How
to Thrive with this Disability
Episode
01 – No Longer a Game of Inches
Watch my video: https://youtu.be/s0J-IRA966g
My fight against the devastating effects of
multiple sclerosis is now a game of millimeters, 1.2 mm to be exact! Let me get
to the point without too much rambling.
The difficulty in raising the front part of my
left foot led to walking difficulties. Increased falls are a constant danger.
My poor gait (the pattern my limbs move when I walk) created further problems,
placing awkward strains on my joints and spine. Avalanches of issues began to
put everyday living at risk. Hip and knee problems developed. I now have
moderate scoliosis (sideways curvature of the spine).
This change began around 2012.
Foot drop was one of the first noticeable
symptoms when I began to develop secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).
This issue predated the rest of the atrophy on my left side. Trips and falls
became common occurrences before any formal SPMS diagnosis. Blah, blah, blah…I underwent
multiple treatment and brace options before settling on the ankle foot orthosis
(AFO).
The concept is simple. A semi-rigid carbon fiber
medical device system sits under your foot, preventing it from angling down
when your leg raises. Not perfect, but better!
Unrelated symptoms pop up in my life with
multiple sclerosis on a regular/constant basis. Aches and pains become the
effect without a direct correctable cause. Joint issues, scoliosis, you name
it, they’re all there. That’s just life with multiple sclerosis. In the Army,
we would say, “Suck it up and drive on.” So, I do.
Eleven years after finally receiving my first AFO,
frustration over this off-balanced sensation got me thinking. My left leg feels longer. It feels
longer because it is. 1.2 mm longer, to be exact. It’s called LLD, for Limb
Length Discrepancy. According to the National Children’s Hospital webpage “Limb
Length Discrepancy (LLD),” evaluation and treatment options should be
considered “when the difference measures more than 1.5 to 2.0 centimeters.”
I have no medical training, and no medical
professional ever raised this issue, but the 1.2 mm discrepancy caused by my
AFO is the source of pain and imbalance in my gait. It is not the only source,
but a significant cause. This is my personal diagnosis and opinion. At
some point, I will review everything with a physical therapist or my doctor.
Take that, MS.
Here’s a link to the Carbon Fiber Insole I
purchased: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYNSN2Z9.
Well worth every penny.
This is one thing that helps me live and get
through this so I can celebrate the miracle of countless tomorrows. I want you
to be there with me as well. We are in this fight together!
Because it is a fight.
The fight is not over and it won’t be over until a cure is found.
It will never stop…nor will we
It will never quit…nor will we
This is why we fight!
Never Stop… Never Quit…®
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Shop, or Donate Today: https://NeverStopNeverQuit.com
