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Ch. 126 - Fully Braced
Time has really flown by, and the many months of my lower body being immobilized in casts are coming to an end. My legs have grown weaker and more atrophied by the day; my hip spica cast is very loose. Now, instead of being a leg brace pretender, I'll really need them. Today, I'm getting my hip spcia cast removed and my new braces fitted. I'm extremely excited to begin this new phase of my life!
After doing morning exercises, we had breakfast with Jimmy and Judy. Jimmy said his business is going like gangbusters, and Judy said she misses our daily car rides together. However, my contract work starts soon, and we'll once again be riding to work together on occasion. Judy has been stopping by every afternoon to chat before the guys get home, which is enjoyable for both of us.
It's time to head to Jameson Orthotics to get my cast removed and new braces fitted. Joel got me loaded up in the van, and we were on our way. When we arrived, Billy and Collene warmly greeted us. Collene is now wearing glasses with 1950's style frames, and they looked great on her. She feels that her glasses, like her braces, really enhance her appearance; she's glad she needs them. Like Judy did, she's going to pick out several more styles to order online.
Collene also said that she had been talking with Kathy, Judy, Millie, and Annie. When we all visit Kings Mountain, there will be several weddings, and everyone is hoping that Jimmy proposes to Judy so they can get married on the trip, too.
Billy was anxious to get me out of my cast and into my new braces, so we followed him to the cast room. Billy unstrapped me from my wheelchair and helped me stand. Joel took off my skirt and blouse, and then the Milwaukee brace attachment on my cast. Then they lifted me onto the table, and Billy cut my cast in half and removed the front part from my body. The cool air pricked at my sensitive skin.
I had enough strength in my back that I could lean forward and look at my legs. My cast had been feeling very loose lately, and my legs were now extremely atrophied and looked just like Collene's. I tried to move them, but my muscles only quivered. My goal had been achieved; my legs are now completely useless! I asked Billy if my new braces would fit properly since my legs have atrophied so much since he made the molds. He assured me that they would fit great; he had taken this into consideration.
Joel then removed my catheter, and Billy told him how Rita loosened my stiff and painful joints when I got my cast changed. Billy then helped Joel push the table I was on into the shower. Joel got the water temperature just right, and I told him to use the gentle pulsating setting. He began massaging my hips, legs, and feet. Joel gently picked up my legs and moved them, but only as far as my pain would allow. I was even stiffer than before. Finally, he called for Billy to come pull the bottom half of my cast out from under me, and Joel began to gently wash my entire body.
After Joel gently scrubbed away all the dead skin, he picked me up and placed me in the hydrotherapy tub that Billy had prepared. It felt wonderful, as it did last time, and Collene came in to keep me company. At one point, she came over to the tub, reached in, and held my left leg in her hands. Collene ran her hands up and down my leg and commented on how thin it was. She said there was no muscle tone at all anymore. It felt fantastic as her hands moved along my leg; I was starting to get very aroused. Luckily, Joel came in to get me so my braces could be fitted before things got out of control.
Collene went back to her office, and Joel got me out of the tub and carried me to the fitting room. He laid me on the table, which was covered with towels, and got me dried off, diapered, and into a sports bra. Billy then began explaining my new braces to me:
"Leigh, these are all your new braces. They are pretty much like your old ones, but with an addition: hinges that connect your KAFOs to your Milwaukee brace. These hinges can lock your hips straight, just like your hip spica positioned them. You will not be able to rotate your hip joints, nor will you be able to spread or close your legs."
"You'll notice these braces are built much more heavily than your old ones, with wide metal bars on the sides of your Milwaukee brace girdle. These are where the hinges on the KAFOs attach. Until you regain some flexibility in your hips, I would suggest that Joel remove the hinges when you don and doff your braces. It's easy with the twist lock fasteners."
Billy said he knew that moving my long immobilized joints would be painful, so he would only fit one set of braces today, the pink ones, with matching Doc Marten Mary Janes. He said I could try the others at my leisure at home and that I would need assistance donning and doffing my braces until I got used to doing it myself.
It was now the big moment! Billy used a special screwdriver to remove the hip hinges from the Milwaukee girdle. Joel then placed me in the Milwaukee portion of my brace, and it felt great to have the pelvic girdle tightly hug my hips. I laid back, and Billy and Joel placed my limp legs and feet into my KAFOs and shoes.
Billy then showed Joel how to attach the hinges to the Milwaukee portion of my brace. I was now braced from head to foot! Billy asked if everything felt OK, and I said that it did. The guys then helped me to my feet, and I could hear all four of the hinges lock; I was rigid from my neck to my toes. Billy handed me crutches, and I began to carefully crutch about the room. It was intoxicating to think about spending the rest of my life like this. I was ecstatic!
Billy again asked how everything felt, and I said, "It feels great, Billy. You did excellent work. My hips hurt a bit from being moved and from my legs not being spread as far apart as they were in my cast. What do you think, Joel? Do you like me being braced from head to toe and dependent on my braces?" Joel didn't need to say a word; the bulge in his trousers spoke for him. I crutched over to him and gave him a big hug and kiss, whereupon he had the same embarrassing experience as Billy had when Rebekah and I first met him. Joel excused himself to go clean up.
