Yesterday, I found myself in the middle of the aisle at the shoe store with my prosthetic foot completely disassembled.  My husband (who works in the prosthetic industry) was kneeling on the ground in front of me with his tools scattered at my feet (foot?). 

Our toddler watched intently from the stroller and our older daughter excitedly assisted her father with the work.  I don’t wear an adjustable heel height foot, so changing heel heights is more complicated in my situation.  For a few months I have been wearing shoes with a heel height of about 1 ¼ inches.  My transfemoral (above the knee) prosthesis was set to this specification. 

I wore the same shoes (I have two pairs, different colors) nearly every day.  Because my lower back pain has been steadily increasing during the last few years, I’ve decided to take decisive action to combat the pain. 

I’ve visited a physician who advocates for homeopathic pain relief.  I’ve committed myself to visiting my massage therapist on a more regular basis.  I’ve made a promise to get the kids out of our bed, so we can stretch out and get a full night’s sleep.  And then, there was the shoe situation.  The shoes had to go. 

So I found my new shoes yesterday.  They have a relatively low heel height.  Funky, yet comfortable.  As my husband reconnected my pylon and foot, he smiled and said, “Here ya go, Cinderella”.