cate wilson's Story
i have club feetMy name is Cate. I am 37 years old and was born with severe bilateral tallipes. I have the typical skinny lower legs from tendon realignment and extensive scarring and skin grafts on both legs. Pain has been a feature of daily life since I can remember but I have always had a very stubborn streak and give in to the pain very rarely. My initial surgeries were performed by a wonderful and I gather rather famous Mr. Denham at Portsmouth Hospital in the UK. I last saw him shortly before he retired when I was 17. I remember being in an acute period of pain and visited really for reassurance and the hope that there was anything that he could do. Mr. Denham was clear that there was not a surgical option but emphasised the need to maintain a 'silft-like' figure and remember daily how lucky I am to be able to walk. This I now recognise was very wise advice. I am currently in my 3rd year of study in nursing, having worked in care for many years. I find myself in a very worrying and upsetting position, in alot of pain and hardly able to walk. I have been very worried in the past to have ever cited my feet as a daily problem when communicating with colleagues and most definetely with the occupational health team. This I stand by as I have probably only ever taken about 3 days off as a result of a flare-up in my working life. What do I do at this point? I am due to see my G.P tomorrow and trust that she will give me good advice. I am so scared that the current pain, worse than ever, is a sign of significant arthritic changes in my feet and know it will break my heart if I cannot complete my training to be a nurse. I need to cheer up! I cannot believe that I have never been on a site relating to tallipes before and have taken great comfort from reading these stories, thank you.
Cate x
Added on 26 Feb 2008