A Public Display

I can't do public displays too often. This is a fairly small suburb and chances of running into someone I know when I'm out and about are pretty high. I also live in a tiny townhouse complex where there is zero change of me walking out of my door without being seen. Not that my neighbors are busy bodies. Well, one of them is, but that's beside the point. Most of them are just kind people. Our kids play together and we all look out for each other. I'm not going to have folks worrying and organizing casserole deliveries just because I decided to get my rocks off. Still, I do have this week to play and I thought, it'd be a shame to not take advantage of the opportunity, so I decided on a teeny tiny public display. Even though I'm mainly a leg/foot girl, I decided an arm splint would a be better, more easy to conceal choice.

Here's the ingredient list. It's almost the same list I use for my soft casts, but no stockinette and ace bandage instead of self adhesive vet wrap.

I started by taping the splint to my fingers and wrists. I suppose I could have started with the padding, but I figured tape first would give me the most immobility.

Then came the padding. I didn't buy any real cast padding. I am using cut up quilt batting, the thrifty woman's padding alternative.

Last but not least, I wrapped it in an ace bandage to conceal my handy work and give it the appearance of actual injury. 

Now you may be asking, how did I get this thing out of the house without being spotted. The secret is, the big purse.

I decided to go to the movies. I only take this purse when I go to the movies. It's really big. You could almost fit a large bag of popcorn, a candy bar and a drink in there. Not that I would ever do such a thing of course, but a less scrupulous person might use this sort of purse for sneaking snacks into a theater. It's also the perfect depth for concealing a bandaged forearm from the prying eyes of my neighbors. I made it to my car without mishap.

Driving without the use of my left hand was not as difficult as I thought it would be. The biggest challenge happened before I even left the house. I was dressed before I put this on, but I hadn't done my hair. One handed hairdos are a pain! 

I went into a store to buy snacks before the movie and the cashier didn't look at or mention the splint. Neither did the ticket seller. Some people gave it a passing glance, then went on about their day. That's the way I liked it. The movie was pretty good and the bandage stayed comfortable throughout the whole outing. 

After the movie I had to stop by a store where I knew my friend's daughter worked. I didn't know if the girl was working today, but I decided to err on the side of caution and remove the splint. The girl wasn't in the store, but I was really glad I'd taken off the splint because when I got home, my car was mobbed by a group of happy playing kids who wanted to chat. It's better that they didn't see any evidence of my little adventure. Still, it was quite fun and I would definitely do it again!

You'll Never Guess Where I'm Typing This From

I'm in my living room! But I'm also sitting in my wheelchair. My chair is a rusted, out old hospital style chair. It's heavy and awkward, but it does have one amazing feature. It was free! Here is photographic evidence.

Both the fur babies were quite curious about this strange "new" chair but only one had the nerve to approach it. The chair normally sits folded up in a corner so they don't notice it.

These photos against my basement wall kinda look like ransom photos taken by kidnappers. Maybe I should have stuck a copy of today's New York Times on the seat. 

Tonight I decided to do a double foot binding. With all my toes tightly folded down, it's impossible to get around without this chair. Foot binding is not terribly complicated.

This is a two ingredient recipe. Duct tape binds the toes and ace bandages wrap them up. It's as easy as One, Two... er Two.

I taped my toes down as tightly as I could. Wish I'd gotten a before pic so you could have some sort of comparison, but I didn't.

Here is the view from where I'm sitting. This is wonderfully immobilizing and I really am unable to walk while I'm bound like this. It has been interesting to roll around my very inaccessible home, trying to do simple tasks. Biggest challenge: filling an ice cube tray!

I may do this again a bit later in the week. 

Four Years Later, I'm Back! Did Ya Miss Me?

Okay, I seriously doubt anyone's watching at this point but I am gearing up because I have the house to myself next week and I am in the mood to indulge in some foot and ankle wrapping! I have picked up supplies and I am stretching the tendons in my feet so they will be ready.

In the meantime, could someone please buy me a power wheelchair? I have no way of transporting one. I can't really store it without arousing suspicion, and yet... WANT!