Wednesday, August 24, 2011

New Shoes, and a Sippy Cup

For my birthday, I went out and got a pair of Vibram Five Fingers shoes.

The part where it says they improve balance, is an understatement. Since I've started wearing these shoes nearly 2 weeks ago, I haven't had to use my cane at all, my feet aren't dislocating all over the place, and my hips are happier than they've been in a long time.

The only unhappy part of me seems to be my knees. These shoes don't have much for soles, so they don't have much for padding, which means they teach you (through negative reinforcement) to step more lightly. It seems that in regular running/walking shoes, I was walking so far to the outside of my foot that I was causing everything to be completely out of whack, and with the padding in the shoes, I was stepping more heavily than I should have been, which may have been causing the extraordinary hip pain.

But these shoes! They're comfortable! It feels like you're barefoot, so that's the biggest plus for me. With the proprioception/balance issues, most of my non-visual balance comes from the pressure in different parts of my feet, and in normal shoes all of that information feedback is dulled to the point where it's practically non-existent. I'm not saying these shoes are for everyone, but for me, they're wonderful. I may never go back to normal shoes until I find it impossible to wiggle my toes into their places.

Now on to the sippy cup part of the post. I was sitting at the computer, watching a movie, and I turned my chair so I could get up and walk over to my meds... When *Crash, Splash, Drip... drip... drip...* there went my full glass of juice. It went all over the desk, the carpet, and the floor rolly thing the chairs are on. Luckily it didn't get into any of the computers, monitors, keyboards, or anywhere else that would have caused damage... So after I spent half an hour cleaning all of the juicy bits, I went to the kitchen, and grabbed a coffee travel mug, and I've been using that ever since. Added benefits: less easy to spill, not as heavy as a glass, and it keeps my juice cold longer! I just feel a bit disappointed in myself that I had to resort to that. I feel like once again, I am growing younger instead of older.

I swear, I had more to post about, but this brain fog thing is no joke. I was at supper with my author friend, and his author friends, and my hubby and roommate, and I was in the middle of a sentence, and I lost my thought. It was like, "Hey, speaking of -insert topic- I was wondering..." and that's as far as the thought train took me. It was about 3 or 4 days later that I remembered what I was about to ask.

9 comments:

saurou said...

So glad those shoes are working wonders for you! That's great! :D A very happy birthday, indeed!

And don't feel bad about using a travel mug. I have a plastic water bottle with a locking pop-up top which is the only thing I've been drinking out of for probably 4 years now! It didn't even occur to me I should even consider feeling bad about it until you mentioned being disappointed! haha! And I don't feel bad. Hell, I still manage to spill the damn thing everywhere when I'm an idiot and don't close it all the way! But it's way more convenient, and I guess I just can't be bothered dealing with a beverage device that can't lay down on the couch with me.

I hope your balance and foot pain continues to improve. Really excited to hear about that.

BubbleGirl said...

Saurou,
There's a difference between drinking from a water bottle for convenience, and drinking from one out of necessity. I used to use Gatorade bottles, because they were easier to drink out of than a normal water bottle, and I didn't feel bad about it then. But now it's the fact that I'm too clumsy to drink from a glass, and I have to drink out of something spill resistant for the sake of carpets and technology... That's why I feel bad about it. Oh well, just one more thing to put on the list of "Things to Laugh at Myself For."

Oh, and with my awesome shoes, I went out and picked some crab apples yesterday, and I went Mall Walking... At 2 different malls! Yay me!

saurou said...

That's what I mean, I switched to the locking water bottle a few years back because I was too clumsy and was spilling things everywhere! And dropping them and breaking them. Just got to be too much of a hassle to scrub the carpets and sweep up glass all the time. I still get nervous eating out and having to use a glass. XD I'm just saying, we're in the same boat, that's all.

Mall walking! That's awesome! Mall walking is hardcore stuff in my book!

BubbleGirl said...

If only text could be read the way it sounds when you say it your head... Going back and reading my comment, I sound... Unpleasant? Rude? I don't know. It doesn't sound the same when I read it, as when I wrote it.

Just like "Mall Walking" once came out as "Wall Mocking" because I get tongue-tied sometimes. Then I was all, "That's right you walls, I mock you!! Mwahahahah!!"

I switched to the really thick, hard to break glasses after all of my pretty ones were broken, mostly from me dropping them while washing them. In my house right now, the only matching dishes are the ones we got for wedding presents, and the plastic ones. Everything else, there's just one of.

saurou said...

No, worries. I didn't figure you meant anything rude. Text can be that way, and while I probably can't say that I KNOW you, you don't really seem the type to get snippy.

We made sure to ask for the super unbreakable plates when we got married. And after breaking a ton of glasses, I just leave them alone now. None of them matched to begin with anyway!

because it all matters said...

Okay, I've always thought those shoes are ridiculous, but if a fellow bendy has nice things to say about them, I just might be convinced (especially after dislocating the same foot in the same place 3 times yesterday). I'll have to look into those.

I've been a big fan of grown up sippy cups for quite some time now, since I tend to have the dropsies like no other. Anything with a lid, straw (I choke when I tip back to drink, straws are a must for me), a grippy rubber middle and/or handle are my new favorite thing.

::gentle hugs:: Hope you have a fabulous day, night, and everything else in between!

(also, people on tumblr liked the poetry I ganked from you. thank you again so much for that.)

MarfMom said...

Hi! I just came across your blog via the Canadian Marfan Association. I blog about being a parent with Marfan syndrome...can I add you to my blogroll?

BubbleGirl said...

because it all matters,
Sorry you keep dislocating your feet! :(
These shoes feel like you're barefoot. So for me, I noticed that when I was at home, without shoes, I was balancing a lot better than when I was out in the world with shoes on. I always assumed it had more to do with the shorter walking distances and higher familiarity with the space around me, until I got these shoes. Their biggest downfal is that they don't have much in the way of padding, so definitely try them on somewhere, and walk around a bit to see if they're right for you before you buy them. They come in quite a few styles for different activities, and some of them have more padding than others.
I'm so glad you're getting good feedback about my poem!

MarfMom,
I'm glad you found me! I'm always happy to be on blogrolls! Add away!

Maru Uni said...

I need a sippy cup too!! i felt silly stealing one from my kids but then i saw a cup at wal mart. looks just like a soda fountain cup. Lid, straw, etc. only it is all plastic, the lid screws on and it has a rubber seal. It hardly ever spill. I use it all the time. of course now they have insulated ones out. imight upgrade. I prefer a straw, but i have travel coffe cups for my hot tea too. I am so clumsy. And I am jealous! I have wanted some vibrams for awhile now but cant afford them. I fiannly found a place that sells them in a store near me but they are more than $85!! maybe i will ask for them for xmas. lol.