resurrecting poetry: literature for the ages
When I broke my ankle at the age of 10, they diagnosed me with Charcot Marie-Tooth disease. It's an inherited nerve defect that causes abnormalities in the nerves that supply your feet, legs, hands, and arms. It can cause deformities, and it affects both your motor and sensory nerves. Motor nerves carry signals from your brain to your muscles, telling them to move. Sensory nerves carry sensations, such as heat, cold, and pain back to your brain. CMT is considered a peripheral neuropathy because it affects nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord. It progresses over time. Meet my feet
THE X-RAYS BELOW ARE BEFORE AND AFTER 2 SURGERIES ON THE RIGHT FOOT, INVOLVING A TOTAL ANKLE REPLACEMENT
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AFTER THE 1ST SURGERY
THEN...
...AND NOW
Surgeries Performed By:
I ran a lot when I was a boy, I loved to run. I climbed trees and I did all those things little active kids do. Of course, my feet looked much different then; closer to normal. I've always managed to get around okay. Well, sort of. I was clumsy, lacked coordination and balance, but I managed.
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Over the last two decades it was becoming more and more difficult to walk, and the pain was becoming a nuisance. I definitely needed an upgrade.
When I first considered surgery and had my foot looked at was about 10+ years ago. I was told that I could have my foot and ankle fused together, limiting what little range of motion I had to nil, or, they could simply just amputate. No, thank you.
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It wasn't till after I moved to Chicago, when I found the right surgeon; Dr. Brian M. Weatherford. After countless x-rays, and M.R.I.'S, he explained to me that my best case scenario required two surgeries. This would mean I would be able to flex my foot, and that meant a great deal to me.
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The first surgery began Jan. 20, 2020, and the next was approximately 6 mos. later. Surgery on the left foot happened in July '21. It's holding up well. I'm walking better and there's very little pain. I'm grateful.
Thank you for visiting.
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