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The Bandage.
Written by Sophie on Thursday, October 15, 2009
I sprained my ankle last week. It was one of those dramatic “TV” moments where I was holding a packet of powdered milk in one hand, a glass jar of coffee in the other hand and suddenly my foot rolled over. With a loud scream I managed to roll over onto my side in slow motion discarding the coffee without even a scratch on the glass.
It took us a couple of days to buy a bandage to wrap my ankle in but as Mum was putting it on for me my mind was instantly ticking over thinking of things I could do with that bandage. I’m sure everyone here has played with a bandage at one point or another whether it be to immobilise their ankle, tie up their leg to make themselves an amputee or used to make themselves blind or deaf. The things you can do is endless.
I spent the next few nights with the bandage round my ankle regardless of whether I needed it or not enjoying the thought that I could sleep without being able to move my ankle, or that was the theory. At one point I tried wrapping up my knee but the bandage was too narrow for that and it didn’t have the desired effect. I haven’t continued wrapping up my ankle becauseit had the wrong effect for me.
Sophie’s swollen ankle.
I went through the whole phase of being curious with casting and wondering what it would be like. Sean helped me put two lower leg casts on when I was living on my own and the whole experience taught me it’s the wrong kind of immobilisation for me. I didn’t last as long as I intended in the casts, they frustrated me so much I ended up on my kitchen floor trying to cut them off with a very large knife. I enjoyed the fact that the casts brought my knee height up in my chair so my lap was flat, and I enjoyed that I could completely relax my lower legs in my chair after I cut them off, but the actual experience of wearing the casts showed me it wasn’t really my thing and I never want to break a bone (I don’t count my clavicle, I was five then and it didn’t get a cast).
So ultimately although my brain instantly started thinking about bandage permutations it was the wrong type of immobilisation for me and it hasn’t given me any lasting relief :(
Tags: ankle, BIID, Body Integrity Identity Disorder, bone, Cast, clavicle, immobilisation, LLC, relief, Wheelchair
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4 Comments
It’s interesting that different people with ostensibly the same BIID manifestation get differing amounts of benefit from bandages and casting. I managed my BIID with a great deal of bandage use, and occasional casting, for decades. Now that I wear a leg brace a large majority of the time, my motivation for bandages and casting has almost disappeared.
@Sophie: I’d be really interested to know what you think of leg braces if you have a chance to try them.
@H: That’s very adventurous to try making your own leg brace. I wouldn’t know where to begin. Please let us know how it goes. I used to bandage long rulers and such to my left leg since I was ten, so that I couldn’t bend my knee. I liked that a lot.
3 On 15 October, 2009, Sophie said:
I’ve always wanted to try leg braces but I’ve never had the money/means to actually do it.
@Chloe: Unfortunately, I’m not an author – I had some problems to contact Sean, maybe happened some problem with my e-mails, but anyway, I’ll post here after I finish them.
I started by making a mould with paper and glue, then I’m planning reinforce the structure with plastic clay (don’t know how you call this in english but don’t worry). I’m so happy with the results that I’m taking pictures of them. And they’re going beautiful!
\o/
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1 On 15 October, 2009, H. said:
It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who likes bandages. When I decided to face BIID and manage it, I ran at the drug store as soon as I could and bought six or eight bandages, don’t remember well. Although wasn’t the expected, I enjoyed the feeling of the legs going heavy and unsensible. It was fun.
Now, I’m making my own leg brace. I hope it really works, so I can explain to all the readers how to get one.
*Wish me luck!*