Ever since I fell off the scaffolding at my parents’ place last year I’ve been having increasingly painful issues with my feet. After several trips to the doctor including x-rays and assessments the Moncton medical community has concluded that I have been afflicted with plantar fasciitis.

According to Wikipedia:

Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory condition of the foot caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia or plantar aponeurosis that supports the arches of the foot or by biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation. The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most intense with the first steps of the day… Plantar fasciitis was formerly called “dog’s heel” in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as “flip-flop disease” among US podiatrists. The condition often results in a heel spur on the calcaneus, in which case it is the underlying condition, and not the spur itself, which produces the pain.

Well. I started my physiotherapy yesterday. I’m pretty sure you’ve been duly warned if the physiotherapist starts the session off with “Do you bruise easily?” I laid back on the bench and he started to apply pressure to the bottom of my feet. “Let me know if this starts to hurt too much.” I thought well, it hurts a little, but it’s not too bad. I can handle th…. sweet merciful mother of GOD!! Please PLEASE… if you stop this pain I’ll tell you my PIN number! Here’s my bank card!! After five minutes he finishes and says “Ok, now let’s do the other foot.” My dear God, I’ll do anything, ANYTHING, but please make him stop!

Then this sadist tells me to get a golf ball and roll it under my foot 40 to 100 times a day for the next month to simulate this same “therapy”. And get this… he says that if it doesn’t hurt as much then I’m not doing it right. I’m not sure if the intent is to cure my ailment or simply make me grateful for the hobbling pain I had before I started.

I go back on Monday. Say a prayer for me will you?