Bracing myself dorky for my kids
For want of this lace-up ankle brace, I couldn't go on a "leaf walk" with my daughter today, so I'm sitting here typing to you. I sprained my ankle again. A repeated pattern I have.
This time, I was walking out from the flu shot clinic. I felt a little woozy. We were supposed to sit in this crowded room with other families. I think I may have even said out loud "I don't want to stay in this cesspit of germs." I meant no offence to other families. My own family has their own germs. My son has a perpetual cold and is still on a low dose of aspirin with no shots. I'm still nervous from his long period of being immunocompromised.
Anyway, I paid for my sins. We stepped outside and I stumbled on a gouge on the sidewalk probably carved out by the devil of germs.
Yesterday a podiatrist gave me an ankle stress test. This is where he yanks your ankle in a weird position and x-rays it. He told me if the bones split apart I need an operation. Yes, it's painful as it sounds. My bones are okay. I limped back to the exam room.
The podiatrist said I have hyperflexible ankles. Nothing to be done, except physical therapy to strengthen my weak muscles. I also need to wear a lace-up ankle brace when I walk on uneven surfaces, and especially when I go on a hike or play sports. The hyperflexible ankles are supposed to be part of my movement disorder myoclonic dystonic.
Premotherhood, I might have just said the ankle brace is a bit too dorky for me to wear except when actually hiking or sporting, but now I have two young children. In fact prekids, spraining my ankle was just somewhat annoying. I'd hobble around. It was painful, but life went on.
But the past two Halloweens I've not been able to go trick-or-treating with my kids, because I sprained my ankle. So I will actually follow the doc's directions and wear the ankle braces on uneven surfaces. Therefore my ankles will look dorky on many occasions.
Now understand, I'm no fashionista despite the fact that a photo with me in it launched our local paper's fashion section. But there's not being fashionable, and then there's looking like a dork.
I really can't think of a good shoe or fashion accessory to go with this brace. It comes in black (above) and white. They remind me of Victorian boots...sorta. If I were a man, I might try spats but that was the fashion for men not women. What do you think?
Crossposted in Silicon Valley Moms Blog
2 comments:
This is going to sound incredibly odd, but have you thought about looking at combat boots? I swear there is logic behind this. Because of my dystonia, my ankles are wierd and freaky and tend to collapse at inopportune moments. However, I've discovered that my combat boots - real boots, not the crazy things with heels - work amazingly well.
Doneril from LJ
I understand your dilema about the ankle braces. I was given a pair yesterday from my podiatrist for both ankles. Now I can come up with something creative for halloween that would involve the braces. I found a website that has what is called Active Ankle Chameleon at www.shorelinesms.com and the braces come with colored inserts.
I am looking for some type of brace that will allow me to wear something besides tennis shoes and yes, more fashionable. The combat boots sound like a try, these hinged braces are uncomfortable and to top it off I will be getting insoles too.
But it could be worse, I could be wheelchair bound and not able to do things with my son. So, I will suck it up and find another alternative.
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