While Joel was freshening up, I noticed that my diaper was getting quite wet. I was having a lot of leakage from being catheterized for so long. I thought this would happen, so I brought a cath kit along. When Joel returned, he cleaned me up and placed my catheter before dressing me in a short purple skirt and pink blouse. Once I get used to my new braces, I'll try to wean myself off of my catheter.
As I was dressing, Collene came rolling into the room in a really sporty-looking purple wheelchair. I said, "What a great-looking chair, Collene. I've never seen you in it before; how long have you had it?" Collene replied, "It's not mine; it is a late Christmas gift for you from Billy and me. Thanks for everything you have done for us, Leigh." Billy helped Collene up, and I carefully unlocked my knees and hips to be able to sit. It hurt quite a bit to move my joints, but sitting in my new wheelchair gave me a sense of freedom and independence. It's so compact and sporty, and I absolutely adore the color.
I thanked Billy and Collene for my new wheelchair. Billy said it was a pleasure to make my braces and that he was expecting Sam, Millie, and Emme to pick up their KAFOs this week, too. Sam and Millie's roller skating KAFOs have come out really nice; they will look great wearing them and should have no problem skating in them.
Billy walked Collene to her desk, and she and I chatted while Joel and Billy loaded up all my new braces into the van. I invited her and Billy to go to the MV meet up at Pee Dee's on Friday evening, and she said it sounded like fun. Joel and Billy returned, and we thanked Billy and Collene once again, and we were on our way.
Since it was a nice day, I wanted to do a photo shoot at Millrun Park in my new braces and wheelchair. I also wanted to try driving again since I could now sit in the driver's seat. Joel thought that I should practice on our property first because I have not driven in so long, and I agreed.
We stopped at the deli to get a picnic lunch. It was my first time venturing into public in my new braces and wheelchair. At the deli, several people stared at me, and I decided to have fun with a few of them. I asked one man who was staring at me if he thought crippled girls were sexy, and he quickly made his exit. Then a woman about my age couldn't keep her eyes off me. I wheeled up to her and said, "Don't you wish you were in braces and a wheelchair? They attract sexy young men." Just as I said that, Joel came up and gave me a kiss. The woman turned red and hurried away.
After we enjoyed our lunch at the park, I wanted to crutch around and let Joel get some video of my unique gait. When I just had KAFOs, I walked fairly normally but with stiff knees. Now, with my hips braced, my body is rigid from my neck to my feet, so I have to swing both legs together to move forward; my body is almost like a pendulum swinging from my shoulders.
Joel took a ton of adorable action shots of me crutching along, and I looked amazing in my pink and purple ensemble. He also got some video of me sitting down on a bench, unlocking my hips and knees to do so. It's all very awkward and new to me right now, but it's fun. However, my hips and knees were getting really sore. These joints have not moved in months and are very stiff. We decided to go home, relax, and await Judy's arrival. I know she really wants to see my new braces and is thinking of getting HKAFOs, too.
When we got home, Joel went and laid all my new braces out on our bed. When Judy arrived, we went to check them out. When we got to my bedroom, I noticed several braces that Billy had not shown me at the office. There were new pairs of the light-weight braces I use when bathing. They looked to be much smaller than my old ones since my legs are so atrophied now.
There was also a large hip spica Minerva brace. It was purple with heavy metal latches between the front and back halves; the lining was thin, but very soft. I had no idea Billy was making this brace for me, and I assumed it was to sleep in. I can't wait until bedtime tonight!
Judy checked out all my new braces, then got on the phone to Billy. Their conversation was brief; she simply asked him to make her all the same braces when he had time.
When Jimmy arrived, Joel suggested that we all go out for dinner, and he went to get ready. Judy asked if I was going to use my wheelchair tonight, and I said I was; it would be easier for me that way. She said she would use hers, too, and she and Jimmy went home to get ready.
Judy and Jimmy soon returned, with Judy in her wheelchair. We looked really cute in our wheelchairs, and Jimmy took a picture to send to Collene. We got into Judy's car, the guys stowed our wheelchairs in the trunk, and we headed to Ranch Gordo.
On the way to the restaurant, I realized that no one could tell that my leg braces and back brace were connected. It's obvious when I am on crutches since my entire body moves as one unit, but in my wheelchair, no one can tell. I got a bit of a charge out of the notion that I was far more immobilized than anyone would ever realize.
Judy and I wheeled up to the entrance, and it was not busy. We were able to get a table right away, and as usual, Shelly made a point to wait on us. She said, "Well, it looks like you are pretty much back to your old normal, Leigh. It must feel great to be out of those big casts." I replied, "To tell the truth, Shelly, I really enjoyed wearing my casts. It was actually quite enjoyable." Shelly replied, "I think I have you and your friends figured out, and I understand." She then took our order, and we had a great dinner.
After we got home, Joel helped me bathe, and then he cleaned my teeth and appliances. He then asked me if I wanted to wear my new body brace to bed, and I said, of course. Joel picked me up and laid me on the back half of the brace, which cradled me from head to toe and held my legs spread apart. Joel placed the upper half over my body and secured the latches.
I was rigid from head to toe; only my arms were free. It felt great. It's impossible for me to remove this brace myself; I will be in it until Joel releases me. We made love, and it was amazing, like when I was in my big cast. Joel covered me with a light blanket and kissed me before lying down next to me. I drifted off to sleep, completely immobilized, with Joel holding my hand.
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