April 28th, 2011
No, this isn’t another post about Iron, it’s what my pinky toe looked like the last couple days. Raw meat.
I did a really stupid thing a few days ago: cut off a callous at the bottom of my little toe. I’ve done it before without any problems but this time I cut too much. Until that moment, I never realized how important the pinky toe is for walking and running. There’s a reason that it’s the only toe I have with a callous.
Anyway, when I ran on it the next morning, I knew it was going to hurt because it was painful just walking around my apartment (stupid, stupid, stupid) so I bandaged it up as best I could and left the house for 14 miles.
It was ok for a while but eventually began hurting terribly, so I stopped during the run to take the sock off and peruse the damage. Turns out the reason I was in so much pain was because the bandage had shifted and gotten all smashed up, creating a huge blister covering the inside of the pinky toe. Nice.
More stupidity ensued when I got home and popped and trimmed the blister. You’re not supposed to trim blister skin away but because it was between two toes I thought it was going to refill again (sorry, just be glad I’m not including photos, ok?).
At one point, it looked so raw and disgusting, I was worried about gangrene and even worse…having to take a rest day. Obstinance prevailed, however, and my Neosporin with the 2005 expiration date coupled with multiple dousings of alcohol saw me through. I’m now on the upswing (it’s nice and crusty now) and will be running this afternoon.
Moral of this story…leave callouses alone if you don’t want to give yourself the dumbest injury in the whole wide world.
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You should have seen the girls face at the spa last weekend when I told her not to mess with my calluses on my feet. I told her that I was a runner and that I needed those well earned calluses. She thought I was really weird! Oh well, no new blisters!
Products with 2005 expiration in your medicine cabinet? Thanks — I thought I was the only one with that problem!
And yeah, I’ve learned that leaving blister skin alone as long as possible is for the best!
Ok I slightly gagged while reading this but I do the same stupid shit. I cant help but pick at it. Thats why now when something ugly appears on my feet I leave socks on 24X7 so I leave it alone.
No photos?? I need to take some lessons in tact from you! So I had to pop over and read this because I was kinda hoping you had a bad toenail injury and would have some pointers for it. Dang. Well, if you do, email me!
Don’t feel too stupid. Stuff happens. Sounds like something I would do.
ouch take care of that and i hope it starts to feel better! i’ve had to go to the hospital many time for antibiotics because i messed with calluses/blisters that got infected and gross. blahhhh.
Thank you Flo, for not including photographs.
“Gangrene…or worse- rest day.” HAHAHAHAH!!!!!! I love that! Thank you for making me laugh this morning!
I have a big callus on my pinky toe, too. Sometimes it gets too thick that it starts making my shoes tighter (EEWWWW). In that case, I have to do a little filing.
Hope it’s feeling better today!
Extreme gratitude for the lack of photos. Next time go (gently) the pumice stone on callouses — works a treat!