. . . and then they heard a scream!

The most exciting thing in my life lately was the steroid shot I had in my foot to deal with the pain of plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament between the ball of the foot and the heel. I had tried ice, inserts in my shoes, and a little bit of stretching, but some mornings it hurt so bad I needed a cane to get from the bedroom to the kitchen. So I went back to the doctor. When he described the options, I decided one shot was better than weeks of pills or, God forbid, surgery.

I was wrong. We’re talking a long needle inserted for a long time exactly where it hurts the most. I screamed so loud that the people in the waiting room were probably wondering who was being killed. The doc slapped on a bandage and sent me on my way. He did not warn me that the medicine would keep me awake all night or that it would turn my face bright red. When I woke up the morning after the shot, my cheeks were on fire! It took about 24 hours to fade. The doc never responded to my email inquiry about whether this was normal. Dr. Google said it was common.

Plantar fasciitis turns out to be as common as athlete’s foot. When I posted about it on Facebook, my friends urged me to do stretching exercises to avoid needing another shot. I’m stretching, I’m stretching. Hold on a minute; let me stretch again. I also ordered a pair of shoes that another friend swears cured her plantar fasciitis. They’re expensive. I hope they work. If not, well, they’re purple, and that will be fun.

In a world where the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan, another earthquake has trashed Haiti, wildfires are burning up the West, and Covid patients are filling up the hospitals again, I’m grateful my only problem is wonky feet and a red face.

Pray for all the people hurting in this world. Keep stretching. Pray while you’re stretching. Here are some stretches to try. Have a good week and stay safe.

Author: Sue Fagalde Lick

writer/musician California native, Oregon resident Author of Freelancing for Newspapers, Shoes Full of Sand, Azorean Dreams, Stories Grandma Never Told, Childless by Marriage, and Up Beaver Creek. Most recently, I have published two poetry chapbooks, Gravel Road Ahead and The Widow at the Piano: Confessions of a Distracted Catholic. I have published hundreds of articles, plus essays, fiction and poetry. I'm also pretty good at singing and playing guitar and piano. View all posts by Sue Fagalde Lick