Some time earlier, she had sprained her ankle while jogging. The doctor prescribed her a black, removable plastic orthosis for a few days, which enabled her to walk and stabilised her ankle at the same time. Much later, when the memory of the injury had faded, she wondered what it would be like to wear a leg cast and use crutches for a while.

The idea fascinated her and she wanted to know what a cast felt like, which is much more rigid, harder, heavier, non-removable and more restrictive than an orthosis. She also wanted to use crutches because they made the experience of wearing a cast more real to her.

When the eye-catching pink cast was finally applied to her leg, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction. She liked the way the cast covered her foot and gave it a whole new meaning. She had previously had a pedicure, as she knew from the orthosis that her toes would be the centre of attention. The pedicure and the perfect nail polish also made her feel more attractive.

Nevertheless, she was nervous at first about appearing in public with her pink cast. But she soon realised how friendly people were to her and how they asked curious questions about her ‘injury’. They were able to laugh together and swap stories about their experiences.

She liked it when people smiled at her and opened doors for her. The care from others made her feel good. She felt more and more comfortable and confident. She enjoyed the attention she received and also noticed that some people stared at her cast, which only made her happier. It was nice to see how confident she was and how much she enjoyed the whole experience.