Good News Bad News

 During lunch yesterday I went out to do some small errands and my doctor called me on my cell phone. The good news was all of my blood work came back negative so I don't have anything metabolically going on, no arthritis, Lyme's, infection, etc. I was relieved to hear that. The bad news of course was it IS my foot, all of that damage is purely physical so there is no drug that will cure it. My three options - with surgery being down the road as a very last one - would be a very intense ultra sound treatment or an immobilizer for about a month. The ultrasound I've pretty much discounted, it's no longer being covered by insurance, there's no guarantee and it would cost close to $200 a session and the closest place to get it is about 60 miles from here. The surgery can be done eventually, but that's if all else fails - they would actually cut the tendon with the theory it would re-heal in a stretched position but that would be the last thing. So that left the immobilizer which is just as attractive as you think it is - a big, black thing that goes up to my knee with Velcro straps all around. Since I was already out at lunch I just headed down to his office and was fitted for it, that will be it for awhile. At this point I'm willing to do anything to make it stop hurting and be able to start hiking again in the spring.  The bad thing is it snows all the time so I managed to get snow in it like 400 times yesterday, this will take some getting used to. The snow is piled up all over at this point - the problem with this place is it never melts,  just layer upon layer of snow. It gets to the point there is no where to put it - I shovel off the stairs on the deck and it just slides back, the mound reaches the 5th step now . We got a gas delivery right before the last snowstorm so we're good for awhile - I'm still in love with our vent less gas heater which we use when the power goes out. Which it has about 4 times in the past 6 weeks. I have water stored downstairs also in the event of,  I so miss having city water instead of a stupid well. My knitting of course continues - what else do I have to do? - I've gotten to the very annoying part of the Shipwreck Shawl. It's yarn over, knit 2 together so it makes a mesh pattern - but I'm forever digging at the stitches as it's hard to catch the 2 together with this yarn. It's gotten a little better as I've released my tension but I still have to keep an eye on it as if you get off it rearranges the entire pattern. David has been working a lot lately, his new job keeps him busy and with him working 2nd and 3rd shift it's rearranged our mornings. I sneak out to the living room to let him sleep in  and come home to an empty house in the afternoons. Next week he'll start doing some night shifts which he's dreading - I personally always loved the night shift but that's me.