My leg's coming out of the closet

[captain91]

Hi guys,

So last night we took my yearly photos of my right leg to show the deterioration (if you don't know me from anything other than games I twisted my ankle in 2003 when I was 11 and caused a nerve damage that has since spread through my body). It was quite shocking to compare them to last year's photos and see how much has changed. I tried to

Comments

[badly_knitted]

I can't imagine how painful it must be - it certainly puts my own problems into perspective, in comparison they're minor.

I've always had weak ankles, twisted and sprained them many times, but I never imagined that something that is usually such a minor injury could cause an ongoing degenerative condition. I don't think I could ever be as brave as you and I count myself lucky that I've never had to be. I salute you. *hugs*

[captain91]

I had weak ankles as a kid, it just took one wrong slip for me. it's pretty damn scary to think something that simple can cause something so major and that i usually have to explain my condition to new doctors, they've never even heard of it

I don't see it as brave, i just see it as doing what i have to to keep going. we get pitifully little care in england without shouting ourselves hoarse, so my mother and i have become a solid unit to fight together and get whatever need doing done

[badly_knitted]

Yeah, British medical care used to be the pride of Europe but it's pitiful these days and most doctors don't seem much interested in helping those who can't work for one reason or another.

I had my mum looking after me when I was completely housebound, but she's 81 now so we sort of take care of each other. Mums are a blessing!

[iantojjackh]

I can't imagine going though something like that. No matter what you say I think you are pretty brave. It definitely puts my ankle problems that ive been complaining about being in treatment for six months in perspective. It's unfathomable how a twisted ankle could lead to that.

Sorry I don't know of any comms you can go to, but if you need to unload you can always PM me.

[captain91]

Thank you hun, I'm sorry you've been suffering. I've coem to the conclusion that ankles SUCK!!!

And thank you for offering to lend an ear. I don't believe any problem is insignificant to the person with it, so the same goes for you. I'm always around if you want to get in contact and rant or cry hun

[iantojjackh]

You're welcome.

Yes they do suck. I just shutter to think when/if the medical bills start coming in for all my PT visits.

Thanks. Will keep that in mind.

[tardisjournal]

What a flukey, horrible thing to have happen to you, made all the worse by the fact that the doctors don't seem to know what to do about it!

I too think you're brave for soldiering on in the face of constant pain, and for risking rejection in a society that too often judges on appearances by coming out of the closet anyway. Your strength and courage is inspiring to me. <3<3

[captain91]

that thing ain't no fashion accessory, i can tell you that much baby. but it is what it is, and as my dear old nan would have said "If you don't laugh you cry love,"

i use facebook mainly for games, and i'd reached the point where at least once a month i got an email from somebody i was getting to know on there saying they didn't believe i was disabled. they said because i could type normal and use a mouse i must be normal (and we're not just talking teenagers who know know better, i had the wife of a soldier tell me this!). they would often troll across my timline, i would remove what they did and them (which made me look even guiltier to anybody who saw it) and wait for the next month

so we'd just taken these pictures, and i thought boom or bust. i fully expected a negative reaction, i knew how to unfriend people and i was prepared to lose every last one of them on there.

but more than once in the last couple of days i've ended up a blubbering wreck because people have been so nice, it seems i didn't prepare for the other

Amazing

[anonymous]

You are a very brave person.