Plaster casts & purple boots

At the end of September I had to visit Orthotics at MRI to be fitted for some orthopaedic boots.  My knee man, Mr Ellis, referred me to Orthopaedics when my physio sessions ended after my knee replacement op earlier this year.  Because I have dropped feet (my feet don't pick up when I lift my leg to take a step, I have no muscle/tendon/whatever it is that lifts the foot) this is what causes me to trip and fall and it was probably one such fall which had resulted in the dislocated of my right knee in the first place.
Once my physio ended and the staff were happy with my knee bend the only thing that concerned them was the dropped feet hindering my walking so the referral process began.

I had some boots made donkeys years ago when I lived in Essex and I occasionally still wear them as they looked great, it wasn't overly noticeable that they were orthopaedic boots.  I then had a pair made in Preston when we lived there.  This pair took over a year to complete and were utterly hideous when they arrived.  They looked like they'd had no finishing done to them, they looked and felt like boots Frankenstein would have worn and did nothing for my self confidence.  I wore them once and hated every minute and swore I'd never wear them again.

Ones made in Essex

Hideous pair made in Preston - yikes! Look at them; just LOOK!  Hideous right???





So, I went for an appointment in July and was asked to measure my right ankle in 2 places every day, 3 times a day for 1 month to see when and where any swelling occurred to get an accurate as possible fit.  This I did and went back in August.  Unfortunately as my blood pressure medication had been changed between visits the lady in Orthotics was reluctant to use the measurements and wanted me to measure it for another month to see if the new BP meds affected it as they had been prescribed to reduce water retention in my legs.
I drew up a chart and measured it again...

There didn't seem to be too much fluctuation in the measurements which I was guessing was a good thing.  I went back to Orthotics on 17th Septemberand the process began!
First of all she measured both feet separately taking every conceivable measurement imaginable

Crap right foot looking a bit mucky but I can assure you that's mottling from being cold.  Honest.

Next, after she'd drawn all over my foot highlighting the bones and swollen areas came the sexy white sock and plastic piping in preparation for the plaster-of-paris to be applied...


I love having plaster-of-paris put on my legs, its damp and warm when applied and quickly hardens but while the orthotic lady was moulding it to the shape of my leg it just feels so warm and cosy....

After the left leg had been plastered and the hardened cast removed... on to the right foot.

I'm sure these could be someone's fetish stocking... different strokes for different folks n' all that....

Anyway this is the right foot prep'd for the plaster to go on... that green pencil/ink took an age to get off my skin!!

This is the right foot with the plaster on and pushed into the correct position.  When she put it in that position it felt wrong and at an odd angle to me but that's the position it should be in which would help me walk a lot better.... the cast was sliced off just after this was taken.

What a pair of post plastered hobbit feet look like.  Attractive yes?? lol

And there are the finished casts of both of my feet,  on her desk.  They are such a strange, chunky, small shape I find it weird that they're mine looking at them like that.  But mine they are.

I let slip while we were chatting that I'd always fancied a pair of purple doc martins but a) had never had the spare cash to afford them and b) doubted I would be able to get a fit that would fit my unique feet. 
She pointed out some cracking ankle boots in one of the catalogues I was looking through which I could have in a lovely shade of purple!

So hopefully those casts will make a cracking pair of purple ankle boots ala doc martin-esq!!