[Cdt-l] Anybody home?

[Doug Carlson]

I'm home.  In 2005 I lost a tendon in my right foot/ankle.  I hiked down
from Canada to Lincoln with fire in my foot.  I had had the problem for a
few years before the 2005 hike and kept thinking the problem would go away.
In the end the tendon was shredded and I lost it and had serious
reconstruction surgery on my right foot.  Recovery- time until I had a pack
on my back again was about 9- 10 months.

My left foot is now in the same condition.  MRI shows a torn tendon in the
left ankle.  I am going to try PT for a few weeks to see if I can take the
stress off the tendon, and if that doesn't work, maybe surgery again.
Broken comes from high arches.  surgery lowers the arch, moves the heel.
Long distance hiking is becoming more and more remote for me.  

Rick Ostheimer is hiking the AZT and is in Pine, AZ today.  I was planning
on hiking with him but backed out. He says he is up to 20 miles a day and
loving it.  My left foot would be destroyed out here.  It is decision time
for me.  I will be 66 in December.  Recovery will be at least a year at my
age.  I want to do one more hike in the Superstition Mtns and then maybe
surgery in Feb or so.  

Well, the question was asked, "Any one home?"