Tag: Warrior Ground

7 Lessons From 7 Years of Limb Loss

7 Lessons From 7 Years of Limb Loss

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What I Wish Every New Amputee Knew

 

Seven years ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: to amputate my leg. Looking back now, I can honestly say that journey has taught me more about life, resilience, and myself than I ever could have imagined.

In this episode, I share seven of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through seven years of living as an above-knee amputee. These lessons aren’t just about limb loss, they’re about navigating life’s unexpected challenges, embracing change, and discovering strength you didn’t know you had.

One of the first things I learned is that life is incredibly uncertain. None of us know what tomorrow holds. I certainly never imagined that a martial arts injury would eventually lead to amputation. Yet even in the uncertainty, I’ve learned that life is still beautiful and worth embracing. Every day we wake up with breath in our lungs is an opportunity to live fully, regardless of our circumstances.

 

 

I also talk about change and why fighting it often creates more suffering than the change itself. As amputees, change becomes a constant companion. New sockets, new challenges, new routines, and new versions of ourselves. While change can be uncomfortable, it can also open doors to experiences, relationships, and opportunities we never would have discovered otherwise.

Another lesson that stands out is realizing just how strong we really are. Not physically, although that comes too, but mentally and emotionally. Strength isn’t built on easy days. It’s forged through setbacks, disappointments, pain, and the choice to keep moving forward anyway. Like a diamond formed under pressure, adversity has a way of shaping us into something stronger than we thought possible.

 

 

I also share why learning to appreciate the good days matters so much. Living with limb loss means navigating physical challenges, phantom pain, socket issues, and countless ups and downs. The difficult days teach us to cherish the ordinary ones. They remind us not to take comfort, mobility, or peace for granted.

Perhaps one of the most important lessons is this: don’t do it alone. Finding community has been one of the greatest gifts of my journey. Whether through my Amped Women chats, fellow amputees, or supportive friends and family, connection matters. We were never meant to carry life’s challenges by ourselves.

 

 

Finally, I talk about friendships, mindset, and embracing the roller coaster that is amputee life. The road isn’t always easy, but it can still be meaningful, beautiful, and full of purpose.

My hope is that whether you’re a new amputee, a caregiver, or simply facing a challenge of your own, you’ll walk away encouraged. Life may not look the way we planned, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be extraordinary.

Mindset matters. Give yourself grace. Find your people. And remember—you are stronger than you think.

 

 

What’s one lesson your journey has taught you?

Whether you’re an amputee, caregiver, or someone navigating a challenge of your own, I’d love to hear from you. Share your biggest lesson in the comments, reply to this post, or connect with me through Warrior Ground.

And if you’re walking the limb loss journey, don’t do it alone. Join our community and discover the power of connecting with people who truly understand.

Join the Warrior Ground community and stay connected → HERE

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

The Warrior Movement Begins Here

The Warrior Movement Begins Here

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Join the Warrior Effect-Get Involved Today

 

What if one story had the power to help someone walk again?

After seven powerful weeks of interviews during Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, this episode of BAWarrior podcast becomes more than a reflection-it becomes a movement.

In this heartfelt finale to the “Survivors to Warriors” series, I take listeners back through the incredible stories shared throughout the past seven weeks. These were not just interviews about limb loss. They were deeply personal conversations about fear, trauma, cancer, grief, PTSD, faith, family, resilience, and the decision to keep moving forward when life changes forever.

From children facing amputation at a young age to young adults rebuilding their confidence and independence, every guest brought honesty and courage to the table. While each story was unique, one thing tied them all together: resilience. Warriors are not born-they are built through impossible moments, painful setbacks, and the daily choice to rise again.

As an above-knee amputee myself, I share openly about how some days I feel strong and empowered, while other days limb loss completely knocks me down. That reality is something many amputees understand deeply. But what inspired me most about these guests was watching people so young choose courage, faith, and perseverance despite everything they had faced.

This episode introduces what I call The Warrior Effect-the ripple effect created when one person’s story, kindness, or support helps change someone else’s life. When someone shares their story, another person feels less alone. When someone donates to organizations like Limbs For Humanity, another person gains the opportunity to walk again. When companies like Stride Robotics innovate and create more affordable, lightweight prosthetic technology, they help restore independence, dignity, and hope to amputees around the world.

Co-Founder, Randy West, of Limbs For Humanity with one of their youngest patients

 

 

Co-Founder and CEO, Revanth Damerla, Stride Robotics

 

Throughout this episode, I discuss why mobility is about far more than simply walking. Mobility impacts emotional health, confidence, mental well-being, freedom, and quality of life. I share the mission behind Limbs For Humanity and their efforts to provide prosthetic care and mobility to underserved communities globally. I also highlight the groundbreaking work Stride Robotics is doing to create lightweight, waterproof powered prosthetics designed with real amputees and real-world accessibility in mind.

