Socks and Sores, And A Look Back

    Good afternoon it's great to have you visiting. If this is your first time here I am a below the right knee amputee and these blogs have been about how I got here, and what adjustments I have had to make. And every now and then an observation.

   2025 is now just three days away and as I sit and look back on the changes that have happened in my life I just have to shake my head. At the beginning of 2024 I still had my right leg and I was totally mobile, now my right leg below my knee is gone. At the beginning of 2024 my son was getting Seniorites as he would be graduating in May and heading off to Oklahoma University. Now my son is dead, having killed himself just three months into his first semester of collage. My daughter was starting her last semester at Oklahoma Baptist University, and now she is an OBU graduate with a bachelors in Psychology. What a  crazy year!

   The last couple of blogs I have said that I would write about socks. Now that doesn't sound like a big deal, and unless your an amputee or know one this your probably wondering where I'm going with this. Before I started the process of getting my prosthetic leg, socks really weren't a thing. As a kid I wore tube socks or what they call sports socks now when ever I wore shoes. I did on a few occasions wear dress socks, but that was very, very rare. About 4 years ago I was told to help the circulation in my legs I really needed to start wearing compression socks and so Monday through Saturday if I wore socks (I preferred to go barefooted) I wore compression socks. On Sundays I would ware dress compression socks. When I broke my leg, I got worried about my other foot so now I ware a compression sock on my left foot all the time. 

   Now fast forward to my first visit to Mahaffey, I was filling out the paperwork needed for first time clients and came across a question that ask how many socks I wore. Of course I thought it was a silly question and a no brainier, I mean everyone only wears one sock on a foot at a time right. Well, okay maybe two on a cold day. So naturally I put one as my answer. Well guess what? That isn't how it works with a prosthetic leg, well not exactly. 

 

   There are four basic socks each being a different thickness, a half, a #1, a #3, and a #5. The reason for this is because the stump shrinks over time in circumference and so that the stump fits into the leg without creating problems you wear any combination of these socks. The socks are worn over the sleeve that I wrote about last time. This totally throws my wife, she thinks I should have the padding inside the sleeve not on the outside. The socks are on the outside between your sleeve and your prosthetic to keep your stump from rubbing. If you don't have just the right fit you can end up with a blister on the bottom of the stump, it looks something like this or worse - 

  I was blessed that it isn't any worse. I have a friend who had to go on antibiotics his blister was so bad. I have to tell you I'm not sure about figuring out how many socks or what thicknesses I need. I started with two #1s and then moved to two #1s and a half sock, and lately I have been wearing a #3 and it looks like I am going to have to go up to a #1 and a #3. The leg is to fit snug, but not to tight. Totally a learn as you go kind-a thing.

   I try to keep these short so I guess I'll finish up with this today. I don't know what you have gone through this year, but I do know this, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8). My Mother-in-law use to have a plaque that read, "Don't worry about tomorrow, God's already there." Yes, He is there and He's got you covered if you will let Him. 

 

   And if like us you have been dealt a pretty hard hand remember these words of comfort - What a wonderful God we have-he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3). 

 

I pray 2025 is a great year for you.