However, when I woke up on Monday morning my right foot was swollen and very red around the toes. The last time that happened, I ended up in the hospital. So I was motivated to get online and find a walk-in clinic. I found one close to the Best Buy in Waynesville, NC and we were on our way.
I told the physician's assistant that this had happened before and was diagnosed as a Brown Recluse spider bite. She said that there would be signs of necrosis by now if it was a spider bite. Well, could it be athlete's foot? My toes had been itchy over the weekend. She got down on her knees and inspected between all my toes - no sign of athlete's foot. She concluded that it was some kind of bite that had become infected. It was getting worse as the morning wore on. We got the antibiotic prescription filled and then headed to Best Buy for the program disks.
As I was directed to stay off my foot and keep it elevated above my heart, I did just that. I read in my bunk in the RV with my foot on pillows Then I moved to the screen room and rested my leg on the picnic table. The infection did not seem to be affected by the antibiotics; it was getting worse. I went to the walk-in clinic in Newport a few days later. That physician's assistant prescribed a stronger antibiotic and more foot elevation with dry heat. Another visit to Walgreen's.
When we got back to Big Creek we saw that it had rained - a lot. Our rain gauge showed almost three and three-quarters of an inch and we could hear Big Creek roaring through the trees.
Judging by the debris on the ground, there had been some good wind too.
Big Creek was a mad torrent.
Upstream
and down
I walked to the far side of the creek to get a picture of the bridge and noticed that the Mountain Laurel was in full bloom.
Two days later, the foot seemed worse. I called the clinic and was told to go to the emergency room. I called Boss Larry, a native, and he told me that the Newport hospital has a lot of experience with gunshot and knife wounds. What a recommendation.
After I was installed in a bed in the emergency room, poked and prodded, Dr. Gupta walked in. She seemed puzzled about something.
"What is your name?" She had my chart in her hand.
"Dinata Misovec".
"Are you at the place where the place where the Baxter Creek Trail is?"
"Yes."
"You are the author!"
She was so excited to meet me and acted as though I was some kind of celebrity. She LOVED the book "Big Creek". She had bought it last year at the Big Creek Country Store. She left the cubicle and returned with some sodas, crackers, and peanut butter snacks for us. Wow, doctors don't usually deliver snacks, do they?
I asked Andy to go out to the van and get another copy of the book for her so I could sign it with a note. She was thrilled. After she left my cubicle, I could hear her at the nurse's station saying, "She gave me a book and signed it!" The next time she came in she had decided that I needed to be admitted. I had been getting antibiotics intravenously all afternoon in the emergency room and they continued them in the regular hospital room. Dr. Gupta visited me in my room at the end of her workday. The next morning she arrived with a rose and a gift card for Applebee's Restaurant! She said her Physician's Assistant was reading and enjoying "Big Creek".
I forgot to mention the food. You can't expect too much with hospital food and lunch arrived in the form of meatloaf. I took one look and didn't want to eat it. I never eat meatloaf away from home. But it was late and I was hungry. I took a nibble and discovered that it was delicious. Then I ate everything on the tray. Andy got a lunch tray too and agreed that it was very good.
My new doctor was a handsome mountain doctor with a neat black beard and wearing jeans, a plaid shirt, and cowboy boots. The foot was improving, but he wanted me to stay another night to keep an eye on it. On the third day, July 1, they sent me home, but not until the late afternoon. Spence says that is so they can charge for another night's stay. I was told I was well enough to leave the hospital but not well enough to be without a doctor's supervision. I was to visit a family doctor as soon as possible.
July 1 was the day we were to leave Big Creek and Clyde and Debbie were to arrive. Spence was waiting for us when we got back to the host site to gather up our belongings. I called Debbie to ask if she would like to use our screen room while they host. Spence said he would take it to his house when they were done with it. An hour or so later we were on the road to Wisconsin.
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