Do you have things on your list...

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That you have been a bit afraid to do? Well, being that it's about to be a new year, and that I plan to go less dressed in public soon, I decided to do one of those things on my list. My toenails are ugly and problematic. I have talked to the V.A., and sometimes I have to go in for removal of 'foot barnacles'. I understand, the V.A. really isn't organized around spa type care, it is for serious problems. My barnacles can be serious as they can interfere with living, making walking painful. Still, I have been thinking to use my Dremel on some of my foot problems.

As I said, I was afraid. Oh, sure, I can seem fearless at times. And when looking death in the face, and for the right reasons, I truly can become fearless in order to do my task. But facing off against a papercut, or similar, is whole other ball of wax! No, my friend, some things can do nothing but cause terror to my mind. I feared the Dremel would rip off skin, heat my nails but without giving off a sign until I had a foot afire, or some other devious horror inducing thing. I have been looking online. Occasionally the Dremel would be indicated as a tool for the foot and nails, but little information followed. I looked online, at Amazon, for Dremel pedicure kits. There was some stuff, but nothing that seemed any better than what I have.

So, tonight, I found my Dremel and the parts kit, figured out how to use it again, set it up, sent the cats flying for fear of *buzzzzz* and settled to my task. Not bad. My big toes are so thick they are difficult to trim neatly. I thought I would start with those, to get my bearings and... explore the device in this application. Okay, it evened those right up, taking off the burrs and bumps and sharp edges. I used it to even the rest of the big toe nails, as I get a crease down their centers. All good. No hot foot, none of my other fears came to pass. So, I went to the nail that is like a hunchback. Fungus must be down underneath. I ground it right down. I did cause a pinprick of blood, but it didn't hurt. I figured I had as much off as I can get off for now. Then, just out of curiosity, I began working the 'barnacles'. Wow, that worked quite well also. Though this time I was a little more careful to avoid bleeding. On the side of my toe and the bottom of my foot, I took off between a quarter and an eight of an inch of 'stuff'. While my feet still aren't beauties, they are at least neatened and trimmed. With my big toe nails no longer wicked weapons I have less fear of ripping my legs up at night. I also passed the fear test. And more? I have one less thing on my list. It has been on my list for years. Yeah, I can be slow. Especially when a nearly superstitious fear exists on the topic. Yeah!

I may now try to figure out how to work out the material that seems to be connecting my big toes to the toenail, right up to the edges. I need to scrape that out, with powered tool or not, and begin dealing with the fungus, if that is what it is. That stuff is why I have creases in my nails. It used to be much worse. The arid nature of Utah has fixed it, to this point, but can do no more. The rest is mine to do or not to do. I also noticed my feet are drying and cracking. That is the first time I have noticed that in years. I will begin working on that. I think putting some doctor given stuff on my feet after each swim, then after showering off the bleach, might just fix that and quickly. I know, silly, but if it inspires someone to take fear in hand and move forward on their own little ditty, or offers advice on toenails to someone who could use it, that is what this post is dedicated to.

So, I happily recommend doing one of your fear inducing projects, one that has been languishing in the shadows of your mind for some time. Just do it.

Oh, and Happy New Years!