Bright and early this morning I was with Lynne (my Prosthetist) at Addenbrooke’s Hospital for a socket review. It’s three weeks since I last saw her, there were a issues but it all hinged around the same thing, problems on the groin and tendon area. I explained all the problems and said that it was not demoralising, but frustrating that I am try to do everything that’s asked of me but the socket is preventing progress.
Because I really had nothing to loose it was decided that she would scoop a bit more out, if I lost some support she could put a bit of padding in there for me. She went away and came back with it looking not dissimilar than when it went away. She told me to try it on and she would be back in a little while, with that she was gone. To cut some of this short I tried it on five timed with varying success from pinching, feeling nothing at all and feeling extremely uncomfortable where the socket was twisted too far round one way.
When she came back I explained what I had done and the test’s I put it through. I told her that I felt that the biggest issue could well be the stump compression sock that I wear with the socket. It is like tight nylon material and I think it is rubbing on the groin and now getting wrinkles in it, which are giving me the pinching feeling, as there is nothing else where it is to cause it. The next thing that Lynne said to me was most unexpected.
In the original plan I would go back today, have any alterations that needed doing, wait another three months and then get my proper socket cast and made. Lynne felt that because I am walking really well and the fact that the stump doesn’t seem to have reduced in volume she would look to move to a liner. This would go over the edge of the socket and give me some cushioning in the problem area. I assumed she was talking about using the liner with the socket I have now so I asked how I would be secured into it. She said they would change the component at the top of the leg and use a pin, that way I can get rid of the belt etc. I asked if she meant I was getting a new socket then, to my amazement and relief she said, “Yes”.
Lynne said it wasn’t right that it’s really only the socket that was holding me back now and that they should do something more permanent. I didn’t want to say that she told me the pin was her last resort last time we spoke, so I didn’t in case she changed her mind. She was hoping to try me with the new liner today but didn’t have one in my size so I will go back next Tuesday morning for my casting, she will have a liner to try by then. As excited as I am about this I have been told that it will take about 6 weeks for my new socket to be ready, I have to be checked at about half way through the process before the socket can be finished. This will mean I loose the belt and the valve and I will not have to use the bag to pull myself in. I may find the liners are not that great and they will be really hot and sweaty, especially to begin with. I have also been told that there is no guarantee that by changing the socket it will resolve the issue in the groin, from the way things are at the moment we are hopeful that it will. This is happening earlier than planned and they would have ideally wanted, which I am very grateful for.
In the meantime I may have to limit the amount of time I can wear the socket and the distance I can walk with it. I will have to let the groin dictate this from how sore it is getting but at least I can still build up the bum bone tolerance. The next six and a bit weeks will probably feel like a life time but at least it is something to look forward too, fingers crossed it works and here’s to progression.
