Laces

When I was 11, I slipped in my dance tights and broke my arm - just snapped both the radius and ulna, leaving my left arm in a full cast for two months. I happened to be playing a mechanical doll in my ballet school's production of "The Nutcracker", a coincidence that still makes me smile (and is rather ironic considering my current state). However, acting rolls aside, having one's hand locked in plaster is pretty debilitating in most other situations. I remember buying new clothes that would allow me to dress myself, like overalls and, most importantly, shoes with zippers.

I haven't been able to tie my shoes since my surgery. It has been reminiscent of my broken arm except that I'm limited in range of motion, not digital dexterity. I could not bend to the floor, or lift my leg, or rotate my hip, and so I could not reach my laces. My parents and sister have been tying my shoes at least three times a day for the past nine months, which is juvenile in the least and mortifying at best.

You may notice the past tense. I tied my own shoes today. A literal step, if you will.

photo credit: http://www.treehugger.com/shoes-ath-001.JPG