Walking is Not Easy

This is a sign I found in the Star Wars Exhibit at the Discovery Science Center on Friday. It was cool, but this particular sign struck me as quite funny and made me feel SO understood. It also sums up the day quite nicely. We laughed, I cried, I got a cast and well - here's a brief play by play.

8:00 am - I took the day off work and we (Layne, Hyrum and I) all arrive at Layne's school where I meet several coworkers and get to see where he works. Very fun for me. :-) The plan: 9am doctor's appointment to get fitted for a leg brace to help me walk, then meet up with the rest of the school at the Discovery Science Center at 10:30am for the field trip.


9:15 am - Layne got held up at school and we are a bit late for the appointment. I regale a team of four (doctor, physical therapist, brace specialist and some other lady) with tales of my GBS, Bells Palsy and CIDP. The doctor asks how I got the scar on my forehead and I tell her that I was hit by a truck at 19. They all crack up.  (No, it's ok. My family cracks up at this regularly. Me too.)

The problem: They see that my right foot is almost permanently in the ballerina position, toes pointed down. From the paralysis, etc, the muscles have atrophied and I literally cannot put my foot down. They explain that they can't do a brace to help me walk better until we get the foot flat (neutral) on the ground.

The solution: They decide to do a serial cast where my foot is forced into a semi-neutral position and then switch the cast every two weeks. Think of it as braces, but for my foot/ankle. I leave happy with the plan and make an appointment for 4pm that day to have the first cast put on that afternoon. I'm anxious to get started and not take additional time off work.

10:30 am - We arrive at the Discovery Science Center. Layne goes off to meet his students and I take Hyrum through the Dora and Diego Exhibit. Great if you haven't gone.We're talking a spaceship, pirate ship, jungle, flower garden and animal rescue center. Hyrum went nuts. Here he is putting gold coins in the pirate pigs treasure bank.

They also had a Star Wars Exhibit with stuff from the movies explaining the science behind it and how they made certain effects.

Me, Hyrum and Chewbacca

The Force is strong with this one.

4:00 pm - We arrive back at Kaiser for the 2nd time that day. Three different Orthopedic technicians discuss how to properly cast my foot and decide I should lay on my stomach and they would force my foot into as flat (neutral) as they can get it and cast it.

I told them to keep pushing. It didn't hurt (it's numb after all) and I wanted to get this cast off ASAP. I'm wearing gowns because I had worn skinny jeans that day (I wanted to look cute for Layne's school) and hadn't anticipated having a cast put on. I wouldn't let them cut my jeans. What woman would?

I chose red for Valentines Day.

2:00AM - The first 6 hours after the cast were ok. It's hard enough for me to walk (though doing much better) and crutches were a joke. I also realized the little driving I'd done lately was over and this thing was heavy, uncomfortable and painful. By 10pm the pain was intense, by 2 AM it was unbearable. I ended upside down in the recliner with my foot up in the air, crying to the Kaiser nurse to find out what they wanted us to do. Go to the ER, they said. Layne took Hyrum to Grandma and Grandpa's, and off we went.

5:00AM - We're home, the cast is off and we collapse into bed. We'll talk to the doctors Monday and figure out a new solution.



Happy Thought: Layne bought me two 15lb leg weights which I am placing on my leg to force the foot down. The doctors also mentioned Botox to relax the atrophied muscles, so maybe I'll have the most beautiful foot ever! Then I will become a famous foot model, DSW will hire me to model all their shoes and you all can say you knew me when. :-) Sigh. Like life isn't hard enough already. Good Grief!