You have brains in your head,
You have feet in your shoes,
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
-- Dr. Seuss
In my last column I wrote about my visit to an orthopedist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center and the diagnosis she gave regarding a longstanding problem with my right foot.
The diagnosis was Charcot (pronounced "sharko") neuroarthropathy. And as funny as the name sounds, it is a serious condition.
Charcot foot is a collapse of the bones in the foot or ankle that occurs from neuropathy. Due to nerve damage, part of my foot has lost sensation, which leads to changes in circulation that allow the bones to become soft. Once the process starts, the foot may eventually change shape or become deformed.
It can become difficult to walk, too, and pressure put on the affected foot often leads to skin breakdowns called ulcers. My case hasn't gotten that far, but while doing research, I happened across photos of foot ulcers -- and I can never unsee them. What I can do is take precautions and steps to keep my feet healthier.
I choose my direction from here on out.
My orthopedist didn't think surgery was needed, so I was prescribed a brace. There were, she said, two styles to choose between. Neither of them is fashionable or even attractive.
Week before last I headed over to Snell Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory in North Little Rock with my prescription for a brace.
After I handed over my driver's license and insurance card, and filled out paperwork, it wasn't long before I was ushered into an exam room. I met the man who was going to guide me through the process, and I was put at ease immediately. He was professional, knowledgeable and personable.
We discussed the two kinds of braces. They are made by Arizona AFO, a company that developed and patented a line of medical braces that offer options for treating the foot without surgery.
I could choose between a brace that would be put on the foot and worn inside a shoe, or one where the brace would be attached permanently to a shoe. But I'd be tied to that shoe for all my activities.
I chose the first version, all the while praying that attractive shoes would not be a thing of the past.
What I'm getting is a brace named the Standard. I had several color choices, including white, black and tan. I chose the tan, hoping it would be less noticeable and go with more outfits.
My brace looks sort of like a toe-less boot with no heel. And it has nice long strings to cinch it tightly around the foot, ankle and lower leg.
Next, it was time to have a lightweight cast made of my foot so the brace could be made to fit like a glove. A roll of thin plastic material was dipped in water, then unrolled around the foot to make the cast, and my foot was held in place in the correct upright position while the material dried.
Once it dried, the cast was cut off to send to the lab that would fabricate the brace. The cast looked odd, but it felt good to see my foot as it should look, not as it is.
I am looking forward to getting the brace in a week or so. It has been a long time coming, and I'm hoping I can return to some semblance of normalcy. But I know I can't get too gung-ho too quickly. There are certain types of activities and exercise that I shouldn't do in order to not stress the foot as it tries to heal. If in fact that can even happen.
But I am trying to keep a positive outlook and a stiff upper lip, and that is half the battle.
My next challenge will be finding shoes to accommodate my brace. I already have a big foot, so the options should be interesting.
And I welcome input any of you might have if you've experienced this, too.
Share with me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 05/11/2015