Feb 14, 2011

Did you have any childhood diseases or health problems?  Any stitches or broken bones?

When I was three I had a disease the same as Clair had when he was younger.


Here is the description as given on the internet.
Perthes disease is when the ball of the thighbone in the hip doesn't get enough blood, causing the bone to die. Symptoms: The first symptom is often limping, which is usually painless.


I had to have a brace that connected to my hip and foot on my right leg. The brace kept my leg straight and pressure off of my joints. I remember trying to climb the stairs. If you want to know what it was like then the next time that you get to a set of stairs hold your leg straight and swing it up on the next step then lift yourself up onto the step in whatever method you can use. I usually leaned against the wall to help.


Other than that I had the usual diseases for the time but don't remember them. 


There was a side effect to the perthes disease however. My feet were turned out and I would wear shoes out on the side. So I had to wear corrective shoes specially made by a person in Provo. I wore them until I was 19 and left for my mission.