I've quite a few things I'd like to write about but either haven't had the time (many errands to run before he starts his holiday programme) or because I've not been feeling too well.
I want to write about (1) my worries about his kindergarten (2) his music class last Saturday (3) his pedalling exercise (4) disruption to his routine and sleep (5) losing momentum (6) visit to the shoe shop (7) his 'new' aquarium. But he'll be waking up from his nap shortly for his smoothie and I've yet to have my shower, so I'll write briefly about the visit to the shoe shop.
In a previous post, I wrote that he's due to buy a new pair of shoes. It's a special pair, with special proprioceptive insoles.
I was expecting to get the deeply discounted display pair of shoes for Rm99 as that would be the next size up for him. So he tried that on. It just fits - without extra space. That means I shouldn't buy it. He needs a bit of extra space in front of his toes and by the side so he can grow into it.
He tried the shoe without insoles at first. He walked funny and on tip toes. He tried the shoe with a heel cup insole. He walked funny too but a wee bit better. He tried the shoe with proprioceptive insoles. He walked better and only occasionally tip toed. So we know he still needs the proprioceptive insoles. I bought a pair and he customised it for my son. Cost RM499.
The shoe size that he needs is a size longer and a size wider than the discounted pair. If I were to buy the pair suitable for him, we'll have to fork out RM999 (excluding insoles). His current pair had cost us RM799 (exc insoles). Inflation I guess. Even at RM799, it was very expensive. It had done its job, but I'm not going to spend 1k on his next pair. Such is the cost of doing our best for our special needs child.
I went round other shoe shops looking for a shoe to fit him. I suspected I'd not find any cos I've been through a similar exercise several times over the past 2 years. So it was that I just could not find any at Jusco, at Clarks, or at Treehouse. From past experience, I knew Bata/Bubblegummers wouldn't have any too.
His feet are 'thick'/high in the area around his his arch. His feet are a bit wider than the normal cutting locally sold. Further, with the inclusion of the insole, he would need shoes with a higher ankle support. Given these three conditions, the only option is to custom make his shoes.
I'll go to a local custom make shoe shop this coming week and have them measure and make. It'll be I think around RM200, which is a still expensive but cheaper than the imported German ones. The materials and design is of course of a lower grade, but it'll have to do.
A word about the local shop - it's along Jln TAR. It's a highly unassuming shop - I missed it twice when I was driving looking for it a few months ago. It's only half a shop, the other half shared with an Indian barber shop I think. Floors are bare cement. No deco to speak of, just basic furniture. Everything in there seems to be caked in soot from the pollution of the heavy traffic along Jln TAR. The designs offered seems to hark back to the 1970s. It's a world of difference compared to the German shop in MidValley! And that's reflected in the price! Dont get me wrong. I'm very glad to have been told of this shop - it'll save us a lot of money. If the shoe turns out good, I'll highly recommend it to other CP parents too.
I did find out about other local custom make shoe shops. One's in Cheras but doesnt make them his size (only from young teenagers upwards) and they speak only Chinese. Others I read about seems to be for fancy adult footwear (boots, dancing shoes, office pumps).
So, we're off to the Jln TAR shoe shop next week!
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