Member since:
June 9, 2006

The "Lighter" Side Of Being A One-Legged Wonder

May 07, 2008 04:20 AM UTC

views: 0 | comments: 120

      By now, most of you are aware of my situation in losing my right leg; what I've gone through, am going through and still face ahead. I've got more progress to report on...in a bit. Not being able to do much running around...figuratively and literally, I end up with lots of time on my hands. It gives me time to think, which can be a dangerous thing the way you know my mind works sometimes. I've used some of that thinking time wisely for a change in figuring out how to do various things now that I'm faced with the challenge I have. You also know my brain can't stay focused other times and tends to wander and come up with the most obscure stuff.
      I'm none too pleased in having my leg removed and the are many drawbacks from having it gone, as you can imagine. In my thinking...and getting ready to go off on a totally different tangant...I realize there's nothing I can do but accept what's happened, deal with it and move on. It's not a plesant thing to have to come to terms with, but it must happen in order for life to continue...and I think I have. Alright, now that I've got that out of the way, here come the part where my warped imagination kicks in. Sure, there are some negatives I have to face just as a matter of reality, but what about some of the positive aspects of what's happened. You know, it's somewhat bad, but in ways, things aren't as bad as they were before. Think about it.
      As I mentioned before, I had to change the brand of bar soap I use. I can't use Lever 2000 to bathe with...because I no longer have all 2000 parts. What do you think I changed to?

Irish Spring...maybe it can help put a little 'spring' back into my step. I know some of you are dieting and here I go and lose weight in the snap of a finger. You're using a treadmill and a stationary bike. They used a hacksaw on me...and a good 10 pounds was gone. I dropped to 170 overnight...at 6'4. I also no longer tinkle when I go to the bathroom. Being somewhat unsteady standing on one foot, the aim tends to be somewhat off and I don't want to constantly have to clean up the floor. Now, I squat...like a little girlie...to pee. What do you ladies call it? Now I sprinkle!
I save money on laundry...I only have one sock to wash...or I

can go further between loads by wearing both from the same pair when I change them. I also save on having to polish shoes with only the left one needing buffing

. Only five toe nails to clip, too!

What a time saver. If someone goes to step on my toes, they've got few targets to aim for.

They'd better watch their step. I might not be able to stomp back on their foot, but I can always hit 'em with one of my crutches. When I go out walking in the rain, if a puddle is too deep; I only have to worry about getting one foot soaked.

I'd love to be there to see the look on the face of the guy who has to make my prosthetic leg for me. It comes complete and will have to have a functioning foot on it...to match my other foot. I know he's going to end up calling someone to inquire about the mistake made in its measurement. I take a size 16 EEEEE...not something you just happen to run into everyday. Get a ruler out and follow along the convertion. My feet are 13 1/4 inches long and 5 1/2 inches wide.

I've got some mighty big feet. You can only imagine the size footprint I leave. Big Foot lives!
      On a serious note, your comments filled with hope, love, encouragement and praise have been overwhelming. Some of you have even said how much of a different I've made in the way you look at things and how you face various obstacles in your way. I'm just doing what I have to so I can get by...the will to survive and go on the best I can. I'm not done living yet. If my misfortune can benefit others and make a difference, then it was worthwhile and I have a message to bring forth and share to help anyone it can.
      I've continued by daily walks hobbling around the neighborhood on my crutches. I've learned to try and go earlier in the days; mornings; and I can avoid bigger crowds on the sidewalks and heavier traffic. I've been trying to get around 10:00...and it's cooler then than in the middle of the afternoon. I've made it out 28 days in a row now; 4 weeks; nearly a month. It was scary at first, but my confidence has been boosted daily by doing it again successfully. I can remember my first trip just across the street to the convenience store taking half an hour to complete. I've cut that time by one third being down to 20 minutes now. I've gone from three breaks to rest to just one...on my front veranda when I get back from the store before I tackle going up to the third floor step by step on my butt. It works and I don't have to worry about my fear of falling down the stairs backwards.
      I've also stepped things up, so to speak, and sometimes go out for two walks a day; half the time by my choice; the rest of the time because I'm such a ditz and forgot something. I'm trying to get out twice daily at least three to four times a week. Last Friday, I even increased it to going out three times...not by choice; being a ditz; a blond moment. I went to grab some food at the convenience store across the street around 9 AM. When I got home and checked my mail, i realized I needed to pay my bills for the month. Up to my place I go and make out the checks and get ready to walk the two blocks up to the mailbox to send them on their way. That's taken care of and I'm homeward bound. Wouldn't you know it. The moment I get back inside my apartment, it dawns on me I need some cash...from the bank on the opposite corner from where I just mailed my bills out. I take a bit of a break and two hours later; I head back the two blocks to the bank. By the time I get back home; I'm dragging. I'm beat and have just about had it. There's nothing that's going to get me back out a fourth time...unless it's a large vanilla custard at the ice cream shop three blocks up the street!
      I've also started getting a little help here and there. Some of my insurance problems have been straightened out and I'm at least getting my medications now...after going without them for a month because nobody wanted to pay. I can also reschedule the appointments I missed with three doctors; my general practioner, the vascular surgeon and the prosthetic specialist. I need to be fitted for a hearing aid I was approved for, too. An agency has found a volunteer; an elderly, retired person; who will take me grocery shopping, wheel the cart for me AND carry the bags upstairs for me. I can put them away once they're up to my top floor loft. They're still searching for someone to help with a couple other household chores and rides to wherever I need to go. A second agency has also contacted me about transportation. On top of that, I've discovered a co-op where I can buy $65 worth of top-quality food for $30. It's taken awhile, and I've fended for myself, but things are gradually, slowly, falling into place. I've also had an acquaintance from back home come up a couple of times and he's taken out four weeks worth of trash and he removed the tension bar that closes my apartment door through air pressure...so it slams on me. I don't have to worry about being knocked azz over teacup now!
      I have discovered I need to do a bit of on line shopping. I found about a site where donated items are auctioned off and I've seen a few things I just have to have from there. I also need to find a pair of gloves to wear when I'm out walking...batting gloves, golf gloves, bicycle gloves.

