Grateful for mini-miracles and lessons about living with ALS
A mishap with my ankle-foot orthoses didn't keep me down for long
Who would’ve guessed that wearing a pair of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) while on a simple haircut trip would turn into a near disaster? But with two mini-miracles and one big lesson about living with ALS, the day was saved. Although I can tell this story in many ways, I think I’ll start smack-dab in the middle, with me sitting in the stylist’s chair trying to catch my breath while worrying about how I’d make it home.
Minutes before, I was sitting on my rollator and being pushed by my husband. Our path took us through the big open room of the hair salon, passing curious stylists and their customers, all trying not to stare. In an attempt to avoid sliding off the rollator, I lifted my feet, leaned back, and tried to look nonchalant, as if to say, “Nothing to see here, folks. This is how I always travel.”
Reaching my stylist’s chair, it took another few seconds for my husband and me to perform a sort of slow-motion acrobatic duet just to lift me up, turn me around, and plop my backside onto the big bulky chair.
What happened?
I’d been in high spirits because that morning, while getting dressed, I noticed I was walking much easier and smoother in my AFOs. Mentally I congratulated myself for my dedication to a series of daily leg exercises. I imagined how I’d confidently roll into the salon with a peppy gait and the regulars would remark on my improvement.
Once at the salon, I calmly exited our van. It’s a short walk from the parking lot to the salon’s entrance, with only a small brick patio extending about 10 feet in front of the door. I had crossed the parking lot and was stepping onto the patio when, suddenly, I felt a distinct “pop” under my right foot. Taking another step with the same foot, I determined the feeling was more of a “squish.”
Looking down, I expected to discover I’d merely stepped on a small rock. Instead, I saw a gaping space near the inner ankle area of the AFO where the foot and leg sections connected. A small silver screw hung precariously between the two pieces. Every time my right foot took a step, the pieces pulled farther apart. I stopped, frozen in place.
Not grasping the gravity of the situation, my husband, who was walking beside me, blurted out, “Can’t you walk any faster? You’ll be late for your appointment.”
It was one of those laugh-or-cry moments. I think I did both.
Quickly realizing my AFO was broken, he helped me as I slowly limp-walked to the doorway. Once there, we quickly agreed the me-riding-with-him-pushing-me arrangement was the only solution to crossing the large room ahead. By the time I was in the chair and he examined the broken AFO, the tiny screw was gone.
Mini-miracles and a big lesson
As my haircut commenced, a cloud of gloomy scenarios swirled in my mind about how the rest of the day would involve getting to a nearby orthotics clinic, hobbling in, waiting for a repair, and finally arriving home late in the day.
Meanwhile, miracle No. 1 was happening. My devoted husband was outside pacing up and down the patio, scrutinizing every inch in search of the missing screw. Ta-da, he found it!
However, he discovered it needed an Allen wrench — and a small one at that.
Enter miracle No. 2. The salon owner, who’d been observing our antics, stepped in and produced a small packet of itty-bitty Allen wrenches, and one was the perfect size for our little screw.
Immediately the salon became our impromptu repair shop as my husband and I sat side by side in two vacant dryer chairs while he used the tiny wrench to join the two sections of my AFO back together. I exited the salon under my own steam, pushing my rollator and walking in a pair of functional AFOs.
On the drive home, my body finally relaxed and this thought bubbled up: The thing about learning to live with ALS is that catastrophes can happen at any time. Our challenge is to be like a cork bobbing along in the ocean. A big wave may push us down, but not for long. We pop up again and again. And we know we’re doing it well.
Note: ALS News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of ALS News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to ALS.
About the Author
Leave a comment
Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published.