Just Give Me a Pegleg

Well...we didn't leave today. Obvious, as I'm posting this when we should be at Baldpate Mountain Lean-to right now. Last night my foot took a turn for the worse, swelling is as big as ever and the pain was enough to wake me up several times in the night. This morning I could hardly put my shoe on.

Trying to avoid any further delay my only hope was to make the drive an hour away to the ER in Farmington, ME. So we did. More x-rays and more "I have no idea what could be the problem!" The doctors there were extremely kind and helpful. They understood my situation and offered me a final solution. To avoid a specialist I could take an antibiotic and we could assume that this is Cellulitis, which they said there is about a 10% chance it could be. If it is Cellulitis than I should see improvements in about 3 days. If it isn't Cellulitis, the antibiotics won't do any harm, but it will be time to see an orthopedist. Which, aside from avoiding some kind of surgery, will most likely mean 4-6 weeks of recovery.

We are praying (a word I rarely use) that the antibiotics will work and will not be trying to figure out what to do instead of continue hiking.

It's so frustrating. Jess's shoulder is all but healed. Mentally we're ready to hike. 98% of my body is good. But the foot. At this point, it's got to go. Chop it off and give me the prosthetic already.

Under doctor's orders, I am to be off my foot with no strenuous activity until Monday. The appointment with the orthopedist is set for Monday in case, but the intention is to gloriously call and cancel it, while pulling a victorious set of Mr. Bojangles worthy heel clicks. It will take almost all my strength to avoid spitefully renting Saw and watching the scene where the doctor cuts off his foot over and over again.

Thanks again, everyone, for all your thoughts and emails. Amid all this helplessness the trail still calls and we will do everything we can to get back out there. Until Monday...