How do you know if you’ve broken your toe?
After I slammed mine into the side of the bathroom cabinet¹, I started writhing on the floor in pain. That seems to be sign number one.
Swelling, which began almost immediately, is probably sign two.
To me, the clincher was when Helaine asked me to look at the toes in question. Instead of being parallel, they were making a “V”. It looked something like the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue in Times Square.
I pushed the toes back together with the ‘pinky’ toe making a snap sound as it went back into place.
They are currently taped together. It is my understanding toes don’t get professionally set after they break. Tonight, I am the physician pro se.
¹ – This cabinet has been in our bathroom for 15 years. I should know where it is. If asked, I will claim to my dying day, it jumped out at me.
Blogger’s note: This morning, while at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation kickoff breakfast, Steve the doctor called. He was looking for computer tech support… and I asked about my toe. Maybe it’s not broken after all. Possibly it was only dislocated. It still hurts like crazy. Not my week for pain.
All signs point to broken toe. Especially the V. I did that once. Except mine was on a coffee table that had been in the same place for six years. Hope it heals quickly.
The worst part is that there’s no real treatment for it, other than taping it. You just have to suck it up for a week or two.