3/31/14. The post where I make a great fried egg sandwich.

3/31/14: slept poorly again last night, but not necessarily because of my foot.  I'm just not in a good sleeping groove right now. I spent the day rotating again between the usual symptoms and the tingling pain.  It's a little hard to put a pain number on the tingling, but on the irritation scale (if there is such a thing), it's probably in the 5-6 range.  Somewhere in the vicinity of "fingernails on chalkboard".  But on the bright side, the RSD pain has also stayed mostly in the 5-6 range.  That may not sound any better to you, but it does seem like an improvement to me.  Baby steps.

But I don't want to talk about that right now.  I want to talk about the delicious fried egg sandwich I made for dinner.  I have handbell practice on Monday nights after work and it's always a scramble to find something quick to eat for dinner.  There weren't a lot of options in the fridge tonight, but I had some multigrain bread, an egg, and a little balsamic vinegar-flavored parmigiano reggiano cheese, so I was set.  I love fried egg sandwiches and I make them often, but I don't usually do as good a job as I did tonight. For once, I cooked the egg perfectly - not too dry, with just the slightest bit of runny yolk.  With toasted bread and the cheese melted on top, it was exactly what I needed and I ate it way too quickly. I thought about making a second one, but I wasn't sure I could recreate it and it might have ruined the moment.

I know, I know - enough about the fried egg sandwich already.  Sometimes it's the simple things, though.  The last few months have been trying, to say the least, but it's never more than one fried egg sandwich away from being a really good day.  

Tomorrow evening after work I leave for a brief business trip.  Fortunately it's just a one hour, nonstop flight, the weather will be nice, I am traveling with co-workers, and I will have a driver after I get to my destination. A much better scenario for my first post-RSD business trip than the DC trip I scrapped what seems like ages ago.  I wonder if I'll be able to talk one of my co-workers into making me a fried egg sandwich...

3/30/14. The post where I feel a change coming.

3/30/14: woke up around 4am Saturday morning because...well, because.  I was pretty groggy much of Saturday morning, due to either my early wake up time or the last vestiges of the sedative.  My foot was still pretty angry, but it was hard to get too upset about it on such a pretty day.

It was a beautiful, sunny spring Saturday and I got to spend a lazy day with my patient, long-suffering husband for the first time in too long.  Errands around town, afternoon drinks and snacks on a deck at a restaurant downtown, and a simple dinner on the patio with friends.  Nearly as perfect a day as I can imagine.  Still had the weird rotating sensations of normal RSD pain and then the numb, tingling feeling.   You know what it feels like when you sit on your foot for way too long and then you start walking on it? Now multiply that by about ten and that's what it felt like. Annoying? Yes. Better than the usual pain? Maybe.  At least it was something different.

Got a decent night's sleep Saturday night, again for the first time in too long.  Woke up inspired today and got four loads of laundry and a load of dishes done before church.  It was nice to see my friends and sing in choir.  Things are starting to feel normal again.  At least, as normal as my life gets.  Today, it seems like the tingling sensation is more prevalent than the usual pain.  I'm still not prepared to say it is an improvement, but it does give me hope that a change is coming.  Maybe the next nerve block on Thursday will be the tipping point.  In any event, it is another beautiful day.  I enjoyed some more time on my patio this afternoon and I have it on good authority my parents were doing the same thing 200 miles away. It's hard to be away from them right now, but at least it feels a little more like I am there when we are having a shared experience.

Steeling myself for the crazy week ahead.  I will face it with clean clothes and dishes, freshly done hair and nails, a good night's sleep, a tingling foot, and a good attitude.  Hoping the rest of you are at least as fortunate.

3/29/14. The post where I talk about the new nerve block.

3/29/14: settling back into a routine (sort of) after my two and a half week hiatus.  While I was at the hospital with Mom, things rocked along as usual with my foot, although there were plenty of times I didn't think about it at all.  I had a few (mercifully brief) flare ups, but stayed mostly in the 6 range.  I got home Wednesday night in time to make an appearance at work Thursday and have a nerve block late Thursday afternoon. 

This was the first of two somatic nerve blocks, which are a little different from the previous ones.  My doctor advised that because these nerves were responsible for sensation (rather than "fight or flight" instinct, like the sympathetic nerve system), I would feel the effects of this nerve block more than the previous ones. And he was right - when I woke up from my customary post-block nap Thursday evening, I could already feel a weird, tingling sensation in my right foot and leg.

