About my Toe:

This blog entry might be NSFS (Not Safe for Stomachs), but a question is bothering me, and I want to get it off my (figuratively speaking) chest: it’s about my left big toe.

This appendage seems to have a permanently ingrowing toenail. Every few months it begins to hurt, and then I take it to my favorite podiatrist. He digs out the offending bit of nail, and I feel a lot better.

Podiatrists are in great demand in my part of the USA, so I have to plan ahead. After I see him, I make my best guess when my toe will hurt again, and I make an appointment.

Thus it was that, four weeks ago when my toe began to hurt, especially when I STUBBED it, that I congratulated myself for making a December 28 appointment. I would just “tough it out” for four weeks.

Or should I?

I began to wonder whether it would be better to see my podiatrist ASAP. After all, what was that toenail going to do for four weeks: grow in there, worse and worse, right?

I toughed it out.

Did you notice the date? That’s right, post-blizzard. My podiatrist’s office canceled all appointments, because they could not get their parking lot plowed. I was pitifully appreciative when the office called to give me an appointment today. And when I saw my podiatrist, I discussed my question with him. (I really like my podiatrist. He seems competent, and he’s also clever, with a good sense of humor.)

After considering the matter carefully, he decided that I had done right. Better to wait for the scheduled appointment than try to come in sooner. (If you’re curious, I can’t really get an ‘emergency’ appointment for an ingrown toenail. What I have to do is beg them to call me when they get a cancellation, since I live nearby and can show up quickly; and that does work.)

Anyway, after he yanked the offending bit of toenail out, held it up in his cutting shears, said “Got it,” and waited for me to stop howling, I made up my mind: next time, I’m going to see him ASAP.