Me and my big … toe
Thursday, Oct 13, 2005
It all started two years ago. I don’t recall anything about the day except that I opened the refrigerator. Everything else blacked out after that. OK, just kind of. But it hurt: a can fell out of the fridge at just the right angle and semi-broke my toe. For the past two years, I’ve babied that thing to no avail. I’m afraid I have to face the cold, hard fact: it will never be the same again.
It doesn’t matter what I do. There’s a magnet on it now that commands, “Hey kids, step on your mom’s toe. Not the left foot. Just the right. And just that toe. Don’t hit any others while you’re at it.” Shopping carts and other inanimate objects also now obey the call.
So, while other people count sheep at night, I count throbs in my toe. But the rhythm just keeps me awake.
If you ever read I Corinthians 12 and sighed about your “lowly” position in the Body of Christ—then all I have to say is… you’ve never had a hurt toe.
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I first, yes, first, broke my little toe in 1991…so badly it was (cover your ears if you are squeamish) actually perpendicular to the rest of my foot. It was “set”, but they don’t really bother to make sure a little toe is set properly - just kind of snap it back in place, wrap it up, and send you on your way. On my wedding day in ‘93, based on the amount of pain, and the bruising in the days afterward, we are 99.9999% certain I broke it again. But I didn’t actually go to the doctor because, well, it was my wedding day. And it wasn’t (squeamish? cye!) perpendicular or anything!
I am convinced that when bones heal - at least toe bones - that magnet you speak of grows right there while it is being mended!
And I have often thought about 1 Corinthians 12 while nursing my baby toe, as well.
Comment by Kari (October 13, 2005 @ 3:48 pm )
ouchie, broken bones do seem to have magnets on them don’t they? “hit me here!” - that’s how my previously broken parts draw attention.
Comment by Heidi (October 13, 2005 @ 4:30 pm )
You’re too cute Amy! Nothing like changing the subject, eh?
If it helps, I’ve broken my arm before. And it didn’t set right, so after 6 weeks of “healing” wrong, they broke it again to re-set it correctly. That kind-a hurt. I don’t care for doctors too much. And don’t even get me on the subject with my husband. The last time the poor man went to the doctor, he had a very high fever. Upon inspecting him, it was announced that it was his appendix (with a 10% chance of it being just a virus). Well, they took out a perfetly healthy, pink appendix ~ why they would take out a perfectly good organ, I don’t know!~ and he had to stay for about a week in the hospital for them to watch that he gets over the virus AND heal. Yeah, he definatly will not be darkening the doorstep of any doctor any time soon (and this was June of 2002).
And then there’s the dentist……
Jennifer
Comment by Jennifer D (October 13, 2005 @ 4:30 pm )
I agree on the big toe - though mine has never been broken - it’s been stubbed enough times (REALLY HARD) to know that all other parts of the body protest LOUDLY because of the toe.
By the way… what happened to your husband’s post earlier today? I really liked it.
Comment by doulos2k (October 13, 2005 @ 6:50 pm )
Try buying some arnica salve and rubbing it on your toe morning and evening. It might not help, but it might. It is usually more effective immediately following an injury.
Arnica is usually available in health food stores. It is a good pain-relieving salve to have on hand when you have little kids. It’s great for bruises, but you have to be careful about putting it on open wounds.
Maybe you already know about it?
Comment by ruth (October 13, 2005 @ 7:25 pm )
Beware of toe breakage! I walked around for a year or more in pain just below the big toe. I was expecting #4 and thought it was just the pregnancy. HA! Finally went to the dr. and the bone was broken and had calcified. I ended up having to have surgery to remove that particular bone! Thankfully, there is no more pain…well except maybe the lasting effects of the dr. bill. Moral of the story is never underestimate the power of toe breakage! Consider yourself warned!
Comment by Madmommamonk (October 13, 2005 @ 9:49 pm )
Well, I don’t think your little one is the only foot stomper…I often wondered if was only my guy who has to step on my feet any time he is near me!
Comment by Sal (October 13, 2005 @ 10:11 pm )
What’s that have to do with Calvinism?
Comment by Jul (October 13, 2005 @ 11:25 pm )
Yeah. Me thinks a segway is being attempted.
Wimp.
