Care and Feeding of Support stockings

The following comments are digested from

--recent experience in airports

--wonderful help from one of RantMom's HUGE fans at Shine
Shine at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance  . the shopping option where RantMom first acquired RantWoman's beloved purple argyle sock s from Vim&Vigr   .

Shhh! RantMom does not know about this blog. She does not know about RantWoman referring to the Rant Family. When RantWoman tutors RantMom about matters internet, even though saying "Look mom, a new blog post" MIGHT suddenly make the internet more interesting to RantMom, RantWoman has so far used other sites to help RantMom experiment. RantWoman MAY have to rethink this plan.

RantMom started volunteering at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance when she moved to Seattle after surviving two rounds of cancer treatment. She had lived in MT for over 30 years and decided she wanted to be near daughters and the only grandkid. RantWoman has been SO grateful RantMom found this connection, not only because she got to tell her survivor story one time on a panel but also because RantMom has connected beautifully with some of the other volunteers!

If, as RantWoman did, you decide you need your compression stockings NOW for a plane ride two days from NOW and decide just to walk and skip one bus transfer, it might still be a good idea to check Google maps once you look up the address. This will not help about all the endless construction in South Lake Union, but it might remind you of distance and make you rethink the meandering around needed to dodge all the construction.

If, as RantWoman did, you decide to skip the Google Maps step, congratulate yourself on being a motivated pedestrian and collect extra brownie points for all the extra exercise gotten while negotiating all the construction zones.

RantWoman has been to Shine before and has met the staff even though she is bad with names. RantWoman was instantly recognized but wanted to fog around the store herself for a few minutes before stating her compression socks errand. RantWoman is glad she did this because she is still thinking about another item, but back to the compression stockings.

RantWoman found the Vim&Vigr display. RantWoman debated. Should she do more purple argyle even though the largest women's size almost fits in that Must Have Purple Argyle will wear them anyway zone where RantWoman can easily spend a lot of time?OR should RantWoman try a men's size and reconcile with thoughts of something way more subdued, like black, blue, red stripes?

Here it was time for conversation and one of the staff asked some helpful question or suggested RantWoman should compare the size of the footbeds on her choices. Then there was invitation to try socks on, more narrative about RantWoman's sock acquisition history, some measurements...

RantWoman's budget has taken an interesting turn and RantWman had money to buy her own stockings. RantWoman was about to go out of town and was saving the stockings in good shape for her trip. The day RantWoman went to Shine, RantWoman was wearing a sort of ratty pair in a pedestrian color; RantWoman also nearly always wears out the heels of her stockings. But the staff was SO gracious RantWoman completely forgot to be self-conscious as she took off her shoes.

The conversation boiled down:

1. After detecting the option of Compression stockings among the holiday traffic at SeaTac, iif you think you will want compression stockings for a long airplane flight, your options will be a whole lot more colorful and interesting if you buy them before you get to the airport.

2. It is VERY worthwhile to talk to a live human even if you switch to mail order after a fitting. For one thing, a live human can cover many useful details which tend to show up in teeny tiny print on the packaging. RantWoman has not checked the Vim&Vigr site to see whether such directions can be found anywhere on the site. Just sayin'  For another thing, a live human can listen to one's compression stocking acquisition history, including the interaction of doctor recommendation, insurance and supplier issues, and approach about plan B. A live human can then suggest all kinds of enhancements including a LOVELY one which RantWoman had already guessed would cost more but which RantWoman wound up gladly trying anyway.

3.  Beginning the details RantWoman remembers: You want to have the socks loose in the toes.

4. Putting on compression stockings can be tricky. Work each foot into the stocking and then work the stocking around the heel.

5. Once you are past the heel, GENTLY pull the stocking up and work out any wrinkles. Pulling too hard at the top will just make holes in the leg part of the stocking. Pulling anything past the knee creates places above the knee where blood can pool, not something one wants.

6. At the end of the day, pull the socks off gently. For brands that do not have spandex in them, the dryer is good for them, good for ridding the sock of things one does not want to grow in socks.

RantWoman has now gone and come back from her journey. Stay tuned for other reports of her adventures.