Good evening Houston and beyond, The Mad Houstonian, here.
Last December I wrote an essay about finding one's "Footing", as part of my month-long Everwalk Nation Inspirational Word of the Day Series...
As I head down the stretch in my recovery from my February injury to my left leg, my physical therapy has allowed me to return to walking on both feet, with no walker, and to put on, and take off, my shoe and sock on the left foot.
Next week I see my doctor again, and am set to return to work in just over 2 weeks.
Yesterday was a big day...I took the huge step of buying a new pair of shoes....not just the latest of my usual, but something new and different.
As I wrote in December...
When I think of "Footing" several things come to mind: Shoes, health, and creativity.
I walk everywhere. I have done so all my life.
Right from the start, from my earliest days of standing on my own two feet and moving about to explore the world around me, shoes have been important to me.
I still have the little pair of shoes I must have been wearing when, as a toddler, a year, or 2 old, my parents took me with them on a visit to historic Chinatown, in Los Angeles...and I soon wandered off to explore the place on my own.
How, exactly, they lost me was never explained, neither was how long I went missing before they found me.
All I know about this event is that I was found sitting on the lap of some grizzled old Chinaman, all smiles and giggles.
As I grew older my feet grew, too.
Eventually I grew into size 12 shoes. Tennis shoes of the right size and comfort level were hard to find, and I moved on to sneakers of various types, good for walking.
Again, size and comfort level varied as models and brands came and went.
9 years ago I discovered New Balance shoes, and when I moved to Houston, in 2012, I discovered that I could get them in Wide 4E.
I've worn a couple of different models and found them comfortable.
The condition of my feet, and legs, have always been important to me, especially since the Summer of 2011 when I broke my right ankle investigating a black cat in a drainage ditch, and then when I stubbed my toes on both feet, a couple years ago, causing some numbness apparently associated with Plantar Faciitis.
Then my latest leg injury happened giving me one more problem down below.
My feet (both legs now have metal in them, and matching scars) are always painful, the docs say I have early onset Arthritis, and I can't haul ass like I used to, to catch a bus, cross a busy intersection, or avoid some stray dog if need be, but I still walk anywhere from 5 to 9 miles at one time, and sometimes 10-20 miles a day.
If it wasn't for my 2 feet, where they carry me every day, and my love of taking those journeys, on foot, or by bike, the opinionated, creative, writer and photographer I have become the last 20 years might not have been.
As I also wrote, last December...
I want to do my first 20 mile walk, maybe eventually an "Epic" walk, with Everwalk Nation, someday.
I want to get away...on my own 2 feet.
Feet I can trust to get me where I want to go.
Backpack, water bottle, snacks, walking stick, notepad, camera and all.
Explore places. Stop a lot just to take photos.
Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at joints no one but the locals have heard of.
Take the time to observe my surrounding and admire the view.
I want to make memories to share through my writing and camera.
I want to feel alive!
As I head into the future I decided I wanted to do more than just go to my usual shoe shopping places, where sales people don't always have enough knowledge to help me choose right, and I spent anywhere from $35 to $50 for shoes.
I went to Foot Solutions, a store that just opened up again, operated by an older couple who have been popular shoe sellers in the area for years.
I talked to Jim Seppala, who had seen me walk thru the parking lot to his door, explaining my issues, and my interest in finding a new shoe that not just fit better than previous ones, but might be more appropriate for the amount of walking and standing I do every day.
I had not idea what this quest would end up costing me.
He measured my feet, and brought out a pair, a half size wider than my usual, from a company I'd never heard of.
I put them on and walked around the sales room.
It not only looked different than my usual, but felt different, too...and very comfortable.
I asked the price....and had to give it some serious thought when I heard it.
I am doing my damnedest to hold on to as much of my money as I can, until I return to work, with regular hours and my usual pay, not the limited amount under a Leave of Absence.
I have rent and bills to pay, food and necessities, for me and the cats, to buy.
But I needed new shoes, and better ones, going forward, so bit the bullet and spent $189 ($170+Tax).
When I got home I went to the Brooks Running Website, and looked up the Beast20, that I had just bought, to learn more about it.
It made for interesting reading, and a survey on the site, to "find the best shoe" for me, even spit the shoe out as one of several recommendations.
Customer comments on the site gave the shoe high marks, and several of my fellow Everwalkers, who also wear Brooks, including the Beast, did as well, when I shared the news of my purchase.
I'm well-shod, again, even better shod than I've probably ever been, and we shall see how things go from here.
ONWARD!!
They were expensive, but definitely worth it if they help you. Too bad insurance doesn't cover stuff like that.
Posted by: Ellen Pilch | May 06, 2020 at 06:21 PM