sort of weird to be having a doctor's appointment in the evening (6pm) even though the sun was still out. i'm beginning to think my orthopedic specialist isn't so much a genuine specialist as he is a specialist-in-training; hence he gets all the worst hours. but the numerous award placards hanging from the wall of the waiting room at least gives me a sense that i'm seeing the best foot doctors in the world. when a saudi arabian prince gets a bunion, he's coming to mass general orthopedics.

i made my way to the hospital around 4pm; i didn't know when the radiology department (6th floor) would be closed and wanted to get some x-rays of my foot before that happened. turns out they're open until 7pm. having already been x-rayed twice before (once on my ankle, once on my foot), i was a seasoned veteran. the technician took 3 shots and i was free to go. i was early but figured i might get lucky and maybe get fitted into an empty appointment slot. when i walked into orthopedics on the 3rd floor, i actually saw my doctor, who seemed to be manning the phones because all the receptionists were gone. i told him i was early, he said it was okay, and would be able to see me soon.

"i've got good news and bad news," he told me in the examining room. bad news is the bones are still broken; good news is none of the pieces have shifted and there are signs of healing. normally bones take 4-6 weeks to heal. although my accident happened 3 weeks ago, because i was walking on my broken foot and didn't actually see a doctor until a week later, i'm sort of behind in my healing schedule. maybe i was expecting some sort of miracle, like the doctor would see my x-rays and tell me my bones are back to normal and i can go back to my life. but realistically, i still have about a month before i'm back to my old self again. i was doing the math in my head. my june was already ruined by the broken foot, now it looks like my july will be spent in the leg cast as well. there goes 2/3 of my summer. "is there anything i can do to heal faster?" i asked my specialist. "drink more milk, take some calcium supplements?" he said there was nothing i could do, other than to stay off my foot. he also asked if i'd been wearing the aircast, and i told him i take it off when i'm at home. "you should wear it all the time," he advised (other than to shower or to sleep). he then disappeared and brought in another doctor. that's why i think he's just a trainee, because he needs a more senior doctor to confirm his diagnosis. the other doctor looked at my foot a bit, poked at it with his finger ("ow, that hurts," i said, he hardly flinched), and basically agreed with the first doctor, that i need to be in the cast for a few more weeks at least. "you see, the gap in the fracture is pretty substantial since you walked on it a bit before you came to us, so it's going to take a bit longer to heal. otherwise, we'll have to cut open your foot and screw the bones together," he said, hammering an imaginary nail with his hands. "you're kidding me, right? you're trying to scare me!" i yelled out, calling his bluff. he smiled, obviously joking, and replied, "how can we scare you? you're the one who fell off his motorcycle!" my original doctor filled out a form to give to the receptionist and told me to come back in 3 more weeks for another check-up.

it was rush hour when i returned home. the train was crowded, naturally. with my leg in a cast, i was curious to see if anyone would give up their seat for me. there was one guy sitting in one of those handicapped seats. i purposely leaned into him, trying to draw his attention to my sorry state. i wouldn't have taken the seat even if he did offer it, but it's nice to be asked. unfortunately, this guy was having none of my shenanigans. he buried his head in his book, wouldn't even look up, even though i nearly had my crotch in his face. at harvard square i bumped into julie's roommate johana. she just got off of work and was going to her yoga appointment in porter square. i told her what happened to my foot in an extra loud voice so everyone on the train could hear me, because i like to be the center of attention.

i went to star market afterwards, got some pickles and relish for my reuben sandwiches. leaving the supermarket, i heard from behind, "tony what happened to you!" it was my next door neighbor jen. "i got into a motorcycle accident," i told her. "i knew it!" she jumped up, like maybe she won the office pool. she noticed my motorcycle had been missing for a few weeks and thought i might've sold it.

for dinner i made another reuben sandwich. i was cooking topless but put on an apron when the melted butter in the frying pan started to splatter. the highlight of the evening was another episode of swingtown.

also today 3 different clients got in touch with me concerning work (B,S,L). looks like i'm going to be busy the next few weeks. at least it gives me an excuse for not being outside. it's a shame that all that fine summer naturing will go to waste though because i can't get out. even if i could, not sure if hiking in the woods for miles is such a good thing.