By Elaine Carlson

"Life is all about balance," Sandy Fussell said. "Since I have only one leg, I understand that well."

I am sure I understand what Fussell meant. I have both of my legs but one doesn't work very well from a serious injury I had almost fifty years ago. And because of that physical disability I often have difficulty maintaining my balance.

I need a leg brace and a cane (or a walker) to be able to get around. About a month ago I started to have problems with my brace. The alignment was off and I worried it could fall apart anytime. So I called up the orthopedic shop and they told me when to go in.

Ten days ago my husband drove me to Las Cruces for that appointment. The person I saw said the best thing would be to clone the brace. I had never heard of cloning a brace. Always before the first step in the process was a cast of the foot was made. I thought hell I am a modern person and I will go for cloning this time.

But the downside is that I had to leave that brace. The day before yesterday they called me and said it is ready but they didn't know when they can schedule me to go in and pick it up. I hope I don't have to wait much longer.

This isn't the first time I have been stuck without a brace. Two times I had to wait to get a new one after a brace went kaput. Each time I didn't want to stay inside before I got the replacement. I settled on the plan of going out into the world wearing my right shoe and nothing on my left foot (the handicapped one).

The first time I had a brace fail was when I was in Lake Tahoe enjoying the shows and trying to keep money in my pocket when I heard a pop. It didn't take me long to realize the brace broke. I was grateful the casino had a wheelchair they let me use. So I continued to have a good time there.

For three and a half weeks I didn't have a brace. It was difficult for me to keep my composure being out while I was only wearing one shoe. I kept thinking of that expression children hate to hear – Why do you care what other people think?

Finally I got my new brace and my life got back to normal. But the good time (and being normal) didn't last long. Just after I got the new brace I went to New York City for a vacation. On my second day in a hotel room in Manhattan I was stretched out on my bed scanning through guidebooks and trying to decide where I would go that day when I heard a pop. The same pop I heard in Nevada.

I was shocked. The other brace went out after I had it for three years. And I thought I had at least gotten a lot of use from it. But that second time I heard the pop was when the brace I had only had it for eight or nine days. It isn't fair that an orthopedic devise doesn't last longer than than.

I tried very hard to quell my feelings of anger and frustration and get on with my vacation. I went all around New York City and saw a lot all while I was half shod and half barefoot. I went to the Statue of Liberty and spent a lot of time in several of the city's museums. They all had wheelchairs they loaned to me.

In the hotel lobby a guy suggested I go to a Rehabilitation Hotel. He gave me its address and told me how to get there. Right then it was just before noon and I wanted to have lunch. As soon as I was finished with that meal I left for the hospital.

Once I got there I went straight to the orthopedic section. Almost immediately a guy came out. The first thing he did was to tell me that he had invented my brace. He also said that he changed the plastic it was supposed to be made from. I guess that two of his braces broke was not a surprise to him.

I told him who made the brace and he said, "Yes I showed him how to do it." followed by "Tell him to call me so I can tell him what plastic to use."

I didn't think to myself – The guy who made the brace must not have read the memo – because I hadn't heard that expression then. But that is what I suspect today is what happened.

But when I got back home and saw the guy he didn't want to make another one for me. In fact he thought he had no obligation to do so. And he wouldn't answer or return any of my phone calls.

I went elsewhere to have a brace made and sued him in Small Claims Court. I was disappointed because he didn't show up for the hearing. Even though I won (by default) I wished I had had a chance to present my arguments I had worked so hard on developing.

So much for old history. This morning I called the brace shop and the person I talked to said she wasn't sure when she should schedule me to go in. And that she wanted to wait until Jen comes in. I just hope that Jen says I can have an appointment that is not too far away.

I am looking forward to when all of my current drama is over.