Last Friday in the swimming school locker room my double-jointed toe got caught in the plastic grating laid down across the floor. As I went to step forward, my toe curled under the grating and I caught the edge of it between the toes.

Luckily, I was by myself and nobody saw my agony.

But the pain quickly passed and I forgot about it. Until Saturday night. After a day in Sao Paulo for the youth camp meeting, it was throbbing by the time I got home.

By Monday I wasn’t sure if it was the soreness from the accident or if I was getting an infection.

By this morning I was fairly sure my toe had somehow, perhaps by trauma, perhaps by finding a bug under the grating, gotten infected.

I’ve twice had a foot infection. The first time I caught it in a shower in a local gym where I had started working out after two months. I was a week off my feet.

The second time, in a shower at the youth camp, during the National Christian Workers Encounter.

And now again.

Since I’m traveling to Recife today, I rushed to the doctor yesterday afternoon, who worked me in.

I first went to her two years ago after the second foot infection, since I don’t have a personal physician. She was the kids’ pediatrician, a homeopathic doctor who also treats adults at times.

The last time I saw her was in Sept., 2006, to get my doctor’s clearance for any skin infections or eruptions, so I could start swimming.

She was intrigued by my one kidney and had me do ultrasound and other tests galore. Results: I was going to survive.

This time she told me I was in good shape for my advanced age. But encouraged me to do a check-up.

Gave me some drops to take and a cream for the toe. But I can’t let the medicine go through the airport x-ray.

I’m praying this infection won’t cause me problems during the seminar I’ll be teaching over the weekend or during my travels to and fro. Praying to that end.