Today in My History

2000:  The Care and Feeding of Steve
2001:  Such a Beautiful Day
2002:  How Many Activity Points Do I Get for Coughing
2003:  Thar She Blows!
2004:  Having Written
2005:  When In Doubt, Cry Terror
2006: Schmoozing
2007: Family Values
2008: Pinata Day
2009:  Counting Down the Days
2010: The Unexpected Things
2011: Sunday Stealingl
2012: Cathy's Last Cousins' Day
2013: The Long Wait for the Mail
2014: Disappointments
2015  Bottle Cap Bingo
2016: 28 Days

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ME AND W.S. GILBERT

10 October 2017

I suppose I have a couple of  things in common with W.S. Gilbert -- writing and humor for one, love of the G&S operettas (did he love them?) for another. But last night I was thinking that maybe we had something else in common.

I was sitting here at my desk peacefully doing whatever it is that I do here, and when I got up, I had this terrible pain in my big toe.  I frequently get cramps in my feet, which are easily walked out, but this was a stubborn pain that would not be walked out. 

I couldn't walk without holding on to something.  It was excruciating.

It was better when I sat down and I was able to get into a comfortable position and sleep for an hour or two.  All I could think of was reading about what problems W.S. Gilbert had with gout.  At least, I thought, I was in good company.

I discovered it was more bearable if I wore my Birkenstocks with the firm sole that gave more support to my toe.

I finally took an Advil and fell asleep in the recliner, sometime around 4.  I hoped that I would feel better in the morning, and I did...sort of.  I could at least walk, though held on to anything available to hold on to.

I did what everybody does--I went to Google to find out more about gout and found out more than I wanted to know. 

While some of my life style factors are risks for gout (especially inactivity and unhealthy eating!) most of the pages I checked talked about drinking too much and i don't drink at all.  I don't smoke.  I don't have heart disease or previous stroke.  I don't take hormones or contraceptives. I am unaware of any gout history in the family. 

So I convinced myself that this is not gout, especially when I looked at all of the photos of people who had all sorts of degrees of gout.  And as the day progressed, the toe got better and better to where it is about back to normal again. In fact, I am thrilled to realize how bad gout really is and how this probably is not it, but just one of my normal foot cramps, just a little worse than usual.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

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