Mine was showing my nana Downie my ‘caterpillars’ (my operation stitches) from when the orthopaedic surgeon performed a tendon operation called tenotomy at two years old.
“ A tenotomy is a surgical procedure that lengthens the Achilles tendon in children with clubfoot. It’s a key step in the Ponseti method of treating clubfoot.”
I’ve had severe circulation issues ever since but I was taught to be grateful for the operations I’ve had and I am.
I had severe club foot
and had my last operation at age 9 which entailed breaking bones, chiselling, re-set bones and put a surgical staple in calcanea and plastering from my toes to my hips. It was very uncomfortable and after the operation, I had to re-learn how to walk again.

So grateful my surgeon took my mum and me to a convention of orthopaedic surgeons from around Australia
I was examined, twisting and manipulating my feet and they said “Yes, there is something we can do, but it is invasive” and then I was separated from my mother as they filled her in on the procedure and I remember thinking ‘I wonder what that word means’ lol

They kept me in the dark as to the operation specifics.
After the operation, I woke up screaming in agony and screamed the hospital down. I was told I’d have new feet but no warning I’d be in THAT much PAIN. I cried for my father who was up in Queensland whilst I was in Wollongong. I was desperate as the pain overwhelmed my senses.
I was wheelchair-bound for months and after the plasters came off I was told I couldn’t skip, hop or jump. I have a stubborn streak and loved jumping puddles so against advice I did jump puddles like the boy with polio in “I can jump puddles” by Alan Marshall.
I now wear corrective shoes custom made for me but at Christmas, my feet were still swollen as I recovered from oedema I had to take my shoelaces out of my Doc martens boots and it was a big mistake as I now have what I have been advised is “Achilles tendinitis”. Stabbing pains plus constant aching and weakness in the heel and ankle.
I keep waking up from sleep due to the pain. Thankfully I can fit my feet in my podiatrist’s $2500 custom-made orthotic shoes but they are very tight and uncomfortable and I think I need to go barefoot for a while until the pain ceases.
Flying always makes the feet swell and I had to take my boots off on January 10th when I flew back from Hobart into Brisbane. It was so painful
and I must admit I cried a few tears trying to get them back on again when we landed.

I’m very grateful to my mum who fought like a lioness for me. She was the one responsible for willing me to walk, propping me up and building up my muscles in my legs. I learned how to walk with a bar between my boots and they said I’d never develop a calf muscle but I did. I was like the bionic woman and bionic man – they rebuilt me and I now walk more than most people.
My biggest walk was 10 km to the painted cliffs of Maria Island in Tasmania and back to the ferry terminal. I made it and could have kept going!
Yes, I crashed hard in the car driving back to the Russell family farm in Glenfern but I was so proud of myself as my stepson Kieron had told me I’d never be able to see the painted cliffs due to my feet.
I loved every minute of the walk which included wombats, white sandy beach, beautiful water and wildlife

What’s your earliest memory?