My eyes stay shut, my brain's racing. I'm awake!

Thoughts of the day fill my mind. My body reacts and starts throbbing from the previous day's exertions.

I'm starting to sweat - my tormentor is two feet away, the thoughts of what's to come fills me with dread.

How long have I sufffered this pain? Weeks, months, years? What's it like to not suffer the indignation of what is to come? I will never know.

Slowly I open my eyes, look over and "yes" still there!

I prepare as best I can. The cold metal touches my skin sending shivers up my spine. Hard leather and tight straps dig into me - another day in hell begins.

Moving is slow, careful and deliberate. Hard metal digs in, leather chaffes and straps tighten.

Trapped again, another day trying to ease the pain and stop abscesses forming within hours.

Leather rubs against skin as the effort makes me sweat more, I feel like a horse with a saddle on it's back.

The burning sensation from leather rubbing is to much to bear, but what choice do I have? Very little!

Twist this way then that way, relieve for a moment until another twinge causes me to react again.

My crime for receiving this punishment? I know not! I'm innocent and have not commited any foul deed to man or beast. But wait, could it be my belief's? Wanting to remain independent, stupid pride, a sense of achievement!

Wait! Is this not the 21st Century? Is torture banned? Do we not have human rights?

So, why in this day and age do we have an instrument that is a cross between the iron maiden and the rack?

My thoughts can only come up with the answer "economic's", or put another way the big "M" - money! We can put a man on the moon, build the hubble telescope and send rockets to Mars, yet the only contribution to my life syle is "velcro", developed as a result of the space programme, for straps on my Nemeses

Namely - the Caliper or Brace!

My life without the caliper does not bear thinking about, I could not have gone through life without it! Yet I have to weigh the cost of wearing it against the benefits, is it as I said - just pride that keeps me wearing it?

Consider this, if you broke your legs and had to use crutches for say 6 months, how would you manage? Could you carry things? Moving around 'normally' would be a problem, just going to the bathroom would really test your mobility skills.

Hell for 6 months - a mere inconvience in one's life. What about 45yrs+? Now that's a life sentence for anybody!

Helpless as a new baby who cannot yet walk is not an option I want to consider, yet there have been times this has been unavoidable. I, like anybody incapacitated even for a short time, find it frustrating not being able to 'Do' for myself!

It would seem I have aswered my own question, guilty of the sin "Pride"


Author - Alan Bruce


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