Those crutches are starting to ruin my hands. They were always so nice and smooth showing I didn't do manual labor for a living. I used my brain and my talents. Now, you'd think I was swinging a sledgehammer all day. I've got calluses! What's up with that? And they're peeling...on my lower palms, on my upper palms under my fingers, on my fingers. The only finger that's not affected is the one that's missing. The middle finger on that hand is getting an extra workout compensating for it's neighbor being gone. I still haven't noticed all the muscles everyone's told me I'd be developing; just in my left calf. The rest of me is still as scrawny as ever, but this puny body is starting to get some stamina. It's going to keep going, too. I have nowhere to go but up and I ain't gonna stop 'til I get to the top!

view all photos

You need the latest Adobe Flash Player.
Install the player now

Find more about: one leg, losing a leg, leg amputation, amputation, chopping off a leg, removing a leg, progress, progress report, making progress, thinking, time on my hands, daydreaming, the mind, brain, how my mind works, staying focused, wandering mind, challenges, handicapped, disabled, challenged, handi-capable, acceptance, accepting what39s happened, fate, accepting fate, reality, life, living, living life, going on, life after amputation, deal with it dealing with amputation, prosthetic legs, prosthetics, artificial legs, artificial limbs, imagination, moving on, warped mind, negatives, positives, bar soap changing soaps, washing, cleaning, dieting, losing weight, exercising, surgery, dropping weight, losing weight quick, laundry, doing laundry, saving money, money, socks, single socks, pair of socks, shoes, single shoes, polishing shoes, toe nails, clipping toe nails, toe nail clippers, stepping on toes, stomping on feet, puddles, walking in the rain, walking on crutches, going for a walk, big feet, large feet, big foot, feet measurements, foot measurements, comments, hope, love, encouragement, praise, overwhelmed, obstacles, overcoming obstacles, get out of my way, i39m coming through, survival, misfortune, benefiting others, messages, avoiding crowds, avoiding traffic, confidence, success, being successful, boosting confidence, climbing stairs, going upstairs, step by step, day by day, one day at a time, increasing goals, meeting goals, increasing challenges, ditz, blond moments, shopping, paying bills, making out check, going to the store, going to the drug store, mailing letters, going to the bank, bank, mailbox, drug store, convenience store, checks, cash, help, assistance, household chores, chores, help doing chores, grocery shopping, getting groceries, food, help shopping, medications, insurance, health, health insurance, doctors, doctor appointments, getting rides, volunteers, volunteer agencies, elderly volunteers, retired volunteers, rides, transportation, doctor visits, batting gloves, bicycle gloves, gold gloves, gloves, calluses, rough on the hands, manual labor, talents, scrawny, puny, stamina, muscles, building muscles, developing stamina, increasing stamina, gather, gathercom, adventure, togetherness, comedic, comedy, laugh, laughter, laughing, giggle, chuckle, muse, amuse, random musings, smile, smiling, humor, humorous, experience, compassion, heart, creating, spirit, inspiration, family, thoughts, kindness, telling tales, telling stories, story telling, writing, posting, publishing, connections, acquaintances, friends, good friends, best friends, old friends, new friends, singles, couples, groups, married, learning, lessons, education, inspiring others, shared values, values, family values, think about it, i39m only human, attitudes, changing attitudes, individual differences, differences, tolerance, physically impaired, impaired, physically disabled, physically handicapped, physically challenged, intelligence, facing adversity, attaining greatness, nothing is impossible, achieving goals, surpassing goals

