I don’t often comment on my disability. For those of you who haven’t been reading this blog for long, it was something that happened many years ago when I was in the Army. There are quite a few symptoms related to a spine injury and attempts to repair the damage. I have been both frustrated and intrigued at times. I tend to speak of I disability in terms of the way the human body is wired. That’s because I’ve always liked electronics and my hobby is amateur radio. It was interesting how my left foot lost its feeling. It was the big toe at first then followed by the other toes. My left foot eventually became numb. Over the years, I have broken toes on that foot. I discover that fact when they turn black and blue. You may wonder how I break my toes and don’t know it. Because I have no sensation in the left foot, I don’t know exactly where it is. I can easily kick something because of that fact. I’m sure you can wiggle your toes. I can’t. I guess I should also say that I damaged the ankle severely. The foot pointed backward, and the fibula and tibia were sticking out. The only thing holding the foot on was skin, and I believe tendons.
All that was so that you would have some background. I’m currently doing some physical therapy again. I was amazed to discover a new fact. The physical therapist asked me to do a straightforward thing. I lay down on my back and lift each leg independently straight up in the air. The right leg does it perfectly. The left leg goes off at approximately a 45° angle as it goes up. I simply can’t make it go straight up like the right leg. It’s absolutely fascinating. It’s like it’s got a mind of its own. I can’t make it go straight up. I can think as hard as I can, but it won’t. It drives home the point that I don’t have control of my left leg. It’s one of the reasons I have to use a walker or wheelchair. I may have a disability that causes me problems, but parts of it are absolutely fascinating.
