Monday, February 12, 2007

Sock It To Ya Baby

I am wearing diabetic socks.

Did you know there was even such a thing?

Joe and I had finished in Sudbury but the weather was so bad that we couldn't make it back home. It was Friday, we'd been away for almost two weeks, and we wanted to go home. It was a bit depressing having to stay. But we consoled ourselves by going to the big mall there to do some shopping.

At one of those booths set up in the mall itself an older guy was selling a mish-mash of stuff. A big sign said, "We sell diabetic socks!!" I pulled over and asked him what diabetic socks were and he joked, "They're sugar free." Then he went into this passionate sales pitch for these socks. He showed how they were loose but didn't slip that they were comfortable and didn't restrict circulation in any way. Man this guy was into those socks. I nodded. Tried three times to get away. Finally said, "Well we'll do our other shopping and stop on the way out."

We fled.

As we shopped I started to think about diabetic socks. I was honest with myself. Sometimes my socks hurt. I have those pinpricky feelings in my feet that has a very long name that is common to diabetics. Hmmm, I mused.

I like musing.

On the way out I bought three sets of three.

I am wearing diabetic socks as I sit in my wheelchair eating sugar free low fat muffins.

At first, and I don't know why, I decided never ever to tell anyone that I was wearing diabetic socks. It somehow embarassed me in ways that the wheelchair never has. They were a symbol of something - negative - in my mind. So I was going to wear my diabetic socks in the closet.

Until today.

Joe asked me this morning how I liked my diabetic socks.

I told him, truthfully, that I loved them. That I'd never wear anything else. They don't hurt, they are comfortable and if you squint they are somewhat fashionable.

So I'm out of the closet.

I wear diabetic socks!

I'm not telling you here ... I'm telling me that I'm telling you.

And somehow it matters to me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

do the socks just come in one colour?

Anonymous said...

they come in three colours, black white and grey.

n. said...

those socks are good for autistics and others with sensory aversion to tight socks. and people whose circulation gets cut off easily for reasons unrelated to diabetes.

Anonymous said...

Do they not have toe seams? To seams drive me NUTZ! I won't buy socks that have pronounced toe seams. Do they stay up and not slide down? I hate socks that try to crawl down into the bottoms of my boots. I'm assuming they have heels and aren't tube socks. I guess I am picky about socks. Or rather, I'm particular about socks.

Shinygrape said...

Okay, so your site showed up on a google search for diabetic sock review. I am just sick of sorting socks...I am ready to throw them ALL out and start over. I can buy like 12 pair of these things on Ebay (new with tags, of course) for less than $2 a piece. I didnt know if i wanted to commit. I'mona do it..but if I hate them, it's your fault :)