[pct-l] work shoes

[Georgi Heitman]

Yo, Marion,
I sympathize completely.....I've had two back surgeries, lower disc blew
apart in 1978 and the next one up in '91, both requiting a clean up of the
'garbage' after the discs went...to prevent pinched nerves.  In 1993, our
Council office moved to a fancy-dancy office building where women in other
offices dressed to the nines.  Our staff tended toward business casual, tho
those of us in the Field and Program departments wore uniforms when
appropriate.  Suddenly I guess someone decided we look trashed next to all
these women who actually got paid enough to be fashion plates on heels.  A
dress code was imposed, uniforms, skirts, good slacks, pricey T's and
sweatshirt-like tops. (Laurel Burch comes to mind, our E.D. loved her
things, so I turned he to the very close at hand L.B. warehouse that help
sales twice a year), we stood in line together. Heels became requisite tho
as low as 1 inch were o.k., as long as they looked like high heels.  Several
people quit, said the couldn't afford the new dress code.
I tried, I really did.  None of my heels were more than 1 1/2 inches
high,...but day after day...couldn't do it!  I finally bought two pair of
white Keds, no laces, just elastic straps that looked like laces.  I took
them to my E.D., told her I'd really tried, my back wouldn't take the strain
day after day, and that from now on, these two pair of shoes would have to
be my 'dress tennies'.  During Girl Scout week and other appropriate times
(troop org/parent meetings, Annual Council Meetings, etc.) I would always
continue to wear my low heeled blue pumps.  She agreed immediately.  I
didn't even have to play the 'disabled persons act' card.  I kept those
tennies spotless, wore other shoes or in winter, boots to and from work and
if I went out to lunch.
I also suggested to those who felt they had to quit because they couldn't
afford fancy new clothes., that they go to a town away from Oakland and find
a Good Will.  I shopped a lot in places like that, still do.  Why pay full
price?  Only one young lady listened, she decided not to quit after all and
always looked nice.  She even found heels there.
You might try the 'dress white tennies' approach along with a note from your
Internist or Orthopedist.  I bought the slimmest, most streamlined shoes I
could find that were comfortable, no big thick soles and chunky, bouncy
heels or mesh.  They have a leather look and no laces or ties, just these
straps back and forth that looked like laces and stretch so I can pull them
on.  Still have them, I use them for shopping trips to Redding a lot.  After
20 years and almost 18 retired and living up here in the back of beyond,
they aren't exactly spotlessly  white any more, no one seems to care.
Good luck with your Super Feet insoles, but if they don't work for you, you
might think about what I did under similar circumstances.  Oh, and I didn't
ask my E.D. if the tennies would be alright, I told her they'd have to be,
it was the best I could do.  She bought it. You might also mention the
amount of strong pain meds you have to take now, and that you're becoming
nervous about driving or working around machines, etc safely.
Hope something works for you...you need be able to get out on the trail.
FireFly