I was born with severe bilateral club feet. The picture to the right gives you an idea of what my feet were like – only my feet were much worse than in this picture. My toes nearly touched the heels of my feet.
My feet were placed into casts before I ever left the hospital. With many babies with club feet, casts which straighten the feet often will have enough of an impact that the child can continue the rest of his life without knowing there was a deformity. But my club feet were much worse – not only were my muscles and tendons deformed (as it is the usual case), but I had severe bone deformity. As my body grew, my feet grew curved.
So I had my first surgery when I was four years old. This surgery moved my heel. I was eleven during my second surgery – which was much more extensive on my left foot. My third surgery took place during my junior year of high school. The second and third surgeries were complex bone graphs of my left foot. There was significant reconstruction. Each of these surgeries were followed up with half a dozen follow up surgeries which removed pins and screws. One of those follow up surgeries caused a staff infection in my foot.
Good times.
That third surgery was about seven years ago. My feet are doing great. I rarely have any problem at all. Most people wouldn’t have a clue of my past by watching me walk. My club feet do not effect my life anymore.
I was sitting thinking today, “How much longer will my feet be okay?” How much longer will it be before something “snaps” or the inevitable arthritis sets in my ankles? When will I have to have another operation?
Lord, thanks for giving me feet that are working today, and thanks for letting me walk with them.
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Don’t take things for granted. Bless God.
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You know, I was actually thinking about something along these lines the other day…
How often do we realize that everything single thing in our lives is a blessing? Even the seemingly bad things are a blessing.
I have a cholesterol related disease called Type 4 Hyperlipidemia. I inherited it from my father who inherited it from his father. How far back it goes, I don’t know. But, I know that my dad has the perspective that this disease is a blessing. God certainly didn’t give it to him, but that doesn’t change the fact that its very existence is a blessing.
My dad and I got to talking about this at Christmas and he pointed out that it could be so much worse, and no matter how much worse it could have been, Christ still died on the cross. We have an eternal hope, if we are willing to trust in it. God still loves us, and is willing to go to great lengths to reach out to us! It was very humbling, and encouraging, to hear my dad reduce the source of his greatest problem into his greatest blessing.
Adam, it is just as humbling to see you on the same path! It gives me pause and makes me stop and think.
Thank you for sharing this Adam. As you know (but some of the readers of this blog might not know) my 6 year old son Tristan was also born with club foot-only in one foot and not as severe as yours, Thank the Lord! As his mom, since the day he was born and was diagnosed with this problem, I have had that strong parental instinct to protect him from whatever negative impact it could have on his life. Sure I take him to his specialist, we did the castings when he was a baby and he has had two surgeries so far. I do these things because I believe that the medical intervention is the little “miracles” that God blesses us with to make the situation better. But there will never be a time when I can make the problem go away for Tristan, or guarantee that there won’t be challenges in the future. I have hope because I KNOW that God made Tristan the way he is for a reason, just as he did you. In your case God’s path was music and ministry, a path you might not have traveled if you didn’t have physical limitations as a child. I don’t know what the future holds for Tristan, but the man he will become may be defined by the character-building experience of not having everything “perfect”. I know that Jesus has been walking beside me when I have had to let my son experience difficulty. What joy we have that every problem we face, big or small, has a purpose and is part of a great plan that has our very best in mind. Thanks for the reminder and a chance to share with others how much I love Jesus for bringing me through and holding my son in His hand when I don’t have all the answers.
Adam, that’s awesome. Your closing really helped me return my focus to what’s important. Thank you.
adam, i too live daily with physical limitations which i do not share as readily. i try not to focus on these limitations. i don’t think you do either.i thank the Lord for allowing me to even be alive today & to be able to continue to be in realationship with Him, to allow me more days to fellowship with my family & friends & to be able to serve Him always. i love giving God the glory for what He does daily for me & for others. thanks for the word of encouragement today as i had a tough few days & needed a boost! patti
As your mom I really remember every step of this adventure. I know our difficulties develop character, and our pain becomes our test and testimony. I think in everything we go through we have to try to see things how God might see it. What is the eternal perspective? What is the overall direction He wants things to go or develop? I think of Rom 8:28 “all things work for the good…” It doesn’t say it’s easy, but thank God for each experience, each day and each person we can effect for good. I thank God for you, Adam!
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