Month: November 2023

You Can Do It!

You Can Do It!

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There are many facets to being an amputee, a lot revolves around the fit of prosthetics, dealing with phantom pains, and relearning to walk. However there are other obstacles to overcome, goals to achieve, finding your independence is usually on the top of the list!

This was a huge goal for me (and also for others I have talked to over the past few years). Independence looks different for each of us but when we decide what it is we are looking to achieve there’s no better feeling when we reach that goal.

For me, today was that day. I felt the complete independence of traveling alone-for the first time as an amputee! Packing up, getting to the airport, carrying my own luggage, finding my way through security and to my gate, all while being balanced, strong, and confident. I was able to grab my luggage, find my way to the Uber line, and check into a hotel.  These may seem like simple tasks, people do them everyday, but being with my husband since we were 17 and never traveling without him, he always took charge, he always looked out for me, and guarded me from uncertainty. With him I was always safe and taken care of, so you can imagine how exciting, and challenging, doing this was for me.

 

 

 

What a day of firsts!

 

If you ever wonder if you’ll be able to travel again, let alone, travel solo as an amputee, I’m here to tell you that you can and you will! You can find that independence if that’s what you want. It takes time and practice. You have to plan ahead, and be prepared.

Listen in to today’s podcast as I discuss the things I have learned over the past 4 1/2 years of traveling as an amputee, the items I make sure I pack, and how I navigate the airport hoopla.

Oh, and if you are curious as to why in the world I have traveled alone to the other side of the country, on my own, in the middle of the holiday season, leaving the beautiful Arizona weather behind for the biting cold east coast then make sure you tune in next week!!

 

This is no different from the last two weeks:

Join my Fierce and On Fire challenge today!! Don’t wait! Join me as I make a solid effort to pay attention to my own health needs this holiday season by making sure to exercise in some way, everyday for at least 30 minutes.

The challenge is 100 miles and is virtual. If you want a medal the click HERE to join me!

If you want to join me but don’t care about the medal, that’s cool, too!  I have a private Facebook group you can join for the motivation and community. You can also join my IG channel Fierce and On Fire for the community as well.

How can you compete against yourself?

Great question. You do whatever it is you love to do and are capable of doing, where you are right now in your health journey.

If you want and can run, walk, hike, bike, swim, then do it!

If you are bedridden or in a wheelchair try upper body exercises with bands. 15 minutes of exercise = 1 mile.

NO EXCUSES! If you want to help yourself then be kind to your mind and body. Don’t wait for January 1 to make the dreaded “New Year’s Resolution”. Start today. Challenge yourself today. Make yourself more of a priority and end 2023 on a high note.’

Let’s do this together, as a virtual team of sorts.

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YO(U!!!

 

Much love,

Sick and Tired

Sick and Tired

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Staying Healthy in the Hustle and Bustle of the Holidays

 

I had the distinct pleasure of getting sick recently. I haven’t been sick in so long, and not once since becoming an amputee.

I was on a vacation and burning the candle at both ends. I’m sure, between being around a lot of people and lack of sleep my immune system became compromised, leading me to having tingly skin, sore muscles, nausea and sleepiness.  What I wasn’t expecting was how my amputee body would react, or even THAT it would react.

Yep, you guessed it, phantom pains!!!

 

Laying with my girl when I struggle brings peace and healing.

 

As if all that other stuff wasn’t enough to take me down, I had the distinct pleasure of experiencing phantom pains and the total discomfort that added to all the other symptoms. It was crazy, and it totally sucked!!!

Listening to my body and knowing how much I run myself into the ground during the holidays I decided I needed to make some changes and adjust my thinking and patterns.

How about you?

Are you taking care of yourself?

What are you doing to take care of yourself when you’re up against a demanding schedule?

Let me help you create a positive and healthy change during this holiday season so you can be at the top of your celebration game!

 

 

Here’s my challenge (AKA Call to Action):

Take time each day, from now until the end of the year, for yourself. accept my challenge from last week’s podcast and take on the Fierce and On Fire Virtual Challenge- 100 miles by Dec 31.

You can walk, run, hike, bike, swim, ski, exercise, you name it, you can do it, as long as you are taking time for yourself and moving in some way or another, however you can.

