The Journey, Bunions, My Story

My Grandmother, on my Fathers side had bunions. Grand Ma was a beautiful woman of Chinese, Belgium descent.

Grand Ma's bunions were huge! And, in her aging years was reduced to wearing broad sandals, summer or winter (winter with socks), because she could not fit into a pair of normal shoes. Her big toes crossed back over her other toes in an unsightly fashion and she, kind of awkwardly, waddled around the place. Which must have been humiliating for such an elegant, dignified woman.

Apparently, one of my Uncles has bunions as well. (Im pretty sure he doesn't wear high heels!)

I now know why I wasn't suited to be a Ballerina with feet like mine, but here I am at Rottnest, secretly dreaming of doing Water Ballet. At Kindergarden, they said that I was like a baby elephant and shouldn't pursue a career in Ballet!

I now have some understanding of what life would have been like for Grand Ma. She had, had the 'bone breaking surgery' many years ago to correct her feet. But after all that pain, the condition had reoccured. She didn't say much to me when she realised, that I too, had inherited her bunion genes!

My feet have been giving me grief as long as I can remember. I do have a shoe fetish, and I would have loved to have worn high heels. Which I have bought and which I have persisted with. But not for long. It's just too painful. And, just prior to this operation with Dr Wu, I have been reduced to buying flat soled shoes that are too long and big for me, just to get the width to fit my bunions in. Not a good thing being the 'fashionista' that I am :)!

I have been nicknamed 'the bare foot girl', as it is far more comfortable to go without shoes. And, it was unconscious for my youth, it just kind of felt better. I can remember getting into trouble and even 'the strap' when it was discovered I had even gone into town and on the bus... with out shoes...!

My feet, Kangaroo Island

I have been to Kevin, my Chiropractor a couple of times earlier this year with a knot in the arch of my foot. Apparently a muscle in spasm. He also has had to fix a painful 'something' around the ankles. My middle toes, constantly in pain and suffering pins and needles. I have less pain now (3 weeks after the operation) than I had before, and actually, day 3 after the operation, the pain was less than before.

Next, I will write about how I came about going to Hong Kong for Bunion Surgery.....

Also, I have put a new page on the website devoted to Bunions. I will just keep adding to it as a resource for people who are interested.