Find Gather groups: !!! Random Posts !!!, !!! OriginaLiterate !!!, !!! Post It, We're Not Picky !!!, !!!!KARMA ~ Whatever Goes Around Comes Around!!!!, *Friends On Gather*, *Goofy Gatherites*, *Inspiration Station*, !!! Breaking 3,000 !!!, *P*O*S*T**I*T**A*L*L**2*0*0*8**, *~~~Gatherers Gallery~~~*, .....The Writers Review....., Man or Mirage, All, All about the 3000, All Posts Welcome!!!, Americans 4 America, Any article, picture or comment...Oh My!, Anything BUT Games - NO GAMES, Articles in English Using the Latin Alphabet, As The Points Turn, Cheeky Monkey, Come on in and post, commentmeicommentyou, Content Collector, Dear Life, dumping ground for good and bad, Etcetera, Etcetera, Etcetera, Everything, Everything Accepted!, *~*EVS = WHATEVER*~*, File .....Post It!, First Time Writers., For the Fun of It, Fork in the Road, FREE SPEECH AREA FOR EVERYONE ON GATHER, Free Thinking, Gather Soup, Gather's Stars, Get More Points, Grass Roots Writing, The Heart Champion- A Love Story-, Hodge Podge Fun [Post Anything Group], I LOVE MYSELF, I write and I take pictures because it brings me pleasure, Idiology, Inviting-Points, IS IT NICE TO POINT - WELL YES IT IS !!!, It All Goes Here, It's all good, its all good, Leave It Here, Life, Members Against Drunk Typing, Moderator's Madness, Moments, Must LOVE Points, No Email Forwards, Chats, Games, Jokes, Promotions or Things that Start with the Letter _, Oh, just spit it out!, outdoorsy types, People Lovers Everywhere!, Photo Blog Revolution on Gather, Point Gainers, Point Universe, POINT PIGGYS, Point Winner, points all around - anything and everything, Points are great, but SHOW ME THE MONEY $$$$, POINTS FOR ALL, POINTS FOR ME - POINTS FOR YOU - PASS ME THE POINTS PLEASE, POINTS MAKE PRIZES, Post It All, Post It All!, ! Post Office @ Gather Town !, Post! Post! Post! Post! Post! Anything - article, images, video, Posting Clubhouse, Posting Frenzy, Promote It, Rake 'em in! Rack 'em up!, Rate Me! (Post 1, Comment on 5), Rob Appell, Gather's Head Pro, Speak your Mind~Anything Goes, That's life, The Chosen, The Dangerously Restricted Section, The FRUGAL WRITERS, The Gather Anonymous Group for Gather Addicts (GA), The Loser's Club, The Nuthouse, The Point Of It All, The Rainbow in the Sky, The Total Package, THE WORKS: every article, image & video, Things You Should Know About, Under the Sun :), we dance to our own drums, What's the Point?, When the Points Come Marching In [A Post Anything Group], You Gotta Love it!!, ZZZ Article, ZZZ Photo, ZZZ Video, ZZZ Anything! Points for it all!, ***The Elsie Duggan, Matriarch of Gather, Fan Club***, ~~~Ashleigh's Post ANYTHING Corner~~~

Facebook

Twitter

bookmark

Comments: 120

Esther IS Flesh and Blood S. May 7, 2008, 4:40am UTC

You are beautiful! I must admit that you had me chuckling there for a few moments and sure hope you don't mind but you do have a desirable way of looking at things. If only we could all have this positive outlook on life. As I have said to you before, YOU inspire me. I haven't even a percentage of your problems and yet I have to think of "poor, poor pitiful me" sometimes. What a shame I must admit.

With your positive outlook and attitude anything is possible and I have faith in you that you will indeed accomplish anything that your mind sets up to do.

I am happy that things are falling into place with your insurance, help in getting your groceries, transportation and the like. Before I had finished reading this I had already thought to tell you that there are organizations that help physically handicapped or challenged folks with running around doing errands and doing chores for one around the house. You should inquire about someone coming to help you do some housecleaning and possibly even cooking you a meal or two. I know they provide this type of help here in Dallas so I'm sure they offer it there in Rochester too if one inquires and needs the assistance.

All I can say about YOU is that I am so very proud to have you as my friend as you continue to inspire ME!

God bless you and keep you in his light and grace. ;)

The "Lighter" Side Of Being A One-Legged Wonder

Comments: 120

Join the Conversation