I refuse to be a victim.

Sometimes, our journey (regardless of what goal we are working towards) doesn't go as smoothly as we anticipate.

Today, I finally was able to see the Podiatrist for the intermittent, yet pretty significant, heel pain I've had for a while now. I have officially been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. Surprisingly, I also have a rather large heel spur caused by the plantar fasciitis. (I guess I should've investigated this heel pain sooner, like 2+ years ago when it got really bad.) And the cherry on the sundae - I have bunions. I always thought I had decent looking feet and toes, and now after today, not so much. It was like having someone point out all your flaws and sucking the wind right out of your sails.

So, the course of treatment for plantar fasciitis includes several steps. First, the doctor injected my heel with Cortisone today to decrease the swelling. Next, he prescribed a strong oral anti-inflammatory medication I will take once daily. I have to ice my heel several times a day, and do some stretches five times daily. I have also been instructed to limit my activity to low/non-impact exercises.

He also gave me inserts for my sneakers, and recommended I get fitted for a good pair of running shoes with lots of cushion. So, I stopped at a local running store after leaving the office for a professional fitting. I ended up purchasing a pair of Saucony Progrid Ride 4 sneakers. They are very comfy, even with the inserts (which I expected to feel uncomfortable). They also have LOTS of cushion, and mesh along the side of my big toe so as not to push on my bunions. Sadly, the only color they had of these sneakers was white with blue accents. Blue is my least favorite color. The sales clerk felt so bad about the fact that they didn't have any other colors that she gave me her employee discount. 20% off, and a free pair of nice running socks. Score!!! Thanks, Heather! (I've been shopping around online and may just order a second pair of the White/Citron or White/Black/Pink since I will be living in sneakers for a while. The podiatrist also said NO FLIP FLOPS. He did say he would be OK with me wearing Birkenstocks if I must have sandals. I'm kind of liking these Black Patent Leather Birkenstocks.

After adhering to everything above, I should feel some relief. The average healing time for plantar fasciitis is 7+ months. DAMN! I hope it doesn't take that long. Sometimes, heel spurs can cause sharp, shooting pain also. So, until we get the plantar fasciitis under control, we won't know if the heel spur is contributing to my pain. Only time will tell...

After reading a fellow blogger's post today over on a Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures titled Forever, I realize I CANNOT, and simply WILL NOT, fall victim to my current circumstances. The only thing I can control is how I react to situations/circumstances. There is no reason I cannot continue to work towards my goal, via nutrition and exercise. Perhaps, I just have to alter how I get there. Changing things up sometimes is the best thing you can do. Believe me, I've learned THAT lesson time and time. (If you've never read, Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, I highly recommend doing so. This book was has helped me immensely in accepting recent changes in my life.)

Sheryl states on the above mentioned blog, "Know -- and accept!-- that there will be dead-ends and detours and dimly lit paths but the journey doesn’t end. You find another way. You keep going. Because even though there may be a few twists and turns and rough patches, those are few compared to all the great, exciting, awesome, life changing and wonderful parts of the journey. Never lose sight of how great your healthy new life is. Just pick yourself up and keep going. Vow to never give up. Because this is forever. I'm in it for the rest of my life and I hope you are too."

Thank you, Sheryl, for the inspirational post today. I cannot believe how much inspiration I gather from fellow bloggers. Please, if you are looking for inspiration, check out some of the blogs I follow. They are full of tips, recipes and inspiration. It amazes me how I can always find exactly what I need at exactly the moment I need it on a fellow blogger's blog.

I am in CONTROL, and I CHOOSE how I react to my circumstances. I REFUSE to be a victim.