Foot, Football and Friday

A rough Friday.

When I woke up this morning I was in so much pain that I began to think maybe something wasn't going as planned underneath my cast. The swelling became so intense that any time I put my foot to the ground, it instantly turned a dark shade of blue.

I called the surgeon, who said I should come in to have it checked out...

And after almost FOUR hours in the waiting room, I found out that the swelling had overcome the capacity of the cast.

And I think Dr. Douoguhi sees people in pain so much that he’s become immune to it.

A typical Washington doctor – he walks in and gives me a nice, firm handshake in his sports coat, khaki pants and loafers, sets his Blackberry on the table and speaks to me in terms that remind me that he knows more than me ...and then he starts ripping apart my cast to expose the bandages and stitches.

Though the sight under the cast made me slightly nauseous, it did help relieve some of the pressure and pain.

But I must say, the only concern or care I got was in the waiting room… Packed with no extra chairs to put my foot on, I had to hold it in my arms like a small child.

Meanwhile the woman to my right was yapping on her phone about her dogs, and I guess the look on my face was anything but delightful.

The guy sitting to my left noticed and asked, “Shattered ankle? I know how you’re feeling. I’ve been there.” And he picked up the magazine table, stacked the magazines up and put my foot on top. We chatted about our current and previous injuries and turns out he “plays professional football.” I didn’t pry, but he did refer me to his physical therapist, so maybe I’ll figure out who he is in the near future.

[Update: I later learned that my doctor is the orthopedist for the Baltimore Ravens. So, if you know of a potential lineman on the team with dreads and a torn peck, he is the "him."]