De Agony of DeFEET

Although aging beats the alternative by a long shot, it sure tests one's good humour on occasion.

Today, found me at the Pedorthist for about my 4th adjustment to my orthotics in 6 months. We just h.a.v.e.n.t b.e.e.n a.b.l.e to get it right.

In case you don't remember (because I almost don't remember and maybe I am misremembering that I once posted of this) I am lacking some cartilage in my right foot. Oh, and I am the lucky recipient of bone chips in my ankle as well. It all stems for a very bad sprain about 30 years ago. It took me quite awhile to get over it, but then the foot was pretty good for about 20 years.

About 10 years ago, although it didn't get too bad, until about 7 years ago, it started to hurt when I walked, and I eventually got the above results — missing cartilage and floating bone chips. I have avoided surgery (fusing bone where cartilage is missing ) because I cannot fathom how I could possibly manage to not put weight on that foot for 6 months. There's just no way that I can see myself hopping about on one foot at this age with that other knee not in the best of shape.

So now my orthotics have to work to help relieve the pain as well as perform their original purpose of ameliorating plantar fasciitis (heel spurs). It hasn't been going well, which is why I keep going back for adjustments. I am resigned to the reality that I will always have to endure some pain when I walk, but I was hoping to reduce it. Time will tell, we may have succeeded today. If not, it will give me another chance to whinge and whine to you at a later date. You see, if one blogs, there is always a bright side to misfortune.

I was going to proceed to tell you about yesterday's appointment with the audiologist, and title this post with something like Head to Toe or Top to Bottom or Stem to Stern, but this entry is long enough already. So let me get back to you on that Head part, will ya hon?