For most of the summer I had some sores on my right leg that made it painful to wear my prosthesis. I wore it anyways most days, but only for a few hours at a time. And the sores were awful and raw and oozy. And so painful to walk on–I’d say it was akin to hiking with 2″ ulcerated holes on both the heel and ball of your foot while you’re wearing sweat-drenched scratchy wool socks. And then add into that the discomfort from the toes I broke at the beginning of the summer and it was just a painful few months. Painful, I say.
So just yesterday I marveled at how easy it was to walk around my garden. The 30 ft walk from my gate to the hose had seemed pretty torturous for a few months there. And it was just effortless yesterday. No pain. And everything else has been so much easier, too. Cleaning house, walking to class, my daily routines.
I’d like to think that I don’t take walking for granted. And it’s sure nice to have the realization of how lovely it can be.
:)
4 comments
Woo-hoo. Congratulations on a pain free day!!!
Skin breakdowns are the number one reason prosthetics fail people. I’m really glad this one has finally passed for you.
Sara is correct because my skin brokedown (plus I had major major fit issues), and I just shelved it. In reading this though, it makes me wonder if I’m a woossie. Maybe I should give it another crack.
theamput:
So you don’t wear a prosthesis at all, or just temporarily?
It took me nearly 10 years to get a good fit with a leg so I could wear it all day long and walk fairly comfortably. I had a bit row again about 3 years ago with an awful fit, but for the most part I know what I’m looking for and I don’t leave the prosthetist’s office until I’m satisfied.
Summer’s are always just awful for me, tho. I have to take it very easy because skin breakdown is almost guaranteed once I start sweating (which is after abt 10 min outside). I just hibernate during the day and prowl around in the evening when it has cooled off a bit.
This past summer I had problems when I was traveling (the first sore began while on a roadtrip while I was wearing my leg and didn’t have crutches with them. I knew I couldn’t hop to gas station bathrooms–they are hard enough to navigate as it is) so I had to wear the leg until I got to my destination. By then the sore was huge and festering. And didn’t really clear for about 3 weeks until another started…