Recently I got the news that I don’t need my braces—also known as AFOs (ankle foot orthotics)—anymore. I was ecstatic. I have had to wear AFOs since I was a little less than three years old. (I am almost thirteen now, so that’s a long time.) My AFOs helped me a lot, but to me they kind of got to be a visual representation of some baggage. That was probably because they were the main cause of almost all of the comments, stares, and teasing of my childhood up to now. And that made me resent my AFOs. Do you know how hard—not to mention pointless—it is to resent something that you have to use day after day? The braces were uncomfortable and restricting. Every time I looked at them, I saw two things: (1) what I considered my limitations and (2) all the negative comments day after day. I felt helpless because as much as I hated my AFOs, I had to wear them at least five days a week. I know that situation is definitely not the worst and I’m sorry to sound ungrateful, but to a three- to nine-year-old kid, they are torture. The best I can say is that they sort of provided a bonding experience for me and my parents. One of them would take me to get the mold done and sit with me for the time it took to harden. They were also usually—until I got older—a favorable alternative to Botox, injections that loosen me up. I can remember a funny time with braces. My sister and I are twins, so in third grade we decided to switch places for the morning. It was so funny to watch her march around in braces! She frequently complained of how stiff they were, and she only had to wear them for one morning!
There are some things I know my mom and dad won’t miss—when I was little, crying over having to wear them; when I was older, complaining about having to wear them; and one of my parents having to cram my big feet into my braces every morning.
Now when I go someplace I don’t have to worry about people judging me as a girl who can’t run, or a girl who something is wrong with. I feel like my AFOs were all that people saw sometimes. Now I can be the girl who, yes, has a bit of a funny walk, but now hopefully people realize I am so much more than that. I know it is only insensitive people who judhe based on appearance, but I do not like knowing that anyone has a bad opinion of me, which is a weakness of mine. (It is definitely not bad to have or wear AFOs or anything but I do get tired of people staring.)
Mostly, I am appreciative that I got to wear something that helped me. When I complain about them, I am not seeing the bigger picture, and I know that. My AFOs were the best thing for me at the time. I am grateful to my parents for having my best interest at heart and for putting up with my complaints. (I’m sure I was quite a pill at times.) My PT (physical therapist) has been with me since I was 14 months old and knows me very well. Thanks to him for many things but especially for helping me manage with AFOs.
Getting my AFOS off was kind of like a mountain for me to climb. It was hard, yes. It was a challenge. But it was better for me, not only from a physical aspect, but also in terms of what I could handle. And yes, wearing braces, again, is definitely not nearly as bad as some other situations out there. But for me, it was difficult. It was one of my childhood milestones. And it may not have been a “normal” milestone (what is normal, anyway?) like losing your baby teeth or turning a certain age, but to me, the milestone of getting my AFOs was special and every bit as much of a milestone as the usual childhood milestones.