100 Words Per Mile: Bunions and Other Structures

I contemplate surgery and the construction of a story collection.

April 23, 2021
5.00 miles
38:32

We’re fourteen weeks in, friends, which means my wife and I’ve officially arrived at the second trimester!

We made an appointment for the private sonogram for week sixteen and have every intention of finding out the sex. There was a week or two where my wife and I thought about keeping it a secret. We liked the idea of not knowing and therefore keeping the experience more practical than anything else—but it’s becoming tiresome to call them “baby” instead of a name we’ve picked out.

Now that baby is here and everything appears to really be happening, I’m considering getting surgery. About a month before I even started this project, I met with an orthopedic surgeon for a consultation on a progressing bunion on my left foot. At first, it was more aesthetically displeasing than painful; but as I run a little bit more, it’s begun to cause me more a little more pain and discomfort. It also seems to be getting worse visually. I’ve seen bunions on older individuals that were never addressed, and their big toes are so crooked they rest directly underneath their pointer toe. I don’t want that to happen to me, nor do I want to subject myself to a longer recovery because I put the surgery off for so long.

Bunion is such a terrible name for the condition. Growing up, I thought it was some kind of open sore, or a cluster of warts or something, but no, it’s just a joint issue with a big toe. A quarter of all adults have one. Over half of seniors usually deal with it. Bunion? Who came up with that? I’d like to send them a letter.

After that consultation, I purchased a different pair of shoes and that actually helped alleviate the pain I felt after my runs. But it hasn’t stopped the progression. The thing with bunions, is they really never stop. If I get this surgery, there’s a 25% chance the thing will return (albeit with less pain). But at least then I’ll have turned back the clock a bit, and since I’m only thirty years old, I may be able to recover in time to be up and running again.

I’ve scheduled a follow-up consultation, so I guess we’ll see. I just want to make sure I’m the best me for the kid when they arrive in October. My other concern, is that my running habits have already taken a hit. What will they be like when I’m forced to stay off my feet for two or more weeks? Will I be capable of running long distances again, or will getting this surgically actually make things harder for me by erasing all my progress?