Days 121 to 138: Healing up from MRSA (WARNING: Gross Pictures Included!)

Days 121 to 138

Zeros in Ohio

WARNING: This post includes pictures of my foot with packing in it and as it is healing up. I don’t think it looks too bad and certainly not anywhere near as bad as it felt. Just wanted to give reader’s a “heads up” incase anyone is squeamish about these things.

After getting the new hole in my foot packed the first time, I saw the doctor a second time to have it packed again, a third time to let it close up, and a fourth time to make sure everything was healing up well and the infection was truly gone. The whole time I was on heavy antibiotics and using a prescription antibiotic ointment while bandaging it myself once the packing was finished. The first time the doctor saw me, he took a culture of the infection and we found out that it was MRSA. Luckily he had already switched me to a first line antibiotic that would treat it so I didn’t have to change medications again. Here are some progress pictures of my foot!

Wile waiting to heal up and limping around/ catching up on sleep, I spent a lot of quality time with friends, family, and my dogs. I also stressed out a lot about what I will do after the trail and the physical adjustment I would have to make to continue my journey after three weeks of rest.

As far as preparing to get back on the trail, I continued my stretching and bought a new pair of shoes. I am switching to a pair of Oboz Sawtooth II Low that I was able to purchase courtesy of Will and Astrid who I met back in Franklin, NC. If you recall this is a family that I met in town and ended up going out to lunch with and staying in contact with. Thank you Will and Astrid for the trail magic support from the south 🙂 I decided to switch shoes to give my toes more room to wiggle around in a wider toe box. The previous two pairs of shoes that I have worn for several hundred miles, Sportiva Bushido II’s, are one of the most narrow and tight fitting trail runner’s available on the market. This was one of my favorite things about them, but for the amount of swelling that my feet have been going through I think I need to give them some space. After learning about sesamoiditis and dealing with a large bandage on the ball of my foot, I definitely think trying out a wider foot box is a good idea. The Oboz are pretty much a boot without the hightop and I made sure that they were NOT waterproof which was nice to find. I’m excited to try out a much different shoe than the type I’ve been wearing. I tested them out on walks with my dogs this week and I love them. I think they will support my knees and plantar fascia well through the tough terrain in NH and Maine.

Anyways, enough with the gross foot pictures and boring trail shoe reviews, I’m getting a ride from my parents back to the trail where I left off TOMORROW! I will start hiking again on September 1st. I have 45 days to hike 580 miles to Katahdin before it closes, which means I have to average 13 miles per day with no zeros included.

I wanted to give a shout out to my co workers from my last job at the hospital who came together to send me an epic care package while I was home. I received supplies for my med kit (how fitting), new hiking socks, and money I will use for resupplies and probably a night at a hostel. Thank you guys SO MUCH! It means so much to have an awesome support group from home. I’m so lucky to have gotten to work with such supportive people. I’m glad I got to stop in while I was home visiting Columbus. Now my first aid kit is heavily stocked up and I’m confident I will be able to handle any open wounds and avoid an annoying infection like the one that took me off trail for a bit! A whopping  three weeks of Zeros later, I’m heading Northbound again to finish what I started.

Happy Trails,

Deserrae “Early Bird” Potts