Crazy Sock Day!

Maigee and some of my crazy socks

A year ago, a bunch of my friends who have CRPS/RSD had these pictures of wild socks on their Facebook pages.  While seeing funky socks on a friend or even two’s profiles might not be enough to make me think twice, the fact that nearly all of my CRPS friends had crazy socks and a bunch of CRPS’ers who I wasn’t friends with also had crazy socks on their profile.  My curiosity was piqued!

This was my introduction to an amazing girl named Melanie.  A girl who at age 10 got CRPS in her foot as a result of a stilt accident at a birthday party.  As I got to know her and her mother, Laurie, I was amazed at Melanie’s positive attitude and greatly inspired by her strength and courage with which she faced her battles with pain.

My socks for Crazy Sock Day!

On the anniversary of her original injury that caused CRPS, Melanie and her family started “Crazy Sock Day.”  As part of her physical therapy, Melanie was challenged to wear crazy socks for desensitization.  It became her unique “thing” and is the motivation for me to wear a crazy sock under my own AFO brace.  Annually, people all over the world wear crazy socks on January 24 in honor of Melanie’s own struggle and to raise awareness for CRPS.

Unfortunately Melanie’s introduction to pain didn’t end with her foot, her CRPS spread internally, causing something called Gastroparesis or paralyzed stomach.  Basically the stomach stops functioning and food may sit in it for hours or days.  This causes great pain, discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.  Think of having the perpetual flu!  While my own digestive issues make me more aware of what she is going through, I can still eat and enjoy the food I like.

Melanie had a NJ tube placed to help allow her to get nutrition by skipping the stomach entirely and feeding supplements directly into her duodenum (the first 10 inches of the small intestine).  Though this was incredibly beneficial, it was also challenging as she had a “strange” tube coming out of her nose.  At the age of 12 now, I can’t imagine how difficult this would be to face not only friends but also strangers who just don’t understand why such a “normal” looking kid would need a tube.

Today, on the 2nd Annual Crazy Sock Day, Melanie is undergoing surgery to have a gastric simulator placed into her stomach to help her digestive system to work a little more normally.  I pray the most success and decreases in pain with her new friend “Robie.”  Will you join me in prayers, well wishes, and wearing of crazy socks?

Another way you can support people all over the world with chronic pain and illness is to join in Melanie’s Crazy Sock Auction for Spirit Sparkplugs.  Spirit Sparkplugs was started by a friend, Kylee of New Zealand to send care packages, cards, and more to kids and adults with chronic illness all over the world.  They have been a huge blessing in my life.  All proceeds from the sock auction will go to Spirit Sparkplugs.  Just view the photo album, find socks you like, and make a bid by commenting on the picture.  Click here to see the album with all of the socks.  Be sure to check out the socks I donated – 4 brand new mixed up socks (none match the others since my socks never match).

For more information or to apply to help or recieve from Spirit Sparkplugs, be sure to check out their web site.

Be sure to check out Melanie’s amazing story (written a few weeks after initial diagnosis of CRPS) in her book.  Then once you’ve read that, check out her more current updates on her blog!