The Opposite of Falling Apart [Formerly Three and a Half Good Legs]

11 (free sample)

J O N A S

Dr. Akeson, Jonas's orthopedic surgeon (AKA the one who neatened up what remained of Jonas's leg after the metal from the car door had finished with it), was a short man with a balding head and a white beard. He was like Santa Claus, if Santa wore a lab coat and smelled like antiseptic.

"I've been...I've been trying to walk some," Jonas started, somewhat uneasily. He'd tried to imagine how the words would feel, how they would taste, when he finally said them. He couldn't quite decide yet if they felt good or bad to say. He looked down at his lap, his fingers absentmindedly tapping his leg just above the prosthetic socket, a nervous tic that came out just about every time he was at a follow up appointment. He felt self-conscious in the hospital gown they always had him wear. He knew it was so they could examine his leg more easily, but he felt cold and a little exposed. He quit tapping and crossed his arms tight across his chest.

"Really?" said Dr. Akeson, peering at Jonas over his glasses from his chair next to the computer. He made a note of something in Jonas's chart. "That's good news. How is that working out? Are you having any problems with the socket fitting?"

"I...I'm not really sure," he muttered. "It's all...a little much. I didn't really work much with the therapist and the prosthetist back...when it first happened. To be honest, I'm not really sure how it's supposed to feel, or how to really start out."

"What have you done so far?"

"I've walked short distances. A few times. I don't think the leg feels loose..." He sighed. "The main thing that's bothering me is that...I've had an increase in pain since I started to try walking."

"Does the pain mostly happen when you're using the prosthesis, or do you have it other times as well?"

Jonas thought about it a bit. "Mostly when I'm wearing it. Occasionally when I'm not, but I always had occasional phantom sensations before, so I guess that's not really new...My leg's been a bit sore; I think it's just because it's not used to bearing weight."

"That would most likely be correct," Dr. Akeson said. "It's usually best to start slow with these things. Work up to it. As for the pain you feel when you wear the prosthesis...can you describe it for me?"

"It's sort of a shooting pain. Sometimes it feels kind of like...like a burning sensation, almost. But only when I'm putting weight on it, or sometimes just when I'm wearing the it. I don't know if maybe I'm...walking wrong, or something. Like a misstep."

He tapped his fingers on his leg again. In the ceiling, the air conditioning kicked on, ruffling Jonas's hair. Dr. Akeson was making another note.

"There's a few possible explanations, but one stands out to me at this time, based on what you've said." He scooted his stool forward a bit, and gestured to Jonas's leg. Jonas was used to this, even if it was his least favorite part of being in the doctor's office. He stared straight ahead, refusing to look at his leg as Dr. Akeson shifted the gown and examined the fake leg, and the socket, and then took it off, examining Jonas's residual leg. He massaged a few places, stopping when Jonas winced in pain. "There it is..." The doctor murmured, as if to himself.

"What?" Asked Jonas, massaging his leg again.

"I'm thinking it's most likely a neuroma," said his doctor, moving back to make another note in the computer. "Amputees are known to get them, especially in traumatic amputations, as yours was. Think of it like...a tangle of hair, except in this case, it's a tangle of nerve endings. It can be sensitive, especially to pressure."

"Can it be..fixed?"

"Usually it's as simple as adjusting your prosthesis. In this case, you'll just need another visit with your prosthetist. It would explain why the pain has only started now that you've really worked on walking. It usually takes a few months after an amputation to show up, and if it hadn't been exposed to pressure, it wouldn't be a cause for concern. But since you've started walking again, your prosthesis is starting to put some pressure on it."