| I've always been a fairly active person, working, | | | | Another thing that we don't realize, is that we |
| taking care of my home and grandsons. Then, in | | | | have 'sensors' in our ankle and foot that tells our |
| November of 2008, my life was turned upside | | | | brain just where that foot is. When you ankle and |
| down when a motorcycling accident landed me in | | | | foot are gone, so are the 'sensors'. As a BKA, I |
| Shock Trauma for 28 days. From there I spent | | | | have gotten my left foot (the prosthetic) caught |
| another 2 weeks a rehab hospital. | | | | in toys, rugs, etc.. You go to take a step and |
| While in Shock Trauma, my lower left leg was | | | | don't realize you didn't lift that foot up enough. |
| amputated. I was kept in a medically induced | | | | Whew, so much to re-learn! |
| coma for the first 3 weeks. When I was finally | | | | Now that I am back to actually walking, it is a |
| brought out of the coma, I discovered the | | | | whole lot easier doing the housework, and |
| amputation. I had suffered a severe injury to my | | | | cooking. I even take and/or pick up the oldest |
| ankle, and infection set in. Amputating my leg was | | | | grandson (now 4 yrs. old) from Pre-K;, taking the |
| the only way to save my life. | | | | baby (now 2 yrs old. [& WALKING] ), with |
| I found out that the stump, even after it was | | | | out any help. Before, while still on crutches, I |
| well healed, was a very tender spot. Getting used | | | | needed help to get the youngest out to my SUV. |
| to the "pins and needles" sensations took a while. | | | | Now, my family treats me just as if I had both |
| That was the EASY part; finding out my leg was | | | | legs. By that, I mean that they no longer are |
| gone. | | | | rushing to cook for me or to carry my plate and |
| Luckily, my husband was home sick the night of | | | | drink to the table for meals. The only thing I don't |
| the accident. I say luckily, because he wasn't hurt | | | | do is the laundry. I just started going down the |
| or injured, and was able to help me when I was | | | | basement steps. There is no railing, and the steps |
| released from the hospitals. I had rode with a | | | | are a little steep and narrow. I still need to hold |
| friend as a passenger. I rode my own bike, but | | | | onto the rail or wall or have my cane nearby if |
| mine wasn't running that night. I didn't think I'd | | | | I'm going to do steps. One day I'll be able to get |
| ever ride again. I didn't know IF I even wanted to | | | | up & down as easily as I did before the |
| get back on a motorcycle! | | | | accident. |
| While on crutches, I learned how to watch a 11 | | | | It feels so good to be able to do all the things I |
| month old, who was still crawling, and a 3 yr old. I | | | | did before the accident! Yes, I've even rode on a |
| was the only babysitter my daughter had. Thanks | | | | motorcycle again, as a passenger. It was both |
| to the very mature 3 yr old, and the baby gates, | | | | great but scary too, at first. I can't wait to try to |
| I was able to keep up with them. Cooking and | | | | actually drive one again. My bike is old and I'm |
| cleaning were other things I had to learn how to | | | | leery of riding it, due to the way it runs. I don't |
| do on crutches. Even with learning all this, I was | | | | know if I'll be able to shift the gears with the |
| determined that I would not be "handicapped' by | | | | prosthetic foot or if I'll have to have a bike |
| this. | | | | modified. I keep telling myself it's just like learning |
| I had months of physical therapy before I even | | | | to ride a bicycle or a horse; if you fall off, get up |
| got my prosthetic leg. Now the WORK began. | | | | and get back on it. I WILL ride again. |
| Once I had my leg, it was another couple of | | | | All I can say; is what a difference a year makes! |
| months of therapy learning how to 'walk' again. | | | | Wow, when I look back to where I was a year |
| We don't realize there is a certain way we are | | | | ago, to where I'm at now, it's mind boggling. I'm |
| supposed to walk. When we have both legs, it | | | | now doing all the things I've done before, except |
| just comes naturally. | | | | actually working outside of the home, and that's |
| What I had to learn was what I'd always taken | | | | only because I'm taking care of my grandsons |
| for granted...putting one foot in front of the other, | | | | while my daughter works. I'm fortunate that I can |
| right? Wrong! True, we put one foot in front of | | | | do this. |
| the other, but it's HOW we place that foot. I had | | | | Life is NOT over because you lose a part of your |
| to learn that when we walk, we put the heel | | | | body. You just have to persevere and maybe |
| down first, with knee straight out in front of us. | | | | find new ways to do the things you once did, but |
| Then we smoothly follow that with 'rolling' to the | | | | YOU CAN DO IT. Having and maintaining a |
| ball of the foot as we bend the knee, and follow | | | | positive attitude is just as important as not |
| through, bringing the other leg up and in front. | | | | thinking of yourself as 'handicapped', and Believing |
| First I started 'walking' while using both crutches, | | | | in yourself to be able to do most, if not all of |
| then as I got better, down to one crutch, and | | | | what you want to accomplish. Life goes on and |
| finally walking with just a cane. | | | | so must we. |