check socket, reality check

Check socket, reality check

Change is a good thing, right? For the amputee, it's a little more complicated than that.

Every so often, I experience enough volume change in my leg from minor weight loss -or gain- that I no longer fit in my prosthetic socket properly. This can range from no longer being able to slide far enough in that I create a suction seal (keeping the leg secured) to sliding too far in and hitting the inside of the socket with my residual limb - a huge no-no that can cause pain, discomfort, and skin breakdown on the end of the residual limb, and that, I fear, is where I'm at.

So it's time to make another lengthy couple of appointments with my prosthetist, where he will measure me and make a temporary or "check" socket built from hard, heavy plastic for me to wear for a week or so before returning to report back on how it fits and where it's poking me. It ALWAYS feels great when you leave the prosthetic clinic, but inevitably, as soon as you get home, the hard pokey plastic will start to stab a butt cheek or pinch your skin in some uncomfortable way you didn't notice earlier—making for a long week of waddling around and marking pokey spots with a Sharpie. The temp socket will also be heavier than the finished product, so it can make longer walks more tiring than usual, adding to the irritation I'm currently experiencing. Hopefully, sometime next week, I can report back on all of this socket's current flaws and come home with a better-fitting one that doesn't stab me every time I take a step.

Maintaining the exact same weight, a near-impossible magic trick for the female sex, is the only way to get out of these uncomfy, periodic socket switch outs- so here we are- and here's to hoping I only need ONE check socket before my final. Trust me when I say I will be marking this thing up with detailed directions to make it crystal clear where I'm being poked because no one wants to fly to Europe with a pokey socket. Once complete, I will be back in a lighter, carbon fiber socket coated in champagne-colored glitter, and I'll be significantly less cranky. Sparkles fix everything, don't they?