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One of the things I did last week on snowstorm Monday, besides riding a bus into a telephone pole, was pick up a cane from a friend letting me borrow it for a couple months, while my knee heals. So now I'm using the cane to help me get around, instead of the single crutch. That means I'm hobbling again, as I can't say I'm crutching, and caning means something entirely different. The cane took a little getting used to. The crutch felt a lot more supportive and steady, I believe because I held it under my shoulder as well as by its handle. The cane in contrast is shaky, and feels like it ought to have three feet at the bottom instead of one, for stability. But I learned after a bit that if I keep the foot pointed back a bit toward me when I plant it, it feels steadier than having it pointed outward in the direction I'm walking. And the cane is much more convenient to walk with and carry around than the crutch; it's lighter, and it's smaller so it's easier to work with on the bus, when getting a ride in a car, or just when sitting down somewhere. So I'm definitely happier overall using the cane instead of the crutch.
The cane also feels more dignified. There's a whole set of associations with canes, and it's funny to find myself adopting some of them. For example, they do make canes with four feet for the very purpose of providing greater stability. But I associate those with elderly people shuffling along, not at all an image I want to adopt. The cane I'm borrowing is clearly a medical physical aid, a plain sturdy aluminum cane, but it still feels dignified in a way that a four-footed one would not. It's not a fancy walking stick, but as I said it still feels dignified in a way that using the crutch does not. I'm no Yoda, but I still feel amusingly like I've got a touch of that wise-old-mentor air about me now, just because I'm walking with a cane. If it were a fancy walking stick and not just a utilitarian aid, then I'd pick up the feeling of being well-to-do, except that actually I'd feel a bit silly and pretentious, although I've known people who do have nice walking canes and never thought they looked pretentious, just fancy.
My leg's about the same as it has been. My hip bothers me the most, just from the awkward unusual way i have to walk while the leg's braced and from carrying the slightly extra weight of the brace all the time. Sometimes my knee hurts too, although surprisingly it's still rare for it to hurt on the underside where the break is, usually it's either on the inside presumably from walking strain or on the top from having the brace sliding down and resting on it. My next appointment with the orthopedic doctor is December 15, just under two weeks away. If I understood him correctly when I first saw him, I can expect to keep wearing the leg brace at least another month, maybe another six weeks, after that appointment. It'd be nice if I'm healed enough to do without for my trip East for Christmas, but I'm not really counting on it, and anyhow I'd rather put up with it if that will ensure that it heals well. Still, I am looking forward to regaining my normal mobility: using stairs has been annoyingly slow, while slopes are awkward and alarming, and being unable to rush if I need to or get on my knees for a simple task like cleaning has been frustrating.
The cane also feels more dignified. There's a whole set of associations with canes, and it's funny to find myself adopting some of them. For example, they do make canes with four feet for the very purpose of providing greater stability. But I associate those with elderly people shuffling along, not at all an image I want to adopt. The cane I'm borrowing is clearly a medical physical aid, a plain sturdy aluminum cane, but it still feels dignified in a way that a four-footed one would not. It's not a fancy walking stick, but as I said it still feels dignified in a way that using the crutch does not. I'm no Yoda, but I still feel amusingly like I've got a touch of that wise-old-mentor air about me now, just because I'm walking with a cane. If it were a fancy walking stick and not just a utilitarian aid, then I'd pick up the feeling of being well-to-do, except that actually I'd feel a bit silly and pretentious, although I've known people who do have nice walking canes and never thought they looked pretentious, just fancy.
My leg's about the same as it has been. My hip bothers me the most, just from the awkward unusual way i have to walk while the leg's braced and from carrying the slightly extra weight of the brace all the time. Sometimes my knee hurts too, although surprisingly it's still rare for it to hurt on the underside where the break is, usually it's either on the inside presumably from walking strain or on the top from having the brace sliding down and resting on it. My next appointment with the orthopedic doctor is December 15, just under two weeks away. If I understood him correctly when I first saw him, I can expect to keep wearing the leg brace at least another month, maybe another six weeks, after that appointment. It'd be nice if I'm healed enough to do without for my trip East for Christmas, but I'm not really counting on it, and anyhow I'd rather put up with it if that will ensure that it heals well. Still, I am looking forward to regaining my normal mobility: using stairs has been annoyingly slow, while slopes are awkward and alarming, and being unable to rush if I need to or get on my knees for a simple task like cleaning has been frustrating.
