Cow and Boy Classics by Mark Leiknes for December 03, 2021

Sometimes you don’t notice for a few minutes. Gah!

I have almost no sensitivity in my lower extrimities so a few days ago I didn’t even notice that I’d stubbed my toe until I looked down and noticed that it was smashed against the wheel of my walker and had some blood around the toe nail. A few hours later I was at the doctor’s office to have my leg wraps changed and I noticed the blood on my sock and remembered that I’d stubbed my toe earlier in the day and mentioned it to the nurse. When the nurse pulled my sock off we could both see that the toe nail was hanging on by a bloody thread. When the doctor came in to check my legs she saw the toe nail and informed me that she was going to remove the toenail, but warned me how it was going to be even more painful than it was hanging there. I told her I didn’t feel anything but she was still reluctant to cause me any pain. Finally, with an obvious cringe, she pulled the toe nail off and noticed that my expression didn’t change at all. Up to that point she knew intellectually that I didn’t have much sensitivity, but after that she knew just how little sensitivity I had.