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1 Nov 2003 Juan & Beto JUAN & BETO. Let me tell you about two good friends named "Juan" and "Beto". These are the names given to my pair of crutches by a real friend when I was a young girl. For years, that's what we called them. And like good friends, I've not always needed to rely on them, but they've been there when I've needed to. While attending college, my dermatologist told me about another of his patients with pachyonychia. He told me this patient stayed in her apartment and rarely went anywhere. I didn't blame her. For many of us, thickened nails are a very secondary problem compared to the sores and blisters on the bottoms of our feet. The first thing I asked him was, "Does she have crutches?" He said, "No."
One of the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me was a pair of crutches. I was in third grade, I came home from school one day to see them propped against the kitchen counter. Crutches have been a part of who I am ever since. They don't take the pain away, but they certainly alleviate it. Crutches have allowed me to participate in activities in high school and college, including sports reporting and writing, clubs, orchestra, and leadership positions. Crutches have given me the mobility to serve a mission for my church, travel many places, including parts of Asia and Europe, and hold various kinds of jobs (although I've never applied to be a waitress or a mail carrier!)
Today, I am a stay-at-home mom (which is a contradictory term since what mom really stays home?), but that doesn't mean I'm not using my crutches to run my kids around to the kazillion things we sign our kids up for, serve in community and school activities and run all the errands that need running. I don't do more than the average person (I probably do less), but, thanks to my crutches, the choice to get left behind is up to me - not my feet! I may not call them "Juan" and "Beto" anymore, but crutches are still this pachyonychia person's very good friends!
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