Adventures in Vanity

The weekend before I taught the supercomputing class, I decided to get a pedicure. Because, of course, all these people were going to be staring at my feet! Naah, but it's just one of those things: If you look your best, you feel more confident.

So I went to this certain establishment, the name and location of which is withheld for the moment. As the woman was getting rid of the calluses on my heels, she accidentally cut my heel. At the time, it just felt like a nick (like cutting yourself shaving) and I didn't think too much of it. But she was very apologetic and every time she caught my eye she apologized again and again. I wasn't angry because I knew it was an accident. I didn't complain about it; I just paid my bill and left.

It wasn't until I got home that I saw the full extent of the damage. It was actually a very deep cut, a square about 1/2" on a side, and right in the center of my right heel, exactly where your foot first contacts the floor when walking, and exactly where I can't see it very well without contorting myself.

So, during my course, I was glamorously limping around. But at least I had shiny toenails! This is my punishment for vanity, I mused.

But of course just limping for a few days would have been getting off too easy! Because I couldn't comfortably place my heel on the ground, I was just walking on my toes and I started to get really bad leg and foot cramps. Then, I noticed that the wound was still draining and it didn't seem to be healing up. I figured it was a good excuse to find a family doctor for us, so I asked the department secretary for a recommendation of a good doctor to establish a relationship with. She recommended a certain practice and I managed to get an appointment for this past Monday.

The doctor was impressed by the depth of the wound and the infection that I had developed. She cut out a bunch of dead skin that was preventing it from healing up, put a special dressing on it, gave me a prescription for antibiotics, and wants to see me for a follow-up appointment next week. In the meantime I am to take the antibiotics and keep the special dressing on it.

I think that the treatment seems to be working pretty well. I'm able to walk on it almost normally, meaning I'm now down to only half speed (due to pregnancy) rather than quarter speed like I was before. So maybe my punishment is coming to an end!