The Book of Me, Prompt #3: Your Physical Self (Part 2)

In Part 1, I alluded to a condition I have in my left pelvis and leg.  I was born with Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS).  People with KTS typically have capillary, vascular, and lymphatic malformations.  These malformations are usually confined to only one limb or one side of the body.  KTS is not something that is passed down from generation to generation; it is likely the result of a genetic mutation that occurs during embryonic development.  It occurs randomly. 

I have a port-wine stain birthmark that stretches from my left hip all the way down the entire length of my left leg and foot.  I have had varicose veins in the leg most of my life.  I started wearing a compression stocking as a young teenager, although not every day as I should have done.  In my 20s, my condition worsened dramatically and I had to start walking with a cane.  At that time, I had several surgeries to try to close off some of the most painful veins; however, that just pushes the blood into other poorly-functioning veins, so those end up becoming varicose, too.  I now must wear a thigh-length 40-50 mmHg compression stocking from the time I get out of bed until I go to sleep at night.  My foot swells up more than any other part of my leg, because the blood just pools down there, and I usually have to by wide-width shoes.  I try to rest and elevate the leg as much as I can throughout the day.  When I overdo it, I do get painful superficial blood clots, usually in my foot.  Thankfully, at this point, over-the-counter pain relievers are sufficient for me when I'm experiencing pain.  Many people with KTS need some pretty heavy-duty prescription pain meds to make it through each day. 

There are no cures for KTS. Many KTS patients I know suffer from bleeding ulcers and skin infections that land them in the hospital repeatedly.  Some others have had their KT limbs amputated.  I am fortunate in that I have never had to deal with any of those complications.

This disease is obviously a huge part of who I am and has shaped me into the person I am today, for better and for worse.  It limits me physically from being able to do the things I would like to do, but, at the same time, it helps me to put other 'small' problems into perspective and it makes me thankful for the blessings I do have.  The disease has kept my vanity in check, but it has also severely weakened by self-esteem.  I typically wear long pants or very long skirts and shoes that completely cover my foot, because I am apprehensive of other people seeing it.

BUT, I've decided to include it in my Book of Me because it is not something I am ashamed of.  I want my kids to be happy with their physical bodies, no matter what they look like, and I need to set the example.  (My daughter is only three years old, and yet she is already very perceptive of her appearance.)  Yes, my leg is unattractive and what some people would label ugly, but it is what I was given, so I must make the most of it.

Here are a couple of photos of my leg with and without my stocking on.  I must wear a toe cap in addition to the open-toe stocking, in order to keep my toes from swelling too much.