Clint's Story
i have club feetI was born severly club footed on my left foot. My family knew nothing of what clubbed foot was until I was born. After some looking, we found that I had a great uncle that had it as well, but no others in my family. Anyways, I was told by my parents that my left foot and leg was so turned and twisted, it touched my inner left thigh. They also discovered that I was born without an ankle on said foot. I had a total of 4 surgeries in 5 years on my foot. I am not sure the methods used, but what I DO know is they were so new and experiemental, the procedures were photographed, and my life and visits documented until I was 10 (that was my last visit to the "foot doctor" as I called him. I was told that I would never walk normal as an adult, and would have major problems walking and running by the time I was 40....
The first 7 years of my life I spent in braces, corrective shoes, and therapy at home, and at the docs office. But, I ran, jumped, and kicked the balls just as well as other students and kids. I might have been a touch slower, but I had no pain growing up, other than some jerks making fun of my foot from time to time.
Well, I am now 30 and I can walk and run just fine, and I credit that, the therapy and my parents for the reasons as such. I have worked in several manual labor jobs and other than seasonal arthritis, I have no pains. However, my left leg is a 1/2 inch shorter than my right (always has been), and I have recently developed back problems because of this. I have a "natural" limp when I walk (because of the shortness of leg and my foot is 2 shoe sizes shorter than the right), and my left calf is considerably shorter than my right due to the months spent in a cast at such an early age. But, I am STILL walking, STILL riding my bike and I refuse to let this get me down.
Added on 07 Jul 2008