Shoes- a fond recollection, and let's face it, a bit of whining

   At Thanksgiving, my grandma and I spent some quality time talking about our arthritis medicines. Turns out, I take more maintenance meds than she does. Exciting, right? Not so much. I was told two weeks after my thirtieth birthday that the arthritis in both knees is permanent, and that even though they realigned the left knee so it tracks correctly, it won't get better as the cartilage is gone. My right knee continues to pull over bone every time I move it, and I've accepted that sometime I'll have to have that knee done as well.
   The thing that I miss the most though, is shoes. Not running, or playing soccer (although it's a close second) or finishing my black belt in karate, or yoga, or actually being able to kneel or squat....Having been a tomboy for much of my childhood, I spent high school wearing converse and then Dr. Martens. But look out - in my twenties, I discovered shoes, and makeup, and dresses! My friend Regina and I would spend hours in a shoe store, or as we wore the same size, we could swap.
   I loved shoes - finding the perfect shoes to wear to work, or wear with my favorite outfit - and I loved to go shoe shopping! But now I can't wear heels at all - my knees start to swell almost immediately, and I've had to give away all my cute shoes.I kept one pair of black heels that I can wear for about four hours, and made the move to flats - but not just any flats, the comfortable ones.Many of my shoes have had to find new homes, and it's very sad.
   When I first started teaching, I remember looking at the women in their forties and fifties who wore Clarks clogs and mules to work every day, or orthopedic shoes, and I always thought to myself, "I'm never going to be that woman." Turns out, I am! A survey of the shoes I can actually wear for any length of time are almost all Clarks or Merrells. I've recently gotten a pair of Dansko clogs, and although it took a bit of warming up to them, I think they'll work. I did also just sneakily order a pair of shoes that look dressy, but are actually Vans.I hope they are both cute and comfortable.
    So here's to all my friends who can still wear whatever shoes they want: I'm jealous, and enjoy it. Don't take wearing pretty heels or sandals for granted. One day you'll be wearing comfy shoes. Just like me.