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  • Finding Success

    Finding Success
    2025/10/15
    Defining Success As An Amputee What is success? Can any one person define success for the world? Of course not! As an amputee we need to remember that. Success id what you make of your life and where you'll find contentment and happiness behind what you do and accomplish. For some of us it's walking for the first time without assistance. For others it's wearing their prosthesis all day long. And yet for others, it's getting back to work, or the gym. Facing fears has become our new norm. I remember, when I first got my leg, that every time I went walking inside or outside of my house I had fear well up inside of me and I had to battle it so it didn't paralyze me and leave me stuck, immobile. It takes time. It takes courage, but remember your journey is yours. I know people see amputees walking around in the world like it's a piece of cake but the reality is we all start over and learn to walk again. Some people charge forward determined to walk again while others are fearful and apprehensive to don their new leg and trust it. It takes time. It takes practice. This was my very first test socket, using parallel bars for support, and yes, I was scared! So what's the difference on those who walk and those who struggle? First is mindset, the voice inside your head that is stubborn and tells you, "Yes, you can!" That's a great voice to have, a positive one. Listen to that voice. Second, those who find success not only have that positive mindset they also set goals with timelines/deadlines. They are determined to accomplish, despite fears (and yes, we have fears when trying new things, failing, picking ourselves up and trying again-that's how we learn and improve). Third, they don't compare themselves to others. They find joy in their own accomplishments as they improve each day, whatever their goals may be. What you CAN do are endless possibilities. Like the caterpillar, you need time to become that butterfly. You can do whatever you put your mind too. However, make sure you are realistic with your goals and timelines. After amputation you may feel stuck or defeated because you had no idea how long healing would take, or how a socket would feel on your own flesh, or even how heavy it would be to manipulate because you got weak while you waited to heal. Just because you were an amazing walker with 2 legs doesn't mean post amputation is going to be like riding a bike (by the way, post amputation biking riding is also a new challenge, like everything else). You must relearn how to walk because it IS different than before. Cut yourself some slack. Understand that fears are common and the only way to your goal will be through some of those fears. But I can promise you, facing fears to reach your goals, no matter how big or small they are, will be one of the most rewarding things you'll feel. Just don't give up. Dig deep and know you are capable. You may be needing to take baby steps to push through, but take them. You will fail and you will fall, but that is how you learn. Pick yourself back up and go at it again, and again, and again. Hiking is my favorite activity but is exhausting. The terrain is uncertain but I worked hard to be able to get to this point. Let's do this! Change your mindset to positive mode! Decide what you most want to achieve. WRITE IT DOWN! Set that goal and a plan on how to achieve it. If you want to wear your leg all day but aren't wearing it at all now then start by saying: Day 1 I will wear it 2 hours around the house (use assistive devices if you are concerned) but wear it! Sit in it, stand in it, mosey around your house with it on. Day 2 wear it for more time, don't take it off, even if you only wear it 10 minutes longer than yesterday you still improved! Continue on that path. Always adding more time, staying in it longer and walking where you are safe.
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    29 分
  • The Journey of a Thousand Legs

    The Journey of a Thousand Legs
    2025/10/01
    Let's Get Real You've been through a lot. You had an amputation, you've healed, you've gotten fitted for your first socket. Today you go in to put it all together and walk out the door and on with your life, right? Easy Peasy! Yes! It's the most exciting, most freeing day in an amputee's life, for most people, however it doesn't end there, and it doesn't just magically take you back to "normal". Managing expectations and understanding how the journey is different for everyone will be helpful for your mental game. First off, you need to understand that sockets make or break your experience with using a prosthesis. Just because you have the best foot or microprocessor knee (MPK) doesn't mean you'll be successful or walk better. Many aspects will factor in to how you handle your prosthesis. Your prosthetist and his/her skills at listening to you, observing you and creating a socket that is best suited for you is so very important. Also important is your volume change, healing, and pain level. Even if you have the best, most attentive prosthetist (like my guys, Randy and David at The Limb Center) who have created the most intimate socket for you, taking into account your contours and sensitivity, doesn't mean that when you get your final socket you'll be off and running. There are many aspects of those first 1-2 weeks of wearing the new socket that you will have to work through. First, putting it on for the first time will take practice and more practice. Putting it on and off multiple times each morning wouldn't be uncommon. It is not Lego pieces that snap together perfectly, your limb will conform and fill your new socket better over time and your inner socket will mold to your limb over time and make it easier to put it on correctly the first time each morning. Next, you will find that anything manmade isn't perfect, even a remake of your test socket into a final socket, even though the same mold is used. This means that even if your test socket is feeling like the right fit, you'll find that your final socket is a little different. It feels different, fits different, and can cause new rubs and rashes. It's crazy, but by the end of my very first day in my brand new socket it was falling off....even though I was wearing my test sockets everyday, all day, for several weeks. My volume changed! Finally, the best thing you can do is to continue to wear your socket to see what it's doing, how it's fitting, where it rubs or creates issues on your skin. My prosthetist always says 72 hours is a good gauge of how it REALLY is going to fit you. In 72 hours you can really test it and find how it functions in different situations and at different times of the day. Let's face it, our bodies change throughout the day, and from day to day. To truly be able to communicate clearly what changes need to be made to your socket you have to put it to the test and make notes of what and where you are feeling things. It would be so nice to receive your brand new leg and be off to the races but that is not reality for amputees. So many things can change and alter our fit, from one socket to the next, and from day to day and hour to hour. All you can do is learn patience and communicate clearly to your prosthetist so they know what you are feeling and what you need. I went back to my guys two times, already, after wearing my brand new leg for 5 days. This is a process. When you know this you can avoid some of the frustrations associated with socket fitting, and avoid feeling all alone in this journey. We all have some sort of adjustment to make once we get our "final"socket. And the fact is, when you are in your first 2-3 years post-amputation as soon as you get a socket you'll have outgrown it so quickly that you'll feel like you never even had a chance to really break it in and get use to it before it's time for a new one.
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    31 分
  • A Work In Progress

    A Work In Progress
    2025/09/24
    Taking Action During "Construction" We are all a work in progress. That's life, right? We all have those moments where you feel you are working on something in your life. Your health, a career, or relationships, you name it. But what do you do in these moments? How do you continue to grow and better yourself during the construction? It all starts within you. We begin by working on ourselves. Right now, while I would rather be working out, being with my horses, and hiking, I can barely walk around my house due to having to use a test socket that is uncomfortable and rubbing me raw. And during this time, I am feeling miserable! I was trying to kick start my health since surgery but have hit moments where I need to work on patience, and heal. Now I feel so far removed from being in shape and that takes a toll on my mental game. Now that I'm in this situation I cannot get to my horses because it's too hard to walk on normal surfaces, imagine walking across uneven ground of rock, sand and dirt. This is my time to focus on my thoughts and heart. This is a time I am put into a slow down phase and being led to work on what I can. How do we go about working on ourselves? We start with seeing the good in the world, seeing the good in our situation and finding joy in the moment despite your circumstances. Next we can assume the best, meaning when we assume the best in a person we can control our emotions much better which leads us to less anger and frustration and more joy. Finally, we must act! This week we must ACT! Not when we feel it or when joyfulness is in us, but rather right now! Maybe you are struggling or hurting right now. This is the time to look outside of yourself and your situation and reach out to another human, your neighbor, to spread joy and positivity. Maybe you check in on a neighbor, share a conversation and a smile. Take care of your support system around you: your spouse, family member, a friend. Let them know you care and are grateful for all they have done for you. Maybe you see someone struggling in a parking lot, getting groceries in their car. Spend time spreading love and helpfulness by giving them a hand. It doesn't take money or a lot of time, it just takes your attention and to show someone, "Hey, I see you. Thank you for all you do. Let me help you". Whatever you do, do in love, with patience, kindness, and selflessly. When we give of ourselves, we share love, we show our humanity, and we spread goodness into the world. The world could use that right about now. Imagine if everyone looked inward and made changes on themselves. Imagine the kind of world we would live in with that kind of kindness being spread! Wouldn't that be something! So, Dear Warriors, what are you going to do while you are under construction this week? How can you make a difference in spite of your circumstances? When you focus on others you take the focus off of yourself and it allows you to get out of your own head and release what has been holding you back in your "construction time" and place it elsewhere. What you will see is that your life will be enriched and fuller. Your joy will overflow when you bring joy to others. Try it and get back to me! Let me know how it's going. I'm rooting for you, Warriors! You are strong. You are special. You are loved! Have a blessed week ahead, and as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love,
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    26 分
  • To Travel is To Live

