Now 22 days out from my Harley crash during my commute to work on 31 May, I am continuing to recover, but have no progress to resolve ankle swelling. I discussed the situation with a physician who specializes in orthopedics, the medical specialty dealing with injuries to the human skeletal system. He examined me and said that…
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\n…I was healing “as expected for someone my age.” I hate that “for your age” reference. The three broken ribs are mending on their own, though they continue to throb from time to time, and every now and then, move. The involuntary movement doesn’t hurt, but sure feels and sounds weird. <\/p>\n
The watermelon-sized contusion on my left hip has reduced to almost nothing. I have just a small black mark about the size of a business card. That is far better than it was during the week after the crash where I was black, blue, black and more black from my waist to my knee and around almost the entire leg.<\/p>\n
While I did not injure my left ankle or foot, it remains slightly, but visibly, swollen. The doctor said that the swelling was common for someone “my age” with an injury like I had. He said that the swelling will eventually resolve. Of course he advised to eliminate causes of swelling in my diet, like consumption of salt. While I do not add salt to my food, I realize that a lot of food has a lot of sodium in it already, so I am being more cautious in reading nutrition labels. But I will not change my diet to inedible rabbit food.<\/p>\n
The doctor said, “in the interim, keep exercising it and wear sneakers or dress shoes.”<\/p>\n
The look of abject horror on my face was quite revealing. I cannot hide how I feel from my facial expressions.<\/p>\n
I told the doctor that “we need to find a workable compromise. I do not have and will not wear sneakers or dress shoes.”<\/p>\n
Now it was time for the doctor to make a facial expression that in light times would be amusing. He was, as most people who do not understand a Bootman’s point-of-view are, incredulous. “What do you mean that you don’t have and won’t wear sneakers or dress shoes? What do you wear to the gym? What do you wear to work?”<\/p>\n
I hate it when people make assumptions, but I can understand why. Yeah, some men “my age” go to a gym, and many men wear sneakers in off-times and dorky dress shoes when they work in an office like I do. (I also regret that some men wear ugly, unsightly, and unsanitary flip-flops, but I digress.)<\/p>\n
The conversation continued and as you can imagine, the doctor got a little education about the perceptions and life of a man who only wears boots (and does not go to a gym.)<\/p>\n
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Where I have the most difficultly in dealing with this slight left ankle swelling is in the instep. The instep is the arched upper surface of the human foot between the toes and the ankle. For a boot, the instep is the part that covers this surface.<\/p>\n
Suffice it to say, I figured out my own compromise on footwear. I have some boots that lace up, so they accommodate the fact that my left ankle is larger than my right ankle. I also have discovered that some cowboy boots have more than ample room in the instep so I can pull them on and wear them comfortably. Dan Post and some Chippewa boots are fitting okay.<\/p>\n
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However, my nicest, most expensive, and dressiest cowboy boots by Tony Lama and Lucchese have tighter or less ample insteps. When I try to pull on those boots, they get half-way onto my left foot and then get stuck at the instep. I could probably pull them on if I pulled real hard with boot hooks. But if I did that, then I would probably have to have my spouse cut the boot off my left foot to remove it. Nope… not an option.<\/p>\n
So for now, my dressiest cowboy boots as well as dress instep motorcycle boots remain tucked away in my closet. <\/p>\n
And no, doc, I am not going to compromise my principles and buy and start wearing dorky dress shoes or sneakers. I have a reputation to uphold! But seriously, I also will not do that because even the thought gives me nightmares. I have accommodated this problem in other ways and I will continue to do that as long as necessary.<\/p>\n
The good news is that the doctor told me that my foot and ankle are healthy, have good circulation, and the swelling will resolve with time. I can plan to travel again for a big trip for work in July to my favorite island location<\/a> for a massive celebration and recognition event. The achievement being recognized has a lot to do with a major national program that I refined being fully adopted and implemented<\/a>. I am thrilled for this achievement by my colleagues there.<\/p>\n Until I am completely healed, I remain “compromise booted” and not back on the Harley. That won’t happen for at least another month.<\/p>\n Life is short: find ways to continue to wear boots and not compromise your principles!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Now 22 days out from my Harley crash during my commute to work on 31 May, I am continuing to recover, but have no progress to resolve ankle swelling. I discussed the situation with a physician who specializes in orthopedics, … Continue reading