Cankle Wars

Its like a bad remake of a classic Star Wars movie. I have a cankle!! For those of you out there not in the "know" with the lingo, a cankle is synonymous with the fat girls you see waltzing around that from behind, you cannot tell where the calf ends... and the ankle begins. Hence the term, CANKLE. I had a cankle once before, back in June of 2007... after a training run I finished up and noticed some soreness, thought nothing of it and proceeded on. The next day I was doubled over in pain. Attack of the Cankle Episode 1 began. After several doctor's visits, and being what I thought was "proactive" I got x-rays, and an MRI... to which the only conclusion the doctors could find was that I had severe inflammation in my ankle... that was it. Or so I thought till I received the medical bills from my fabulous health insurance to the tune of $2000... lovely. Talk about thanking my lucky stars my parents instilled the "save your money for a rainy day" life lesson.. because I dont care who you are, coughing up $2000 for medical bills that resulted in NO medical explanation other than, 'severe inflammation' is bound to hurt the pocket just a lil' bit.
So after a few weeks, and a month of not running, the cankle disappeared just like it had arrived. I thought that would be the last of the cankle (thanks to Momma & the sport of triathlon, I dont think I will have to worry about fat girl cankles) but OHHHH NO. Return of the Cankle Episode 2 would rear its ugly head....
Two weeks ago yesterday, I ran a Half Marathon in my hometown of Pensacola, Florida. The race started off pretty good, I didnt push myself at all the first 10k and felt like I could definitely pick it up the back half, and was successful until I reached mile 10.. and then I took a step that caused a shooting pain to hit my ankle. It almost felt like something pinched... I considered stopping.. but 14 years of swimming will screw with your head... you dont stop unless your arms and legs are falling off, or you are dying... which ever comes first. So I proceeded on, and crossed the finish line in a hugh amount of pain. I couldnt even walk when I crossed.. I more or less lightly hobbled. So the pain continued, and I iced and iced, have been popping Ibuprofen like candy...
Two weeks later.. the pain is almost WORSE than it was the day it happened. I finally called the doctor today and got them to perscribe the same anti-inflammatories they gave me for Attack of the Cankle Episode 1. I took it immediately after I finished work today.... which was painful. I couldnt walk straight all day. Was VERY SLOW when I was walking.... it was just painful. Ive determined that the cankle is in fact BIGGER, than it was two weeks ago.. and I have started the elevation and ice again. Im keeping my fingers crossed that the meds will work, that I will wake up one morning and the Cankle will have disappeared.. off to mess with some other victim. Its to the point now that Im almost crying the pain is so sharp. Seriously, the nerves are pinched or something. Does somebody know how to alleviate pinched nerves without performing backyard surgery with a butter knife? The idea has crossed my mind... Grrrr.