Tag: reality

In The Beginning

In The Beginning

What to Expect as a New Amputee

 

As with anything new there is a learning curve. Becoming an amputee is no different. However, since few people know of anyone that’s an amputee before they, themselves, become one, there are so many questions without answers.

It seems overwhelming, confusing and quite scary.

Have no fear, even though each one of us is very different as we deal with our own amputation, we also have many similar benchmarks or stages we go through.

First thing you need to know is that you will get through this and you are going to do great. If you can embrace that mindset, a mindset of positivity, then you are already on your way to bringing that to fruition.

I believe in manifesting my own destiny and I have deep faith in my purpose and that the journey I am on was set before me by a higher power.

Speak positive and empowering words to yourself, and you will manifest positive and empowering outcomes.

After your surgery you will have time to adjust to your new body image and center of gravity, time to rest and heal, and time to prepare for what’s to come. At this point it’s a great idea to focus on getting some core strength back and balance. These things you can work on as you wait for the fitting process.

Me trying on my very first socket (L) and me a couple sockets later (R). See the weight change?

 

Adjustments are always being made, even when the socket feels right the leg direction can be off (too far forward leaning, not adducted enough). These things depend on your type of amputation and your hip alignment.

 

I’ve been fortunate enough to take my “test socket” home and work out in it to make sure it is made to withstand the riggers of my activity levels.

 

Here’s how my guy, Randy, creates my sockets. He casts my residual limb.

 

Once you’ve been given the green light by your surgeon that you are ready to be fitted for your prosthesis then you will head to your prosthetist’s office, discuss your goals, dreams, activity levels and where you want to be and where you see yourself in the future. This will help them fit you correctly and get you the best prosthesis for you and your goals.

Your prosthetist will create a “test socket” for you-this could take a couple of weeks- and then you will go in, try it on, walk around in it and they will adjust it for a more comfortable fit, then off you go with your brand new leg.

PT should begin at this point, if you haven’t already been working with one to gain core strength and balance.

I know this can be scary and you might feel apprehensive at first but remember, they want to help you succeed at walking and using your prosthesis correctly so you don’t hurt yourself.

Communicate with them, let them know what feels good and doesn’t feel good, what scares you, what you don’t understand, and what you want to be able to do. Discuss your dreams and goals with them.

Now as you start using your new leg you will start noticing changes in your volume of your leg. The more you start doing life again the more your volume of your residual limb will change and then you run into the frustrating aspect of being an amputee, the socket fit.

You can literally get a brand new socket made to fit your leg perfectly and the very next day it won’t feel as snug. You’ll start to add socks on top of your liner, one after the next, just to accommodate your leg shrinking in size. The more socks you use the less connected you will feel and then you won’t trust your prosthesis to stay in place and behave the way it should.

But don’t worry, your prosthetist will be taking measurements and once those measurements align with your insurance company’s guidelines you can be fitted for a new socket.

The problem?

It is the whole process all over again!

You get a new casting of your limb (some cast, some use digital renderings, just depends on what they like to use), they create a new “test socket” and adjust it to fit nice and snug. Next they create a new final socket and you go back in, try it on, walk around, make adjustments and then you’re on your way…..until this one begins to fit poorly.

The reality: the first 2-3 years are a series of nicely fitting socket, loosening, refitting, recreating, and then all over again.

I, myself, went through 16 sockets in the first 3 years!

The sooner you know and understand this sequence of events, the better it is for you to mentally grasp the journey so these moments don’t gut punch you and make you feel like a failure, or that you’re doing something wrong, or that this is heading down an irreversible path.

Embrace this journey.  It is unique and challenging, but you will learn so much about yourself and build so much character, and experience, so quickly.

No one has the same experiences as they become an amputee but this is a basic outline of some pretty typical moments you will see to some degree.

Just remember you are stronger than you think and you will make it through this.

 

 

Plain and simple, this week I want you to face those fears.

I know you and see you. You are getting ready to head into your first physical therapy and have no idea how you will manage. You are worried you won’t be able to tolerate the leg, that you aren’t strong enough or even brave enough for this life….but you are!

As I tell myself when I encounter something that puts fear into my heart and doubt into my brain, “One step at a time, Ang”.

I can do anything, one step at a time.

One Step At A Time. Yes, that can be a metaphor, but I mean it literally.

You will NOT be asked to do stairs on your first day of PT, nor will they ask you to try running.