Check my link in my IG bio @BAWarrior360 for how to register.

You can also check last week’s podcast HERE for the link to join.

 

 

I pray you have a beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving week!

Until next week,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

The Secret To My Success

The Secret To My Success

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:10 — 40.4MB)

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Creating Positive Momentum Through Challenges

 

This week let’s challenge ourselves!

Let’s face the mountain head on and not veer out of fear.

It’s time to unleash the warrior within you, are you ready??

Well it doesn’t matter, now is the time! If you wait until you are “ready” then the time will never come.

 

SO how did I start my amputee journey, you ask? I was ready! I was nervous, of course, but when I came to grips with it I was ready to soar. I began to dream and wonder what I could accomplish, what hurdles I would overcome, what new things I would learn. To say that I was excited about the possibilities, would be an understatement.

 

I began by wearing my leg out of the prosthetist office and using it all day every day for a week…WITHOUT PT! Needless to say, I was so bruised on my femur bone!

I mean, I was walking, and so proud of myself, but I needed help tweaking my form and gait.

After I took some PT I began a new journey with new dreams. I was going to reinvent myself, whatever it took!

 

I had about 12 goals set for myself, even before my amputation, about what I would accomplish as an amputee.

Obviously I wanted to walk as naturally as possible, and as soon as possible, but there is no shortcut or magic potion to make that happen. It takes grit, determination and consistency.  But how do you maintain consistency, especially with something that is scary, uncertain, and hard to do?

What I did was register for virtual races! Not only did I have set miles but I also had the metaphorical carrot dangling in front of me…the cool looking medals!!

My very 1st race as an amputee! This started it all and how I got use to my prosthetic leg.

For me, that’s all it took! I registered for my first 150 mile race in May, a month after getting my prosthetic leg. I made a promise to myself that all of my steps in my leg would count toward my miles, then I introduced myself to the large Facebook group and told them of my goals. Not only did writing it down for all to see make me accountable for my goal, it also gave me a HUGE cheering squad with this new group of friends!

And this is where it all began! I attribute my success of learning to walk again to my virtual races.

 

These were the ones I did the first 1 1/2 after becoming an amputee! They all have special meaning,
depending on what I was trying to accomplish, how I felt or what I was going through.

 

 

It’s your turn now, and I’m going to help you and be there by your side as we do this together!

Let’s crush a goal before this year ends.

No better time than the present to start, and the best time of year to make time for yourself.

The link below is to register for a 100 mile virtual race.

I have already registered and I want you on my team!

I will create a private Facebook group too, just for those who join this race with me.

Can’t run? No problem-WALK!

Can’t walk? Bike, recumbent, stationary or  traditional.

Can’t do those things? SWIM, use a hand bike, exercise with stretch bands, dumbbells or body weight!

 

The sky’s the limit on how you go about logging your miles.

3 miles of biking= 1 mile of running/walking

exercising moderately 30 min=1 mile of running/walking

etc, etc, etc

 

You see where I’m coming from? We can all do something to help us feel better and get on track. So no matter where you are, don’t think for one second that you can’t do something in some way, shape, or form!

It is time to unleash your inner warrior! Fight for the life you want! Start today and let me walk alongside you and your journey! After all, we all need someone who gets us where we are at.

 

I’m here for you so won’t you join me on this virtual race?

Join me and let’s “sleigh” this holiday season! No excuses, no surrender!!!

 

Click HERE to register for the Fierce and On Fire Challenge

 

Oh, and did I mention that not only are you helping yourself by joining this challenge, you will also be supporting the Erin Regan Animal Sanctuary non profit 40 acre farm. A portion of your registration in this challenge goes to support this cause. This non profit is dedicated to saving the lives of farm and companion animals from abuse, euthanasia, and homelessness.

It’s a win-win in my book! Join me today! Click the link above!!

As always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Listening?

Are You Listening?

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:03 — 26.7MB)

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Learning To Listen To Your Gut

When you are going through something have you noticed how many people have advice?

The questions of: Have you tried this? Did you see Dr. So and So? This is the only prosthetic that works…. etc, etc.

I have had the opportunity to see many doctors throughout my injury, been to an amazing plastic surgeon, and have great prosthetists. I tell new amputees all about them but I try to stay conscious of pushy. My personal experience is MY personal experience, and I am always hopeful that it can be somebody else’s experience too, but it may not be. This just recently happened and it was heartbreaking to see. Without going into detail, because that’s what this podcast talks about, I had a couple of friends, amputees, use one of my doctors to help with revisions and their experiences were not like my positive experience.

I also watch social media posts and peruse the comments and am taken aback by the many people who believe their way is the only way, their doctor is the best doctor, their prosthetic brand is the best out there. Do you see where I’m going with this?

“Always”, “Never”, “The Best”, and “The Worst”, are red flags in my book, and should be avoided at all costs.

So why do we fall victim to adhering to these types of comments and following this type of advice? When we are in pain, scared, anxious, and in doubt we want ANYTHING that will get us out of that situation, and the faster the better. When we ask a large group of people (social media groups) how they handle this situation, or ask for help when we are experiencing phantom pain so extreme we are beside ourselves, we will take any advice if the person comes across unwavering and confident in their advice.

The problem? We are all DIFFERENT!

The love I have for my prosthetic. I am empowered to live my best life, with my new lease on life.

 

We have different reasons for our injury, different backgrounds, different personalities, different pain threshold levels, and completely different reasons for what we are feeling.

Just last week I experienced phantom pain, like my foot had been set on fire. It was non-stop, day and night. I haven’t had that in a long time. This time it was caused by my situation, not my fit. I was very upset and stressed about something (listen to last week’s podcast), and this was how my body dealt with it. However, if I had told any Facebook groups that I was dealing with this major burning, without giving the situational background, like so many people do, I would’ve been told that pain meds work, or gummies were the way to go, or try sleeping it off, etc. But what I needed to do was get outdoors for fresh air and allow myself to grieve. The fresh air and exercise helped me cope with my issue, which allowed my phantom pains to subside.

Fresh air and exercise! Just what I needed.

 

I knew what I needed. I trusted my gut on why I was experiencing what was happening to me.

We sometimes forget, in the midst of hard times, that if we just listen to our bodies, that we know what’s best and what is right for us.

When we schedule an appointment with a doctor but feel unsettled when in the office, we need to listen.

When we struggle with pain, we must quiet ourselves enough to listen to what our body is telling us.

Yes, it’s good to get some opinions, but take all advice with a grain of salt. We know ourselves better than a doctor with a PhD. We understand what we’ve been going through more than a random keyboard warrior who loves to put their two cents into everyone’s problems.

Aren’t we worth that?

Don’t we deserve the best care possible?

 

It’s time to advocate for yourself.

When you have an appointment, make sure you take questions you want answered so you don’t forget them if your train of thought gets derailed (mine did as soon as one doctor brought up amputation for the first time-I was stunned and my mind went blank. Luckily my husband was with me).

Bring someone you trust with you to the appointment (see comment above).

Listen to what your body is telling you. You know YOU best! DOn’t doubt yourself.

Remember, advice is great for optionality, but there is no “One size fits all” answer to your situation.

You are a warrior! Don’t you forget that! Fight for yourself! Fight for the life you’ve envisioned for yourself. You deserve the BEST!!!

I’m praying for you. Rise up and be heard, Warrior!

 

Until next week, as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

 

 

 

Dealing With Grief

Dealing With Grief

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:10 — 14.2MB)

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How Grief Plays a Role In Your Health

 

Today’s podcast I will let speak for itself.

I am dealing with grief and last several weeks the stressors in my life were so high that my phantom pains were intense.

 

Taking care of yourself in the midst of pain, sorrow, grief, and anxiety ridden situations is very important for your overall health.

Listen in as I tell you about my past week and a half, how I’ve been feeling, and what I have done, successfully and unsuccessfully, to deal with my emotions and the pain that I was feeling in my heart.

I pray you all are doing well, and I apologize for the delay in posting this week.

Stay positive.

Be the warriors you were meant to be and know that I am here and will get through this and heal on my time.

Until next week,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

In loving memory of Bella Rose October 27, 2023

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