'Special' shoes

As you get older things you once would never have considered suddenly begin to seem to be a good idea.  Like, growing your own veg or just having one night out this weekend; getting a smaller TV package to reduce the bill or putting money away for a rainy day.  This year, I began to consider - shudder - 'special shoes'.

Ten years ago I considered this sort of thing for people who had one leg significantly longer than the other and needed something to help them walk better.  Or perhaps for people who have conditions meaning they fall over if their shoes don't have weights in.  This was not something for me. I was way too 'cool' for that.

A few years on with some wisdom in the bank and at my ripe old age of 28 years and 18 months, things have begun to change. Gone are the days when I could wear heels so high I had to be drunk just to stand in them.  Countless times after eventful nights clubbing I would wake up with toes  completely numb thanks to being 'squished' (the only appropriate word) into your shoes for the inexplicable purpose of 'being fashionable'.

Nowadays, after having done my time in the 5 inch heels and matching blisters and having realised that those blisters really weren't worth it, I am beginning to realise the value and importance - for a diabetic - of wearing shoes which actually fit!

Don't get me wrong, my shoes don't look like this:

But I have started to wear shoes described as 'wide fit' which offer decent support and are properly measured. Why?  Because it is a very easy way to give your feet a helping hand - or, foot maybe - towards staying healthy.  My work shoes are now a cute pair of Clark's black ballet pumps with a small 1/2 inch heel and air circulation. Low and behold, they are like a pair of slippers compared to my former cheaper pair!

It's worth pointing out that with 'good' control and at the age of 28 and 18 months, there shouldn't be any reason I should be panicking just yet.  But you have no doubt seen the 'Putting Feet First' campaign that Diabetes UK are running.  The facts and figures about "100 people per week have a limb amputated due to diabetes" and the constant reminder that diabetics are disproportionately represented in the amputation stats countrywide, means I may as well take the easy route to good care wherever I can.  That means checking my feet after drunkenly danced barefoot, wearing decent shoes most of the time and taking care of any hard skin which could disguise a foot ulcer.

Not only am I a lot more comfortable most of the time, but I also now have the benefit of being able to giggle to myself at all those people teetering around in shoes far too high for them with the unmistakable, 'I'm walking downhill' motion about them.  Sexy?  ....Not really!  I'll stick to my 'special shoes' thanks all the same.

Anna (currently oh, so comfy)