Heartbreak: Shoes and RA

The whole truth is that I have given up on cool sexy shoes and now concentrate on comfort and being able to walk in a way that looks normal.  It has taken a long time for me to become so philosophic about this issue.  It often felt like the main limiting factor in my professional life was my footwear.  I used to cringe at my overall "look" in a full length mirror, even though I don't think most people look at your feet when you are talking business in a room full of colleagues.  But we all know the people with "good" shoes check yours out. It's a ranking system for them.

                                          Greg Blackstock Shoes

How many of the shoes above can you still wear? Are you trapped with ugly shoes?

I almost walked right out of the store years ago when a salesperson suggested I get shoes like this (really I almost cried):

They were unthinkable as a shoe choice!! I got some cool lace up blue leather boots instead.

Imagine these on your feet: 

Of course these shoes would take too much money out of our drug and pain rub budget as well as torturing feet, but can you imagine?!  That's all I can do - imagine.  I could wear them in a wheelchair - maybe.

I'm glad to see there are more sensible choices now that do not look so bad these days. 

ComfortShoes

I couldn't wear the shoes above but I bet many people with RA could.

I just stick with my trusty New Balance 926s. 

They have a rollbar that does part of the walking for me and a lot of cushioning built in. 

Wishing for the feet of a baby.

Not the Feet of My Dreams

At the risk of being too literal, I elect my feet for the "Achilles Heel of RA" trophy.  For the past 30 years, day in and day out they keep on giving.

They were the first sign of RA - I could neither get a diagnosis or walk without a limp.  By the time things improved the feet were beyond hope of wearing "nice" shoes.

                                         thehomemaderenegade.blogspot.com

Yes. my feet are trapped in bad shoe jail.  I became resigned/somewhat accepting but still feel socially handicapped with sensible shoes.  I went to Walking on a Cloud (shoe store) 20 years ago and they quickly steered me to the "elderly shoe section" where I found shoes even less stylish than this pair known as the Lady Pillow-Back. Doesn't that sound glamorous?

You'll find me every day wearing my sensible New Balance shoes, and now I have even gone to velcro closings.  I was going to say it doesn't bother me now but even in this post I wince at the words velcro and shoes in the same sentence.

I'll never be a rheumanista because I choose function over fashion. In my own mind I'm glamorous. Just don't look down.