Cast party

This guy opened a utility knife and dragged it all the way down my left leg today, from just under my knee all the way down to my toes. Then, his hands stained red, he did the same thing to my right leg.

This was not a dream; Mom saw it all.

Let's see ... what did I forget to mention ... I know there was something ...

Oh yeah, I was at Orthotic Solutions getting impressions of my feet made for AFOs.

My rehab doctor (the one who suggested the Hun saddle) thinks I stand a better chance of keeping my feet on my chair if I have ankle braces. She also thinks they would help with transfers and trike riding.

It will be a plastic thing that runs along the bottom of my foot and up the back of my calf so it will keep my feet straight, rather than drooping and rolling as they tend to do now. A hinge in the back will allow me to raise and lower my foot as I normally would although it will limit the lowering.

I hope it is not too bulky or uncomfortable for me. They said the AFOs fit inside your shoes. You just take the insoles out.

After going through everything and deciding to get them, they made the foot molds. First they put a sock on and then they wrapped it with red fiberglass tape that they soaked in water and hardened up. It also ran and stained their hands (well, their gloves) red.

The most ingenious part to me was that they put right on top of the leg what looked like a real old electric plug -- super thick. It was just a cutting board, I guess. That is what they dragged the knife down. Then they cut off the sock, pried off the cast and taped it together.

At the end of the appointment there were two really lifelike red feet sitting on the counter.