My Running Days May Be Over

Over the years I have found that running really helps keep me in shape and it helps keep weight off. I have never been much of a runner and usually only ran about a mile. Last February I decided to lose some weight and get fit, so I started biking with Jayson one morning and running the next. I ran until the end of May and was just getting up to doing 3 miles with a few inclines when I went to Wyoming for my little sisters graduation and it rained the whole time I was there. So I only ran once and was attacked by a dog at every country home. By the time I got back to St. George it took another month to get going again. By September I was addicted and running 6 days a week with a walk on Sunday and I was up to my 3 mile mark and feeling really good. It was starting to get chilly in the mornings at 6 and I hate the cold, so my boss said to take some Cayenne Pepper about 30 minutes before I ran and it would warm me up. I was doing that and it was really working and then one morning at the end of September I took off running after only taking Cayenne 10 minutes before. About 3 blocks away I started getting really sick and having horrible pain in my chest. I decided to walk and about 3 blocks later ended up sitting on the sidewalk because I was about to throw up. I sat there for 30 minutes and tried to get up and walk, but almost passed out. Finally it was getting light outside and cars were passing and starting to look at me like I was crazy so I decided I better get home. I started to walk and about 2 blocks from my house I was feeling better so I started running. About then a pickup was coming and I didn't want to stop for it, so I jumped up on the concrete in the round about and it is uneven. Something told me not to run on it and the first step I took I twisted my ankle and fell down. I got up and realized that my ankle was hurting really bad and wasn't sure I was going to make it home. I hobbled home (luckily I was only 1 1/2 blocks and not a few miles away). Jayson was out of town and I realized I needed to get ready for work, so I just tried not to think of the pain and stayed on it. About an hour later when I finally sat down and was driving to work I realized I was going to pass out from the pain. I got to work and my ankle was swollen and throbbing like crazy. I could hardly walk at this point and I couldn't get my shoe on. My boss went and bought me a good wrap and an ice pack and he wrapped it for me. Needless to say I limped around on it for 3 weeks and finally it started feeling better. I decided to take a walk and a couple of blocks into it I thought I could run. I ran almost 2 miles when I realized I had made a mistake. By the time I got to work my ankle was the biggest it had ever been. I limped around for another 2 weeks and finally went to an ankle specialist. I had an x-ray and an MRI and they found nothing. Yet it hurt and was swollen everyday. They put me in one of those big black boots for 6 weeks and it helped with the pain, but it was still the same. I finally started physical therapy for the month of December and at that point I had lost 50% of my mobility in my foot and ankle. Two weeks ago I went back to my doctor and it seemed to be better. I was out of my boot and wearing slippers everywhere and I could walk without limping. He told me I could bike for 1 week and then start the eliptical this week and maybe next run. I started biking and it started hurting a little. Then last night I went to the gym and was on the eliptical for 16 minutes. When I got done it was swollen and I was in pain. It hurt all day today and I feel like I am almost back at the beginning. I have seen 2 different doctors and the only thing they can come up with is a torn liagement that didn't show up on the MRI. My doctor has mentioned scoping to see if they can find anything, but who wants to have surgery for no reason. I am really starting to get upset because the weather has been so beautiful. We had 67 yesterday and I wanted to run so badly. I also have 10 lbs to get off from Christmas. I asked a lady at work today if she had a saw, but she didn't think that was funny. Anyone have an extra ankle to spare?