Dianne's Story
i have club feetHello, Dianne here.
I was born in 1956 with severe bilateral clubfeet. I am married but no children. I have three siblings and several nieces and nephews, all with normal feet. I was raised in Massachusetts but now live in Florida and my feet are much happier here. I do have arthritis in both clubfeet and it got to the point, in the cold weather, I could not stand up in the morning. My husband, of 30 years now, couldn't take seeing me in so much agony so he moved us to sunny Florida.
My parents were great and got me the best doctor to take care of my severe clubfeet. My first casting was the day after I was born. My Mom saved one cast and I still have it. Odd, but it is so cute.
Of course, 'cute' faded as I grew up and the surgeries continued. The realization that I was different set in. School years...cruel kids.
I never wore shorts until my late twenties, I finally became comfortable with my weird looking feet and chicken legs. No muscle tone at all in my calves but, luckily my legs are equal and I only limp when my feet are tired. That is usually a daily event but most people do not see as it is in the evenings.
Funny thing though, when I do tell people I have clubfeet, they seem surprised. Maybe people don't look at other peoples feet as much as I think they do. I look at everyone's feet because I am conscious of my deformity. My feet and the back of my legs are very scarred, my big toes were pinned when I was about eight. Great idea, it kept me from falling over when standing barefoot but now I have awful trouble with ingrown toenails. I try to wear open toe shoes.
Shoes, ugh. Another nightmare, but we will save that for another time.
All of the general practitioners I have had over the years only want to prescribe pain pills. I'm 50 and still don't want to start on the drugs yet.
I figure, I'd rather wait until I'm older and really need them.
Take care~Dianne
Added on 27 May 2006
Comments
All times are in GMT -04:00Comment added by Ursuline Griffith on the Sun 8 October 2006 a 11:07am
Diana, I AM A SUFFER TOO MY FEET HURTS A LOT..I WAS BORN IN 1951 IN THE CARIBEAN OUR MEDCINE WAS NOT THAT ADVANCE SO I NEVER HAD THE OPPUNITY TO GET CORRECTIVE SUGERIES.