Spending & Saving Money

My foot pain continues.
It's beginning to hurt in my wallet too. It's amazing what you'll spend money on when properly motivated by pain.
But it's also amazing how much money I'm saving by avoiding shopping malls, big discount stores and general window shopping.

I've bought good shoes, no great shoes, with hi tech support in all the right places.
I've bought inserts and supports and have been given boots to sleep in and balms to rub on.

If you could see me now . . . . well, I don't mean the Winnie the Pooh jammies so much as the contraption on my leg & foot. Question was, which foot to put it on as I have plantar fasciitis in BOTH feet.

A friend of a friend bought this Velcro brace thingy for me as she too had suffered from plantar fasciitis. I've seen women bond over childbirth stories or men compare various pains, whether kidney stones or a blown out knee, but this plantar fasciitis thing is amazing. I mention it and people come out of the woodwork telling what they experienced and how painful it is.

I know it HURTS and I've been telling you about it since May, but it is nice to have the pain validated. I seem like a big baby, limping as I stand up or as I get out of the car, nothing apparently wrong with me and no real good sport or accident stories to tell as to the cause.

Another major expense happened this past week. I've been to podiatrists on BOTH sides of the Pacific Ocean. Both gave me orthotics, both were custom made for my feet. Then this week I went in to a retail foot clinic kinda store that promises results or they'll make adjustments until they get it right. I paid a significant sum which is NOT covered by medical insurance. Well, they'd advertised on the radio, hadn't they, and they have stores in several states and have been in business for over 10 years!

The young man took an ink impression of my feet to see where the pressure was greatest and then he measured and fitted an orthotic to spread that pressure out. Only at the end did he reveal the price. By that time, he had gently handled both of my un-socked feet and let me lean on him a time or two. I talked the price over with my good friend who said she hated to see my obvious pain and, if this was a potential solution, then it would be worth it.

I agreed with her and took the risk. Now I'm also using this brace thing to hold my left foot at a 90 degree angle or less while I sleep tonight. We'll see if I keep it on all night!

I guess what I'm wondering is, if the formula for relieving back pain, hip pain, heel pain, is all in one of 272 inserts they can put in our shoes, then why don't the podiatrists make it so simple? Maybe cause it's not really that simple? We'll see.

Comments

jane said…
Hmmm . . . I hope it doesn't turn out to be like the like the ear wax thingy . . .
Woven and Spun said…
Oh man! I hate that it is still so painful for you. Sorry to nag, but have you been doing all your calf stretches? Have you had x-rays to see if you've developed bone spurs? Do you know I love ya & will pray even more about this for you? Good.
Tash McGill said…
thinking of you! ouchies. but hoping for a good result!
Ashleigh Nicole said…
it pleases me much to know you're going to try and use it!