Friday was my rest day.  I was not supposed to drive, but I was looking pretty ragged after being away from home for so long, so my patient, long-suffering husband drove me to have my hair and nails done.  Because he's awesome.  For a few hours Friday afternoon, I started to feel like the nerve block was really working.  My pain level was down in the 4.5-5 range and the color was completely gone.  I can live with that.

Maybe it was the sedatives from the procedure. Friday night, as I came out of my stupor, everything changed.  First, my foot just started to feel irritated, then it got progressively worse.  It felt like my nerves and the nerve block were locked in an epic struggle of good and evil.  (Someone call Martin Scorsese - I have a great movie idea.)  My foot turned red and splotchy again, sometimes accompanied by the usual burning, stabbing pain and sometimes by the buzzing, tingling sensation I assumed was from the nerve block.  No bueno.

After a very fitful night, the color is better (as it usually is after lying down for an extended period), but my foot is still very unhappy, in the 7.5-8 range at the moment.  I'm optimistic that this may work eventually, though, because at least this time I can feel something different happening.  Maybe good will win in the end. (Maybe I should go with Spielberg instead of Scorsese.)  We'll see what happens as the weekend progresses.  I have another block scheduled for next Thursday and that may be the real test.

A friend forwarded me a TED talk video about chronic pain that is worth watching if you have eight minutes to spare.  He does a great job of describing RSD/CRPS in a way that is easy to understand.  It's not Scorsese, but it's relevant.

http://www.ted.com/talks/elliot_krane_the_mystery_of_chronic_pain?utm_content=awesm-bookmarklet&utm_medium=on.ted.com-facebook-share&utm_campaign=&utm_source=facebook.com&awesm=on.ted.com_h08SF#t-196694

3/28/14. The post where I explain why I haven't been posting.

3/28/14: a lot has happened since I last posted. A few days turned into two and a half weeks. I will try to catch everyone up, but this will be a long one.  Here we go...

Monday, March 10 started like a normal day. Normal for me, at least.  I was leaving very early Tuesday morning for a training class in Washington DC, so I did my best to tidy up things at the office and went to a late afternoon PT appointment.  During my appointment, my PT talked with me about how best to handle traveling solo to a place requiring a lot of walking during a bitter cold spell.  I am a seasoned traveler, but this one was going to be different.  I was not looking forward to it.

The last exercise involved walking on the treadmill with the weight-bearing corset.  I remembered that I had promised to post a photo of myself in the contraption, so I grabbed my phone.  When I looked at my phone, I saw missed calls from my dad and my brother, and a text message from my brother asking me to call as soon as possible.  My heart stopped.  I stepped outside to make the call and learned that my mom had gone to the emergency room for severe anemia that morning, where a CT scan found a large mass somewhere in her lower abdominal region. After a brief (and probably incoherent) explanation, I raced out of the PT office, flew to my house and started throwing clothes in a suitcase.  DC would have to wait.

My patient, long-suffering husband cancelled all my travel plans while I packed for a different journey.  Within 45 minutes of the call, I was in the car, starting the three hour drive to the hospital. If only I could pack that quickly for every trip.  About twenty minutes into the trip, a warning light came on in my car.  Not a "check your wiper fluid" kind of light.  More of a "do not pass go" kind of light.  Uh-oh.  I briefly considered turning around and trading cars with my patient, long-suffering husband. Then I said a little prayer, set the cruise control, and settled in for what I hoped would be the long drive to the hospital.  Fortunately, I had a full tank of gas and wouldn't need to make any stops. 

Sure enough, two and a half hours later I pulled into a parking space at the hospital.  I killed the engine and then, out of morbid curiosity, tried to start my car again.  A couple of sputters, then nothing.  Apparently Someone was looking out for me.  I made my way up to Mom's room and found her there with several other family members.  Those of you who know her won't be surprised to hear that she looked beautiful and elegant in her hospital bed, even after a full day of medical tests.  In contrast, after my car adventure, I looked like this:

I won't keep you in suspense.  She was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery to remove the mass.  After spending 16 days in the hospital, we got her home Tuesday evening, where she will continue to recuperate and prepare for chemotherapy.  I returned to my home late Wednesday night in anticipation of a nerve block Thursday afternoon.  

I have never been more proud of Mom than I am now.  After 66 years of being the only member of our family with almost no health issues, she had a real doozie and none of us were expecting it. She endured the entire ordeal with dignity and grace.  Those of you who know her will not be surprised to hear that she quickly captured the hearts of all the doctors and nurses treating her, and on her last day she had a parade of people who had cared for her at various times during her stay coming by to say their goodbyes and wish her well. She knows she still has a long way to go to complete her recovery and she is up for the challenge.

In fact, I have never been more proud of our entire extended family, both those who are genetically related and those who entered the family by love.  Ordeals like this are the true test of family relationships, and I'm happy to say we passed with flying colors.  We also had an amazing amount of support from friends of Mom and Dad, a testament to the difference they have made in the lives of the people they touch on a daily basis.  In lieu of this blog, I made daily entries into an online journal called CaringBridge.  (If you ever have a major medical event requiring updates to a large number of people, I highly recommend CaringBridge.  This is not a paid advertisement.)  I live nearly 200 miles from my parents and it is a comfort to know they have such a good support network.

I have so much more to say about the last two and a half weeks, but this has already become a longer post than I intended.  Mom has never liked being the focus of attention and she may not be happy that I spent so much time talking about her, but I bet she'll forgive me.  I'll start posting again about my adventures with RSD tomorrow, but for now, I'll leave you with a few fun facts about the ordeal:

Family cars that required trips to the dealership: 2 

Pairs of jeans I packed: 1

Pairs of jeans I bought while there: 2

Times the clothes I packed had to be laundered: 3 (shout out to my aunt for helping with that)

Estimated surgery time: 1 1/2 to 4 hours

Actual surgery time: 7 hours (amount of respect I have for her surgeon: immeasurable)

Size of mass: approximately 15 cm long and 8 cm in diameter (the anesthesiologist proclaimed it "pretty impressive" - award for understatement of the year)

Number of times I was mistaken for Mom's sister rather than her daughter by health care providers: 4 (This has been a common occurrence my entire adult life, but even after major surgery and two weeks in a hospital bed, she still looked as young as me.)

Weight I lost: 3 pounds (Not a recommended weight loss method by any means, but on the other hand, woo-hoo!)

Thanks for your patience and please keep Mom and our family in your thoughts and prayers as she enters the next phase of recovery.

3/10/14. No posts for a few days.

3/10/14: hello friends and family.  No worries, but something has come up and I probably won't be able to post for a few days. I promise to have lots of stories to tell when I am back online.  Love to all of you.  

3/9/14. The post where I talk about pain levels.

3/9/14: had a great visit with my family.  True to my promise, I took it slow and rested when I needed to get off my foot. I said good bye to my family this morning and took off in my cowboy boots for church, where I found that my sweet friend and choir companion had worn her boots in solidarity with me.  Maybe we'll start a choir trend.

The afternoon was filled with assorted chores, most of which (thankfully) could be done sitting down.  It's been rainy and cold all weekend, although not quite as cold as recent fronts, so my foot hasn't complained quite as loudly.  I've had a few spikes close to 8, today but stayed mostly in the 6.5-7 range.

I've been thinking a lot about the pain level system I've been using. While it is somewhat subjective, I do have specific sensations I associate with specific numbers, to try to keep it consistent.  As you know, I haven't reported anything below a 5.5 since I started the blog.  I wonder sometimes if my number system is inflated. Maybe what feels like a 9 to me would only be a 5 to others.  Maybe I just have a low tolerance for pain.

But I don't think so.  I've been through a lot in my life.  Among other things, I've had a disc removed and two vertebrae fused together.  I've had emergency surgeries to remove my gall bladder and appendix.  I've had a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.  (Yep, that's a thing.  Here's a link in case you want to see what it is. But I don't recommend it.)  I've had a splint stitched inside my nose for two weeks. I've had a splint removed from inside my nose. I've paid money to hear Russell Crowe's band perform live. I am familiar with pain and I certainly have previous experience to compare with this.

I guess ultimately it doesn't matter what it would feel like to someone else.  I know what it feels like to me.  And the 0-10 system is at least a semi-objective way to measure it, so I guess I'll keep using it.  I'm looking forward to using the 0-5 half of the system. 

3/8/14. A short post.

3/8/14: pain-wise, an okay day.  Stayed in the 6.5-7.5 range all day.  Fun-wise, a great day.  I have lots to say, but I had a free day with my patient, long-suffering husband and my family, and I didn't want to miss a minute of it.  I'll post more tomorrow...

3/7/14. The post where I learn a different way to overachieve.

3/7/14: woke up a little after 4am this morning.  Not because of my foot, but because I realized I had made an error in yesterday's post.  I fixed it, but the email had already gone out to those who subscribe by email, so I have to 'fess up.  RSD stands for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, not Disorder. Yep, that's the error that woke me up at 4am.  Doesn't seem quite as important in the light of day.

I was a light sleeper long before RSD and my foot is rarely the thing that wakes me up.  It is usually something like, "Did I make a mistake in my post?" Or "Do I have enough safety pins in my purse?"  But these days, once I am awake, my foot chimes in.  "These covers hurt. No wait, don't take them off. Now I'm cold.  Put on some socks. Ouch, these socks hurt."  Hard to go back to sleep with all that noise in the background.  Fortunately, this morning it was feeling better than last night. 

I had a PT appointment first thing this morning and I left the house with a pain level at about a 6.  I had a successful appointment.  Since I was feeling pretty good, they let me ride the exercise bike (carefully) for eight minutes.  I also walked on the treadmill at the very slowest setting (still in the harness to keep my weight off my foot) for 20 minutes, a new record.  While I walked, my PT stood with me and gave me another pep talk.

The gist of the pep talk was that I am improving, even if I don't realize it.  He told me about the changes he had seen since I started and said I had improved much more quickly than he expected, and more quickly than other RSD patients he has treated.  Then he reminded me about not overdoing it.  He told me the reason he was letting me walk for twenty minutes on the treadmill was to help me see what my walking pace should be. Which, as he pointed out, is not the pace at which he sees me walking when I come into the office.  Slow down. 

His parting words were, "I know you are an overachiever.  Maybe you can try overachieving at being patient."  Yes. I can do that.  I can be patient.  I can be the most patient person ever.  Now get me out of this harness so I can get out there and start being patient.  

Happy tonight because my brother and sister-by-love are coming in tonight to visit for the weekend.  (Don't worry - it is not the ones who just had a baby.)  Looking forward to a quiet, fun weekend. I promise to take it slow.  And I promise I will wake up in the middle of the night to remind myself to take it slow.

3/6/14. The post where I learn about the somatic nervous system.

3/6/14: had a doctor appointment first thing this morning.  Pain level was at a 7 and my foot had some pretty interesting color, so it wasn't difficult to explain to my doctor that the nerve blocks hadn't worked.  Fortunately, he was not stumped by the news.  

In most cases of RSD, the culprit is a malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body's "fight or flight" reaction. For that reason, my first two nerve blocks targeted the sympathetic nerves.  However, in some cases (according to my doctor, approximately 25-30% of the cases he sees), the culprit is the somatic nervous system, which is responsible for voluntary movement in the body.  Since the first two nerve blocks were not effective, he believes I have the more rare somatic version.

So, not only do I have a fairly rare nerve disorder, I may have the more rare version of the disorder.  Because that's how I roll.  The next step, as you would probably expect, is two nerve blocks of the somatic nerve system.  My doctor feels certain that I will get some relief from these nerve blocks, because there are only a few options where RSD is concerned.  He called it a "no-brainer."  I hope he's right.  He also said it is extremely rare for a person not to respond to either type of nerve block.  I really hope he's right.  (There is a plan "c" in the event the next two nerve blocks don't work, but I'm an optimist, so I'm not going to go into that right now.)

I did a little research after my appointment and learned more about the somatic nervous system and its relationship to RSD.  One of the articles I read said that the name change of the disorder from RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) to CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) was at least partially based on the realization that the sympathetic nerve system is not always the cause of the disorder.  After talking to my doctor and doing my independent research, I'm willing to try two more nerve blocks.  The first one is two weeks from today. Fortunately, it is a busy two weeks and will pass quickly.

Tonight was lovely.  I have been part of a "Lenten small group" through my church for five years.  Our group has become very close and always looks forward to getting together. Our group is a little different than what you might expect.  We kick off the group each Lent season with a happy hour get-together to determine the format for our weekly meetings, meet once a week for discussion and fellowship, and finish the season with a movie night to watch a movie that inevitably presents itself during our weekly discussions.  Because that's how we roll.  Tonight was our happy hour kick-off and it was really nice to reconnect. 

When I got home, my foot looked more interesting than it has in some time and I was up to an 8.  But it still felt like a pretty good day.  Because that's how I roll.

3/5/14. The post where I get a new niece.

3/5/14: I was still feeling pretty bad last night, but I went straight to sleep when I got in bed.  A deep sleep - so deep I didn't hear the strange noises coming from our bedroom until my patient, long-suffering husband woke me up saying, "Can you hear that?"  Weird tapping and thumping all along the wall, like our cat was rolling around with a metallic toy.  Except we don't have a cat.  

Our next thought was that there was a mouse or some other kind of critter stuck inside the wall, although it sounded like it was coming from inside the room.  (I actually had a few other, much scarier thoughts, as I suspect he did, but we wisely kept them to ourselves.)  It was pitch black, but he bravely got out of bed to track down the source of the noise while I clutched my cell phone, with 9 and 1 already dialed, just in case.  

The source of the noise?  Some pigeons, trying to get out of the wind and cold, had decided to roost right up against the door leading from our bedroom to the patio. Periodically they would roust themselves and walk back and forth on the metal door plate, bumping against the door as they walked.  Our first thought was to shoo them away, but it was so cold we didn't have the heart to do it. They stayed all night, doing their periodic impressions of the Ghost of Christmas Past, and were still there when I got up this morning (pain level down to about 7, by the way).  By the time I left for work, they were gone, but they had left us quite a few reminders of their presence on the patio.  Time to buy a plastic owl.  And a pressure washer.

Shortly after I got up, I received a text telling me that my brother and his lovely wife (my sister-by-love) had gone to the hospital for the arrival of my new niece, about five days shy of her due date.  My family has a well-considered communication plan for such events (which I'm sure doesn't surprise any of you at this point) and we are always excited to put it into action.  An integral part of the communication plan is that no news is good news.  The next text would be the one informing me of her appearance, so I kept my phone close by all day.  

No word all morning.  This afternoon was my first PT appointment in nearly two weeks, so I reluctantly put away my phone.  Even though I had been doing my exercises, it was sort of a rough appointment because of my condition the last few days. Everything seemed to irritate my foot, so they were very careful.  I did more mirror therapy, and it was interesting to see that afterward my right foot turned red and complained loudly like I had worked it out, even though it had done nothing but rest on the floor for ten minutes while my left foot did all the work.  Interesting, and also annoying.  

I checked my phone immediately after PT for news of my niece.  Still nothing.  I went home to rest a little before our church's Ash Wednesday service.  While I was home, I got an interim text.  Things were progressing, but no niece yet.  This was approximately 11 hours after the first text.  I thought about how tired my sister-by-love must be already.  You go, girl - you can do this! 

Finally, just as we were walking into church to begin the service, the text came.  Raven Miranda came into the world at 7 lbs 7 oz and 20 1/4 inches long. So today was a great day.  As her uncle (AKA my patient, long-suffering husband) pointed out, a Raven born on Ash Wednesday is destined to be a handful.  Just like her aunt.

3/4/14. The post where my patient, long-suffering husband fixes (nearly) everything.

3/4/14: I was right about the delayed work start today.  Our office was closed until noon due to the Great Thundersleet Storm of 2014.  Which was fortunate for me, since not much sleep happened.  When I checked emails this morning, I had notes from two different friends with excellent suggestions for keeping my feet warm.  I have plenty of faults, but at least I have great taste in friends!

I dug out my warmest wool hiking socks, slid on my cowboy boots (which are not as comfortable when worn with my warmest wool hiking socks) and went to work for the reminder of the day.  I've been in the 8.5-9 range all day, but at least it never got any worse.  The good news is that this was likely the last really cold snap in my home city.  The bad news?  I have to go to DC for training next Tuesday through Thursday and I just checked the weather forecast.

Seriously???  Good thing I got a couple of really good suggestions for keeping warm this morning, because it looks like I will need them sooner rather than later.

But let's talk for a moment about my patient, long-suffering (and very handy) husband.  During the last week, in addition to a broken wife, he's been dealing with a broken garage door, a broken garbage disposal, and a broken elevator. (Yes, we have an elevator in our house.  We live in a brownstone-style three-story condo where all the living and sleeping areas are on the upper floors. Anyone who knows my history of accidents, injuries, and unexpected surgeries knows the elevator was a necessity, not a luxury.)

Thanks to his handiwork, all are fully functional today.  Except for the wife.  She's still broken, but she's working on it.  This one's going to take more than a hacksaw and wrench.  He knew my warranty had expired when he signed on, but I wouldn't blame him for secretly searching our state's lemon laws.  Luckily for me, he's always up for a challenge. 

