I went to the podiatrist surgeon this morning, and my foot is healed. I can take the boot off Thursday, the day before Maria and I take our weekend vacation into Vermont.

We have a $400 room that will cost $100. Some good comes even from a pandemic.

My wound has healed over; I can stop my anti-biotics tomorrow. There is no trace of infection in my foot, and Dr. Cary says it makes sense for me to go to a pedicurist to have my feet cared for.

As a diabetic, she says, I need to make sure the nail parlor is clean and well run.

Dr. Cary will also see me regularly to make sure I have the right orthotics and that my feet are looking as strong and healthy as they do now.

I’m not superstitious. I believe this is the end of an intense phase of health care management. It marks my coming of age as an older person and taking preemptive steps to get healthy and stay healthy.

I realize it isn’t just someone one wants; you have to work at it all the time. And I am.

My foot drama lasted nearly six months, and I am relieved and pleased to have it over.

The fault was entirely mine; some foolish self medicine resulted in a gash in my big toe that nearly got infected because I thought I could take care of some calluses myself and didn’t need a doctor. Lesson learned.

Thanks once again to Maria, who labored over this injury and me every morning for months without complaint. I don’t know what I did to deserve this woman.

I took her out for some Sushi afterward to thank her. We got takeout and brought it home for lunch.

Two of my four surgeries over the past year have been elective. As I plunge into 2021, my heart is strong, I’m exercising almost every day, and I’m taking pre-emptive steps to make my prostate and feet healthy and to safeguard the farm from unnecessary falls.

I feel good and strong and in control of my life and my health.

I have one more visit to the podiatrist (getting some new orthotics) and then months off from my doctors. I just ordered some great YA books for my young Amish neighbors; they’ll be coming by the end of the week.

I’ve learned a lot about my health over the past few months. Next week, I’m taking my e-bike back to the store where I bought it and selling it. I bought the bike to avoid joining a gym, and I am re-selling the bike because I like joining a gym.

Go figure.