Monday, April 30, 2018

AFO Update

Well, I went back to Hanger for my appointment. They examined my foot and leg carefully. They cut down the back of the AFO, and then decided to recast the leg for another AFO. I was told to wear the new, cut down AFO for only one hour a day. One hour?!! When you consider the time it takes to put the AFO on and the shoe, and changing it out for one hour a day, it doesn't seem worth it. Meanwhile, I'm back in my old AFO that causes stress fractures. Coupled with my busy lifestyle, it's a pimple on a boil.

I know there's tweaking that has to be done with any orthotic device. But having to remold a new AFO! Come on, really? I try to be a patient soul, but this is my mobility. and I'm dealing with pressure sores to boot. All this hardly instills confidence in this orthotics office. The Hanger in the Golden Isles got nothing but praise from me for 5 out of 6 years living post stroke. This one, not so much. Right now, I wish there was another orthotics place short of driving to Atlanta and takes my BCBS supplemental insurance. They all take Medicare.

Anyhow, the new AFO should be ready May 6th. We'll see how they do. What other choice do I have?
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6 comments:

  1. Rebecca DuttonApril 30, 2018 at 10:35 AM

    I understand your disappointment and frustration. Staying functional after a stroke is really a long-term commitment.

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  2. Cockeyed JoApril 30, 2018 at 11:03 AM

    ...and fraught with disappointment by self and others. Whatever happened to the work ethic of knowing your job and doing it well?

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  3. Barb PolanApril 30, 2018 at 1:59 PM

    How frustrating. Did you ever see the kids' movie, "All Dogs Go to Heaven"? It's a Don Bluth animated pic, so it's on the dark side, not Disney-ish. There's a memorable scene in which the chief of the bad dogs is riding his mechanical hobbyhorse; it's after his underlings' latest failure, so he's ranting as he twirls a lasso over his head, "I'm surrounded by incompetents!!" Tom and I use that quote more often than we should have to. The hand motion using the lasso as we complain makes it even more entertaining. Try it.

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    1. Cockeyed JoApril 30, 2018 at 3:53 PM

      LOL I've seen the movie. It's one of my favorites even now. I love you hand gesture too.

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  4. DeniseMay 1, 2018 at 12:42 PM

    I did not have a good experience with Hanger when I got a new AFO, I ended up having to take it back, and they wouldn't do anything else, so I never got a new AFO. The old one is 5 years old, and broken, but I wear it every day.

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    1. Cockeyed JoMay 1, 2018 at 3:42 PM

      Denise, I understand your feelings. If I had a choice, I'd probably go somewhere else. My first AFO, just after my stroke, Hanger made it wrong and it caused some hellish pressure sores. It took a year before they got approval from insurance. Other than a few adjustments and strap replacements, I've had no problem with the replaced AFO (3 years worth) until it started causing stress fractures in my foot. Of course my increased spasticity plays a part in this too. So a new one had to be fitted and now this.

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