it might be because I've friended a bunch of new people I didn't really know (through friending memes), but if you're seeing it as well...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I think I'll try some cream tomorrow morning when I rebandage my toe.

And it's very strange. Up until now, my friends list hasn't been religious at all, even around a much larger holiday like Christmas.

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

With two or three exceptions, most of my f-list isn't religious either, they want to give Lent a go for other reasons, like an exercise in self-discipline, which I think is cool. But still, so many are mentioning it this year that it made me wonder.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think it's a good idea, I just wouldn't want it to be based on any religion if I did it.

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

Yeah, same here. Especially since any form of "penance" completely goes against my understanding of theology.

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I know going to the doctor is icky, but please go see them soon. You don't want the infection to get worse.
*hugs*

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. I'm keeping a close eye on it. One little turn for the worse and I'll have to go. :/

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I hope the infection gets healed quickly without issue!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks, me too! (Assuming it is one.)

[bacchuslives.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... Mostly pagans on my flist, no mentions of lent.

I hope there's no recurrence of infection. Better safe than sorry, have it looked at if you're concerned. Did they send you home with anything for aftercare like mupirocin or other topical antibiotics?

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Pagans I'd be fine with, they don't tend to assume the rest of the world believes the same as them. The phrasing of a lot of Lent-related stuff bothered me. "What are you giving up for Lent?" instead of something like "If you practice it, what are you giving up for Lent?". Everyone can post whatever they like in their own LJs, but the assumption that everyone believes as they do rubs me the wrong way.

I hope so too. They sent me home with a whole list of aftercare stuff, which I've been following to the letter.

[kamalloy.livejournal.com]

That seems like a fair way to phrase it.

I hope your toe recovers quickly!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

And I finally got cheese board from Graze. Loved it, it was one of those I'd like to buy a big bag of. Finally tried the mango chutney one, and unsurprisingly didn't like it.

I got a new, confusing one: Born in the USA. Pecans, cranberries, almonds. I'm not sure what about that combo makes it American...

[kamalloy.livejournal.com]

Pecans and cranberries are native to the US, but not almonds. So I can understand two of the three, though not the third. It sounds tasty, though.

Edit: Oh, apparently the US is the largest grower of almonds now. But still, they weren't "born" here.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh, I guess that makes sense. There are so many things that could be American-ish though, I guess they were just struggling for a name for a new combo.

I also have key lime pie and cherries&berries in this box. Repeats, but I liked them both okay enough. I finally caught up on the FOUR boxes that built up while I was sick!

[spike7451.livejournal.com]

As much as it is a huge pain please do go to the Doctor if it gets any worse.

Any chance you might maybe have picked up the infection at the gym, it sounds awful. :(

I've noticed that about Lent about a lot on LJ this year too. I haven't observed Lent for well over 40 years and it is odd this year to see it talked about as much as it is.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will!

And yeah, it's very strange...

[loup_noir]

Eww. Best of luck with your poor toe.

Lent has become a holiday that isn't really all that religious any more. I know quite a few people who use the forty-day period as a chance to cleanse/lose weight/detox/whatever. There's a lot of support for anyone who says they can/can't do something because it's Lent. Being a lapsed Catholic and remembering being asked what I was giving up for Lent every year as a kid and resenting being forced to give something up for no particular reason other than the calendar said I had to, I was really very surprised the first time I ran into someone who said they wanted to "play, too."

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Huh! I'd be surprised by the "wants to play, too" thing, too. I hadn't really thought about non-religious folks getting support from the people doing it for religious reasons...