But this episode is not meant to simply inspire listeners for a moment before moving on. It is a call to action.

 

 

The time to act is now!

I challenge listeners to become part of the movement by supporting the limb loss community in whatever way they can. Whether that means volunteering, fundraising, donating, becoming an ambassador, spreading awareness, investing in adaptive innovation, or simply listening and learning-everyone has a role to play.

I also introduce the new ambassador program for Limbs For Humanity, encouraging listeners across all fifty states to help spread awareness and become part of something bigger than themselves. This movement is not about competition between nonprofits or organizations. It is about collaboration, compassion, and filling the gaps for communities that are underserved and often forgotten.

*Become an Ambassador for Limbs For Humanity here

*Find ways to help bring nobility to those without access here

*Or check out how to become a part of the innovative side with Stride Robotics here

This powerful finale reminds listeners that healing and resilience grow stronger when people come together. The “Survivors to Warriors” series may be ending, but the mission is only beginning.

The Warrior Effect is real-and now it’s your turn to become part of it.

Have a beautifully, blessed week and as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

New Age Powered Prosthetics: A Leap Toward Real Mobility

New Age Powered Prosthetics: A Leap Toward Real Mobility

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Stride Robotics Lightweight Power Knee Redefining Movement

 

 

This episode wrapped up Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month in a powerful way by looking toward the future of mobility, technology, and what it truly means to help people live again after limb loss.

After a month full of stories about trauma, cancer, amputation, grief, fear, faith, and resilience, I wanted to end this series by asking a bigger question: once someone survives, how do we help them truly reclaim their life?

That is why I invited Revanth, cofounder and CEO of Stride Robotics, onto the BAWarrior podcast. Stride Robotics is working to redefine mobility through lightweight powered prosthetic technology designed to restore strength, endurance, and freedom for amputees. I also have the honor of serving as an advisor for their company, helping give feedback from the lived experience of an above-knee amputee.

 

In this conversation, Revanth shared his journey from robotics and engineering into the prosthetic world. What stood out to me most was his honesty. He admitted that, early on, he was focused on building something impressive. But through conversations with amputees and prosthetists, he realized that innovation only matters if it solves a real human problem. That shift — from building something cool to building something truly useful — is where the heart of this conversation lived.

We talked about the communication gap between engineers, prosthetists, and amputees. All three groups are speaking from different perspectives, and yet all three must work together if prosthetic technology is going to improve real lives. As an amputee, I know firsthand that we do not always describe things in technical terms. We describe how something feels. We talk about trust, effort, fear, exhaustion, balance, and whether a device allows us to live the way we want to live.

One of the most powerful parts of this episode was our conversation around “mental load.” True mobility is not just about walking. It is about not having to think through every single step. It is being able to hike and look at the view instead of staring at the ground. It is walking into a room without calculating every movement. It is trusting your body and your prosthesis enough to live fully.

Revanth explained how Stride Robotics is working on a powered knee that is lighter, quieter, more affordable, and more functional than many powered options currently available. Their goal is to reduce strain on the hips, back, shoulders, and intact limb while helping amputees move with more confidence and less compensating. We talked about battery life, USB-C charging, fall prevention, waterproof possibilities, loaner programs, clinician support, and even future data feedback that could help prosthetists better understand how their patients are moving in real life.

But what I loved most was that this was never just a conversation about a device. It was about dignity. It was about access. It was about making sure technology does not only serve the few who can afford it, but eventually reaches amputees around the world who are desperate for mobility, independence, and hope.

This episode is also a call to action. Whether you are an amputee, prosthetist, engineer, student, investor, donor, or simply someone who cares, there is a place for you in this movement. Stride Robotics needs feedback, connection, research, support, and people willing to help move innovation forward.

Limb loss awareness cannot end with awareness. It has to move us into action. My hope is that this episode inspires you to get involved, ask better questions, support meaningful change, and become a beacon of hope for those still fighting to reclaim their mobility and their life.

 

Join the Movement. Bring dignity, independence, and mobility to all.

Today, that’s YOUR Call to Action, your charge from this month of story telling.

Be a part of the change, today! You can reach out to us:

Angie: BAWarrior360@gmail.com

Revanth: LinkedIn

Stride Robotics: LinkedIn

Stride Robotics: Website

Thank you for watching, sharing, and subscribing.

Let’s change lives, TOGETHER!

See you next week, and as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

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