Walking With God By My Side: August 2010

On Tuesday, August 17th, I went to Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics in Lima to have my newly re-constructed right foot fit for a new custom-made shoe. To most people, getting new shoes probably isn't a big deal, but it's a very big deal for me, because my custom-made shoes are the only shoes I have and wear.

It's actually hard for me to believe that I walked on the front part of my foot for nearly 36 years, because having the rheumatoid arthritis, I was not able to flatten my foot. Then on April 6th, four and a half months ago, I had re-constructive surgery to return my ankle to a normal 90° angle as well as having the bones cut and flattened on the bottom. I've been wearing a walking boot since June 4th, and I started walking with it on June 15th, so I'm really anxious to wear a shoe again.

Because I did not bear weight on my heel for over three decades, I had what is called disuse osteoporosis, making the heel bone weak and porous and causing the halo wires to pull away from my heel, which also caused some skin damage. I am so incredibly grateful that my foot is looking and doing as well as it is. I have to give Dr. William DeCarbo, my surgeon, a lot of credit for being so patient, supportive and positive the past four months.

I'm also very grateful that Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics are able to make me shoes that enable me to walk more comfortably. They do an incredible job before and after I get the shoes, making sure I am a happy and very satisfied customer.

Below are some pictures which were taken that day. I rarely get to spend much time with my niece, Abby, so she came along and was my photographer for the day.

This is John Druckemiller, the Orthotist
who casted my left foot as well as this
right one. He's very friendly, he likes
to ride a motorcycle and is an
auctioneer on the side.

John is molding the fiberglass wrap to
my foot, making sure to get every detail.

The yellow strip is used to help cut off
the cast once it completely dried. He
just cuts down on it with a special tool,
removes it, slightly pulls the cast apart
and then quickly removes it from my foot.

This is the final result of my right foot
casting for my new custom-made shoe.

This X-ray was taken June 14th, nine
weeks and six days after I had the halo
surgery and two weeks and six days
after the halo was removed. When the
halo wire pulled away from my heel,
(caused by disuse osteoporosis) the
heel bone became slightly pointy. The
new custom-made shoe will have an
insert allowing my heel to rest inside
a hole, off-loading any pressure.
Hopefully, the insert will work so
I do not need surgery to have the
pointy bone shaved down.

X marks the spot for the pointy heel bone in
my new shoe where it will be off-loaded so I
don't put direct pressure on it when I walk.

After going to Hanger's, Abby, Dianne, who is my home health aide, and I, went to Staples in Sidney, where Abby helped me spend a gift card, which I got at Christmas. Abby's quite the artist, so she got an easel and easel pad. Finally, we stopped by MacDonald's for lunch. It was quite a busy day and the first time since the fall of 2009 that I had a chance to do something extra fun. Yoohoo!!!

On Monday, August 9th, our neighbors across the street had an evergreen tree cut down. Opal Subler, who is a grand lady of 100, and her son, Dick, who is 78, have lived in the home since 1948. Sadly, Opal's husband Alfred died in 1994.

I don't know if the tree was planted the same year as when the house was built, but I do remember when I was a child and Christmas lights were hung on it, as well as another evergreen tree which was on the east side of the house. The reason the tree needed to be cut was because it was dying.

Opal's youngest daughter of four, Dianne, who has been a long time friend and helps me Monday through Friday via the home health waiver program as an aide, did me the favor of taking pictures throughout the morning as the tree was cut down.