What's a person to do when you have a sliver stuck in your foot, you can't wear your sandal because the sliver is still there and you have to get back to your "house"?
That was my dilemma last night. There I was, having a great conversation with friends, some snacks and drinking a ton of ice water to combat the heat. Being a courteous Aqua RV'er, I had removed my sandals so I could walk on their carpeting. While seated at a small table, my foot rubbed against something sharp and I immediately ducked my head below the table so I could use my hand to feel out what my foot had discovered. Feeling nothing with my hand, I forgot about the tiny prick my foot had previously felt and went back to be an active participant in the conversation. About two minutes later, BOOM, (Well, that is what it felt like.) and my foot had not only found the source of the prick, but the object had now lodged in my foot. Just like a pin prick on the finger tip, my foot began bleeding so I grabbed a little cocktail napkin so as not to be gross, but the object, which was protruding ever-so-slightly from my foot, objected mightily to being touched. Of course, now everyone is paying attention to my foot and soon some tweezers were brought out. Even though Capt. SO was bound and determined that the object, as of yet, still unidentified, should be removed right then and there, I said, "No way. I'll do my screaming in private!"
I don't know about you, but inflicting pain on myself - at least on the bottom of my foot - is not the easiest of things to do. I wasn't wild about self-surgery in front of others so I demurred, kept the little cocktail napkin under the area so I couldn't dribble little droplets of blood on the white carpeting, and tried to concentrate on the conversation rather than the insistent throbbing in my foot. When it came time to leave, the problem then shifted to how to get Gimpy (me) back to our Aqua RV. The docks are made of a rough, pebble-type material so people don't slip - nice for non-slippage, but hard on bare feet. I, however, had no choice. Several gallant offers were made to ship me back in a dock cart but I passed on that opportunity. I put my sandal on my good foot and proceeded to try to walk on the pebbled dock with the bare heel of my right foot. This lasted for maybe thirty feet and my heel said, very clearly, "No more!" With a good three-hundred feet to go, I grabbed Capt. SO's left arm and proceeded to hop one-footed (in a sandal). This was a sweat-producing activity and it was excellent aerobic exercise, but very hard on my old left hip. I attempted to put my slivered-up right foot on Capt. SO's left foot and hitching a ride, but he quickly let me know this was not a comfortable option for his left foot. In the end, it was hop for ten hops - rest - hop for ten more and rest. Over and over and over until we arrived at the teak comfort of our swim platform, where I could hobble about on my right heel again and get below to the surgery suite.
In the end, a tiny shard of glass was found and removed. No amputation was required and with the callous on the bottom of my foot, it was no worse for the wear and able to be walked on immediately. I'm pretty confident that we found all of the shard........but I look at it this way......if we didn't, my foot will let me know in a day or two. For now, all is well. Hopping is no longer required.
Ancora imparo
