The past few months have seen many ups and downs. Many new Mondays, filled with hope of new beginnings, new opportunities and new habits.
In October I left my full time work in Cape Town to be a work from home mom in our family business. I had so many ideas of how much easier my life will be and how much easier dieting will be. I imagined that I would have more time for exercise. As it happens, it was not as "easy peasy lemon squeezy" as I thought it would be. Trying to juggle work, housework, kids, school runs, homework and extra mural activities plus exercise is a lot harder than I had anticipated.
I started walking again with my ladies, but soon my foot (which I fractured in 2014) started acting up. I tried to ignore the pain and the growing lump under my foot for a few months, but recently it got so intense that after a short 2km walk, I couldn't put any weight on it. After having x rays and an ultrasound, I was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. He is of the opinion that my pain is being caused by either plantar fasciitis OR a plantar fibroma, both as a result of the trauma to my foot in 2014. I am going for an MRI on Wednesday to determine which it is.
Plantar fasciitis is when the thick tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes becomes swollen and inflamed. Treatment of this problem includes seeing an orthotist to have inner soles made and wearing those delightful orthopaedic (read granny) shoes and physiotherapy. Recovery time is about 12 months.
Plantar Fibroma is when benign nodules grow in the plantar fascia. Treatment for a fibroma includes cortisone infiltration through injections and, as a last resort, surgery to remove the nodules. I've googled this procedure (I know...big mistake!) and would really like to try and avoid surgery as it doesn't always seem to be successful as the nodules often recur.
Due to the fact that I have a big lump under my foot, in the same spot as where it was injured before, the doctor tends to think it is a fibroma. The pain varies in intensity and I have gotten into the habit of walking on the outside of my foot to avoid putting pressure on the growth. This obviously has a "knock on" effect because now other muscles are compensating for my funny walk, resulting in nightly calf and foot cramps and a sore back.
Either way, walking is off the cards for me for a good few months. I am trying to stay positive and not let this setback get me down. I find solace in the quote below:
While I am unable to walk for exercise, I am going to focus my energy on developing healthy eating habits, making healthier choices, finding other ways to exercise and a bit of metal self-care.
Until next time
XX-L
