When Mom got diagnosed with MS she had to get some special shoes to help with her walking.  As you can imagine they aren’t exactly a designer shoe.  To put it bluntly (which I don’t think I have ever done when talking about her shoes), they are glorified black velcro shoes.  They are also a necessity for Mom’s life.  They get the job done which is helping Mom stay balanced.  But no matter how fashion conscious a person is that is tough.  And Mom loved, still loves shoes.  Cute little sandals in the summers or boots in the winter or even going without shoes around the house.  These were now all things of the past.  Her shoes, these shoes are a necessity now. 

That being said, we try to focus on other fun accessories for Mom that will make her feel like a million bucks.  A trendy purse to have set out even though she has a walker or some beautiful jewelry.  I know people would say it’s not that big of a deal not wearing cute shoes but I doubt they’ve ever really thought about it.  Never really thought about a simple item of clothing that seems irrelevent having that big of an impact on your everyday life.  How would you feel if you were dressed head to toe in a beautiful formal gown and then had to put on a pair of black velcro sandals?  That was Mom on my wedding day.  A day that was as big for her in importance as it was for me.  Her gown was a little extra long and you never noticed her shoes.  She looked beautiful.  But she knew she was wearing those shoes.  She knew.   

You have to be a strong person to put on these shoes and ignore them, especially in a society so focused on appearance and fashion.  Putting on these shoes is not for the weak.  Mom may not be able to run a marathon but I bet she is stronger than any marathon runner out there.