    To Travel is To Live
    2025/09/17
    A Journey of a Thousand Miles Must Begin With a Single Step -Lao Tzu. Traveling is exciting but can also be stressful. Packing the right clothing for the weather, the events, and what makes you feel amazing. You try to pack neatly and concisely so you can pack everything you want and need. As an amputee, things become a little more confusing and worrisome. What will you need? What MUST come with? What if this happens or that happens? All of a sudden, packing and traveling becomes almost impossible. How will you ever pack for every situation with the space you have? There are so many rules with TSA and airports. There are so many unknowns in hotels. Knowing how to navigate these specifics with travel comes with experience. You learn more, for your unique situation, as you go but we can also help each other as we gain our own understanding and experiences. Today I share my tips and tricks and my own experiences from the years of traveling, especially by plane, to help you on your own journey in hopes that you can enjoy your time more and worry less. As you travel more you will become less worried about the process and be able to focus on the trip, and enjoy making memories. You will find ways to make each trip a little more efficient and packing a little more streamlined. If you are traveling soon, by plane, give yourself plenty of time the first few trips so you don't feel rushed or miss your flight. Don't be too proud to use a wheelchair as you go through airports, and make sure you bring your basic amputee necessities. I kept a list that I accumulated as I went (things I realized I needed but never thought of or forgot in the beginning), this way I could check off the items I needed each time I packed for a trip. It eventually became unnecessary after traveling many times over the years. Traveling should be a way to unwind and enjoy life after all you've been through. When you're ready to begin travels, don't be held back by fears, just charge forward and live! It's time to experience life and move forward from your amputation. Go enjoy the world and make memories! "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." -John A. Shedd You were built for more than sitting around and wishing for more. You were meant to experience it! Go out and enjoy these moments now and chase down those dreams! Go out, Warriors, and explore the world. You deserve it! And as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love,
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    31 分
  • Manifesting Your Dreams

    Manifesting Your Dreams
    2025/09/10
    Setting Goals & Thinking Positively to Live The Life of Your Dreams Successful people know how to succeed and what it takes to succeed. So what is it? What do they know that you don't? Everyone knows that hard work pays off and that practice makes permanence. But what separates you from someone who is doing the very thing you want to do, too? Now, of course there is DNA involved in some of that, talent can be passed down from generation to generation, however, I'm talking about post amputation, and how one person adjusts to this new life better than others. What separates THOSE people? I would agree that mindset and visualization is a huge factor. I know we all come to amputation differently, and our circumstances are all totally different. Even our support system looks different from one person to the next, but those aren't what make it or break it for us. You have seen stories of people overcoming the worst odds and overcoming horrendous circumstances to find success. What is their secret sauce to breaking free? It is their grit and their determination for their situation NOT to define them, and not to inhibit them and their desires. That comes from having an intense desire to achieve, to prove people wrong, to dream despite where they are right now. They don't allow their circumstance to define their future and their life. they rise above those circumstances, DESPITE them! HOW? They have a desire and a yearning to prove the world wrong. They want to live. They want to reach their goals. They want to LIVE the life they still want. It truly comes down to the fight within and then making a plan and then executing that plan. Mindset matters! When things start to get hard what do you do? Do you buckle down and press in harder or do you cave in to the pressure? Do you write down your goals and no matter what, keep forging forward despite how today feels or do you cry "Uncle" and say it just isn't meant to be? That is the difference. Each of us will have great days, those are the days we can easily see us reaching our goals and the days that feed us happy thoughts and optimism. But, the really champions are made on the hard days! The hard days are when sickness knocks you down, or when your leg hurts too much to want to put on your socket. It's the days when a setback happens like an infection or a revision surgery and dreams get deferred. Where are you on THOSE days? Did you give up or adjust your timeline? Did you see this moment as the roadblock to giving up, or just the next challenge you are ready to hit head on? Everyone has those days, but those that want to succeed find a way to get through them. Mindset matters! