I think I have a heel spur. My right heel feels bruised, hurts worse in the morning, then subsides to a dull ache later in the day. I can walk on it fine, but I also complain about it. A co-worker suggested it might be a bone spur.
After a little Internet research, I think he is right. But now what? I hate going to the doctor. Or maybe I should say, I hate going to MY doctor. Every time I call there or go there, I am treated… oddly. One time his nurse yelled at me. Another time I had to defend my right to schedule an appointment, by reciting all the home remedies I had already tried, to three different people: the phone nurse, my doctor’s nurse, and the doctor himself. The last time I was there, I smirked at his haircut – I could not help it! It was really, really bad! And my daughter was just there and reported he is still wearing his hair like that! - and now I am afraid to return.
My general rule is, the less one has to do with mainstream medicine, the better. Many years ago, I brought to my ob-gyn’s attention my right nipple, which was itchy and kind of funky looking. She gave me an anti-fungal cream, which helped, but she also wanted me to see a surgeon, “just to be sure.” And she recommended one.
What a weirdo. While he was examining my breast, a nurse stood by the door. He smirked at her, and I wondered if this guy had been fingered (ha ha!) for inappropriate behavior with female patients while their breasts were exposed. Whatever. He did not think there was anything wrong with my nipple, but offered to do a biopsy.
“But that would be disfiguring, he explained. “Or you could go to a dermatologist, who can perform a needle biopsy.”
Can’t he do a needle biopsy? Or are his fine motor skills so retarded that he can only hack at breasts in a disfiguring manner? Needless to say, I got the hell out of there, and eventually my nipple returned to normal.
My experience with surgeons is, If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. After my appendectomy, the surgeon (not the same one as above) suggested I also have my gall bladder removed because the CT scan showed I have gall stones. Even though I don’t have gall bladder attacks. I’ve never gone back there, either.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. My doctor. So, why don’t I find a different doctor? I don’t know how. Asking friends has led me to several doctors that I could not stand. Even my current doctor is liked by others I know. The only way I can bring myself to change doctors is to move, and relocation is not imminent.
I’m big on the wait-and-see philosophy of health care, though. So I will wait and see if my heel gets worse. And even then, it has to be bad enough to impair my regular life. Right now, the pain is not keeping me from doing anything, so I will try a few home remedies, maybe an orthotic (if I can find one that works with Earth shoes) and go from there.