*snickers*
Hey, Greg…don’t you have a rocket to build or something…
Comment by molly (October 14, 2005 @ 1:23 am )
Laughing over here…and poor Amy’s toe, ladies!
Shame on you for misreading her cry for intercession and help and not believing the best. 
Comment by Karen (October 14, 2005 @ 2:36 am )
just wondering where you are at with the pregnancy thing?
Comment by Anonymous (October 14, 2005 @ 4:15 am )
Ouch. I remember when my oldest brother broke his big toe on a glass casserole dish lid that fell out of the cupboard, suprisingly, we still have that selfsame casserole dish lid, but my brother’s toe nail fell off.
Comment by Grace (October 14, 2005 @ 10:25 pm )
You need to get one of those silly post-foot-surgery boots that are so large they have to be manufactured at the shipyards and wear it all day.
You wrap that thing up in that kind of armor and even the heat seeking missle feet won’t be able to make their mark.
On the down side, if your husband is anything like me, the fun he will have with it (at your expense) will bring sinful thoughts like “I wonder at what velocity this monstrosity would indent his head?”.
Comment by TheMadMonk (October 15, 2005 @ 12:44 am )
He told me to pull it and I submitted.
Someone just gave me a tube of it this past week; I’ve a pinched nerve in my back that comes and goes too. It doesn’t help much with that, but I didn’t think to try in on any other ailments.
Everything–there’s nothing I could do to thwart this part of the sanctification plan.
No, today he’s building countertops.
Half-way=20 weeks.
Mine too. Several times.
You obviously don’t have a toddler.
Comment by Amy (October 15, 2005 @ 1:06 pm )
Hi Amy:
I am a fellow Calvinist - go TEAM TULIP!
This is my first time here, so it’s only fitting that I should comment on your semi-broken toe! I mention on the “About” page of my blog, how I’ve actually broken 45 bones. Ouch! I’ve had some pretty mangled toes. One of them sounds like what you are going through. After I broke it, it developed a vascular tumor, and it would almost hurt if you drop a cotton ball on it. Anyway, bad news coming, brace yourself, they eventually had to cut it off! Well at least the top half of it. So you should have your toe checked out and see if there is something seriously wrong with it. Im going to go look around your blog now. Nice to meet you.
–Jim B.
http://www.OldTruth.com
Comment by Jim from OldTruth.com (October 15, 2005 @ 10:18 pm )
Hi Amy–
I’m the Arnica lady. I have a bad back, too, and it doesn’t do much for that. I know because I have tried. When it really helped me was when I put on my daughter’s rollerblades and fell on the same heel of the same hand three times in the street. I came in and applied arnica–the first time I had used it on myself (I thought it was just a kind of panacea that the kids liked). It made my hand stop hurting. The key is to get it on an injury fast. Try it the next time your littlest one bangs her head. You will be amazed.
I love John Piper, too. I seem to reread “Desiring God” about once every other year. I grew up in Minnesota and went to his church sometimes when I was in college. Amazing preacher!
I am pretty Calvinist, although I recoil at the thought of God creating some people without salvation in their destiny. But when you look at how He led the Israelites to wipe out the nations who were living in the promised land, I guess you have to understand that salvation was never meant for every indiscriminate person. Or is that a mean thing to say? I go to a Baptist church, but I don’t feel philosophically accepted there.
Two things about my church really bother me–could you address them and tell me what you think?
(1) They use very hyped-up music which they call “celebratory worship.” They rarely sing anything reflective, and they never sing hymns. My kids don’t even know any hymns, even though they’ve gone to church all their lives (ages 16,14,13,10). I feel a deep sense of loss over this.
(2) The pastor will spend entire months on sermon series about eternal security. My thought is that if you are worried that you aren’t saved, you might not be, and you ought to seek God about it–most especially if your worry stems from rampant sin in your life.
Also–are you familiar with the Neil Anderson books, and, if so, what is your opinion of them?
Thanks.
Comment by ruth (October 17, 2005 @ 4:34 pm )
Ruth,
Thanks so much for your note. I appreciate your taking the time to write. I will answer when I have more time and can devote some thinking to what you’ve said.
Sincerely,
Amy
Comment by Amy (October 18, 2005 @ 3:50 pm )