3/3/14. The post where I have something in common with Ralph Macchio.

3/3/14: it continued to get colder in the night, but I was still feeling okay this morning.  Hung around the 6.5-7 range all night and while I was getting ready for work.  Hey, maybe the cold won't make it worse this time! Maybe between the nerve block and the PT, I'm starting to see some improvement!  Then I got in the car to drive to work.

23 degrees, with a wind chill of 15 degrees.  That may not be impressive to some of you, but I live in a city that regularly has three months in a row of 100+ temperatures so I don't have to deal with sub-freezing temperatures.  And certainly not in March.

By the time I made the ten minute drive to work, I had ramped up to an 8.  Even with socks and cowboy boots in a well-heated office, there was no way to keep my foot warm enough.  At the end of the work day, I was up to 8.5.  So much for my theory.

I went to handbell practice anyway. Trust me, I need all the practice I can get.  Things continued to go downhill and I spent most of the practice doing my best Karate Kid impression.

Playing handbells is hard enough (at least for me) without trying to balance on one foot.  On the plus side, if I ever get into a karate match with the town bully, I will be well-poised to deliver a take-down blow.  

I made it home ahead of the "thundersleet" storm headed our way.  I predict a delayed work start tomorrow.  At least for me.  I'm at a pretty solid 9 and my foot is swollen for the first time in awhile.  I think I'll stay home until it warms up a little. Maybe I'll work more on my Karate Kid crane move while I'm home.  You never know when it might come in handy.

3/2/14. The post where I extol the virtues of wine.

3/2/14: guess what works better than almond milk to help me sleep? A glass of wine.  I've been abstaining recently for diet purposes, but I had a glass last night after our winery visits and I slept really well.  When I woke up this morning, the cold front was blowing in and the pain level had crept up to a 7, so I was surprised it hadn't woken me up. I may have to rethink this diet... 

I tried the cowboy boot trick again at church this morning and it worked pretty well, considering the weather.  This afternoon, I went a different direction.  Yes, I own these.  Don't judge.

I'm a little torn.  They definitely irritate my foot (and everyone's eyes), but they are nice and warm on a cold, rainy afternoon.  I think I'll wear them for as long as I can tolerate it.  As I've mentioned, it's always a delicate dance, especially on bad weather days.

In other news, I made it through a week with no PT appointments and I did my exercises every day.  Go, me!  I have two appointments scheduled late in the coming week, so we'll see if my PT is as impressed with me as I am with myself.  I don't know if the core exercises are giving me any immediate pain relief, but they don't seem to be doing any harm and I am certainly getting toned up.  (I'm also finally starting to lose a little of the weight I gained when this ordeal started.  At least I was before I added wine back to the diet this weekend.  Priorities...I can't fix everything at once.)

I also have another doctor appointment later in the week, where we'll plan the next steps. I'll spend the next few days getting my thoughts together so I can give him a good assessment of the last two weeks.  So far, I've got: 

Likes - wine, new shoes, sleep, gummy vitamins

Dislikes - almond milk, cold, rain

Hmm...I'm going to have to do better than that.  That probably describes 95% of the population.  I'll work on it this week.  

3/1/14. The post where I make a couple of interesting discoveries.

3/1/14: I did sleep in shifts, but when you put together all the shifts, I got a decent amount of sleep and had a good day. (That's two good days in a row, for those of you keeping score at home.)  Hung out in the 5.5-6 range all day, which is a rare treat these days.

I spent most of the morning working on the computer and I made an interesting discovery.  If I adjust the chair high enough, my foot is completely suspended.  It always feels best when there is nothing touching it (and that is not always easy to accomplish).  Ultimately, I need to be using my foot as normally as possible, but every now and then it is nice to have some relief.  

In the late afternoon, we made a trip to some local wineries with friends and I made a second interesting discovery.  While dressing for the excursion, I decided to try on a pair of my cowboy boots just for kicks.  (Pardon the pun.)  While the toes of the boots are pointed, they are wide and turn upward, which means they don't touch my big toe or the top of my foot at all when I am sitting.  Even when I am standing, it feels pretty good, at least on a 5.5 kind of day.  Not sure why I didn't think of that before, but looks like I'll be a cowgirl more often in the near future.

It was a lovely afternoon and I think I am getting the hang of pacing myself.  I am hopeful the downward trend of the last two days continues. Tomorrow, another wet cold front comes through, so I'm trying to enjoy this while it lasts.  Giddyup, y'all.