After more surgery and more crazy antiobiotics - seriously, those antibiotics were really rough and my guts still have trouble recovering from them - it looks like I may finally be rid of the MSRA in my residual phalanges. All remaining fingers crossed...
I went see my surgeon today to check on the wound, and I mentioned that, while it seemed to get better, the joints in my foot felt more "frozen" than usual. I mean they're not normally terribly nimble because of lack of use, but now they feel worse, and I was concerned the staph infection might be attacking the joints.
"Well, the good thing is, they don't really matter" he said.
"What do you mean?"
"Those joints are useless now. They don't help you walk."
But that's just not true! I don't have much length left, but they do help some for walking.
Also, I explained to him that, even if something is functionally useless, it doesn't mean you don't mind losing it. There is such a thing a sense of loss, and I wouldn't want whatever is still moving in my feet to stop moving, even if it doesn't impact my walking.
"Really?" he said, "I had no idea!"
The guy is supposed to be an orthopedic specialist. What the hell... Something tells me he spent too much time studying surgical techniques and not enough time wondering how the patient lives with their body...
But hey, at least he admits it when he doesn't know. That's rare enough in MDs. Also, I've had a couple brewskies with the guy and I know he's cool. So although he can be kind of infuriating at times, I'll stick with him.