I’m done whining and throwing myself a pity party.

I got X-Rays today. No stress fracture although the doctor said he saw some shady/abnormal color near 4th and 5th toe bones which could be soft tissue or something but recommended I get an MRI since that’s where the pain is shooting out from.

I went to the ER, fed up with the back and forth and mystery of it all. They couldn’t do MRIs and just handed me some crutches so I’m limping around like a gimp now in an attempt to put absolutely NO pressure on my foot, should that be of assistance to the healing process. Signed up for Medi Cal in the process.

Shopped around for MRI – will still have to pay out of pocket since Medi Cal takes over a month to 2 months to get approval for. Finally found a place in Lancaster that’ll do it for $400. I can hear the gasp of my wallet but I’m just so sick of the mystery of it all. Tomorrow 12:45pm, the mystery of my injury will cease and I can gain control again of this situation.

I either have an extremely low pain threshold – although, mentally, I’ve been very aware and truly ok – or something is really wrong. Either way, it’s worth finding out so I can make a decision as to whether or not I want to weather this storm and keep on hiking or will call it an end to this year. Even if I only make it through California or skip to Oregon, I’m ok with it. I simply want to end the trail on MY terms, not my body’s. But I also don’t want to do permanent damage to my foot, since hiking is the cheese to my macaroni, so need to keep that in mind should I have a torn or ruptured tendon – which would need immediate attention.

Either way, in later September, I plan on hiking rim to rim at the Grand Canyon. Have to find out permit approval and whatnot for that but I look forward to that. If I have time, I may even go rim to rim to rim just for bragging rights and for the challenge.

I’m grateful for my family and friends and even complete strangers who’ve offered their words of wisdom and offered/gave assistance. I would be up shit creek were it not for them and, after all this, I will owe you guys a bazillion favors and hugs for bearing with me. You know who you are and I can’t even express the depths of my gratitude. No words can convey how much all the help and love – sometimes tough – has lifted me up from a dark, dark place.