A frustrating visit to the Artificial Limb centre today, where work has begun on making my third prosthesis.

Yesterday my prosthetist, Ian, made a plaster cast which will form the basis of the new limb. Today I returned so that he could check the fit on the new socket. When I put it on, though, it felt too tight -- like wearing a pair of shoes a couple of sizes too small.

The problem, Ian explained, is that I'm "between sizes."

The Iceross silicone liner that I've been using for a while is getting a little bit too big for the much-reduced Mr Stumpy -- so he gave me the next size down to wear when he took the new cast. However, a smaller socket combined with a smaller liner is too much of a tight squeeze at the moment.

It's not too much of a problem. Ian simply took a second cast over the top of the larger liner. It does, however, mean an extra trip to Cardiff when I get back from Cambodia for another diagnostic fitting to ensure everything is as it should be before the leg is finally made.

In the grand scheme of things it's a small inconvenience if the finished product is more comfortable -- and things could be worse...I could have ended up like this bloke.