Baby steps is how you start. Just as a small child learns to crawl before they stand, stand before they walk, and walk before they run, you too, will go through these sort of “baby steps”. You are doing something for the first time. It takes, strength, balance, mobility, and practice to get it right, and even then you still won’t have it down. I still catch myself not walking with a good gait and making corrections. That’s ok, it takes time.

Enjoy the journey.

Embrace what scares you and make the most of these moments.

You can do this, look how far you’ve already come!

 

Have a blessed week and get after it!

Rise up, Warrior, rise up!

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

Transparency

Transparency

The Truth About Being An Amputee

 

Not everyday is a picnic.

This is true for everyone around the world, but when you talk to amputees who lost their limb because of an accident, disease, war, or electively, the operation is just the beginning, not the finale.

Once we heal and begin to transition into a prosthetic- wearing person we are just then beginning to experience what amputee life is like.

I started this podcast, not because I wanted to hear myself speak (I hate hearing my own voice!), but because I wanted to be the voice of reality, and transparency for this community. I wanted to be real, no matter what that was going to look like.

The past 2 weeks have been very hard for me, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Even though I have enjoyed traveling with my family, skiing and walking the Vegas strip, my residual limb has been struggling to fit properly into my skin fit socket. When the fit isn’t right it swells and becomes hard and very sore. Then through the night it settles down a little but then the next day I try to put my prosthetic on only to have an ill fit again, making it worse throughout the day.

Mind you, I have had this socket for over a year and I haven’t experienced this, then after being at higher elevations, flying, skiing without it on, I find myself not fitting well.

There’s not much to do about it but hope that I “normalize” again, soon, before it gets any worse.

This is the life of an amputee.

Some of us look like it’s all roses, but were have our days and even weeks (and some struggle for months) but we can hide it well.

Transparency is important to me because so many amputees that I’ve talked to are so frustrated because the ones they see on social media are living life and doing so well (you know, only showing the best moments) and they are not. They, and maybe YOU are one of them, that can’t figure out how you will ever wear your prosthesis or walk in it. If you’ll ever be comfortable again or without pain.

It is not an easy journey, but you can succeed in this life.

You have to understand the reality of your new circumstance and what it entails, really, before you can just be running along in your prosthetic leg. it doesn’t happen over night. it takes practice, patience, and a lot of faith.

You will feel knocked down at times, but you must get up again and keep trying, keep pushing forward.

Don’t give up….

This too shall pass and you will find your way through the challenges and struggles.

 

 

I have a simple task and request for this week.

Next month, April, is Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness Month and I have a full month of interviews with AMAZING individuals who have spent time creating, inventing, and innovating designs and products to help our amputee community.

You really don’t want to miss out on an episode in April so my CTA is simple:

Subscribe to my podcast and my YouTube channel (BAWarrior360) so you don’t miss any of these special people and the work they are doing. Plus, please share my podcast with someone you care about who you think could benefit from some positivity and encouragement as they navigate amputation or even medical circumstances that they struggle with.

 

 

That’s it! Subscribe, Like, Share!

I hope to continue to grow my audience so I can help and motivate more and more people in the world.

Thank you, warriors, from the bottom of my heart!

Have a beautiful and blessed week until next time!

 

And as always,

‘Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

Me and my girl ♥
Inspiration and Resilience Through Adversity

Inspiration and Resilience Through Adversity

What inspires you? Who inspires you?
Did you know that you, too, are an inspiration? Yep, you are!
Each of us has the ability to impact another person’s life and outlook just by the way we carry ourselves, how we behave, speak, and interact with the people around us. A simple smile could give someone just the boost they need when they are struggling. Having grace and forgiveness may give another person in our lives the peace they are looking for when everything around seems to be falling apart.
We can be that for someone. The reality is, people are watching, and people are looking for someone to inspire them. Even when you aren’t at your best, or you are struggling, you have the ability to brighten someone’s day and give them a hope that they need to rise up.
If you’re like me, an amputee, or someone who is struggling to push through physical adversity, then you have an opportunity every single day to show the world that anything is possible.
First time waterskiing as an amputee…anything is possible!
Skiing again, as an amputee….anything is possible!

 

First time, EVER, surfing…anything is possible!!
Even if what you do is commonplace for you now, like me walking with my prosthetic, there are people who have never seen an amputee who are amazed by this. Smile! Show the world that you aren’t going down without a fight and that you are more than your circumstance, because you are!
Be an inspiration, you never know who is watching.
Never, ever forget, that you are an inspiration to someone!
Now go out and INSPIRE!!!!!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie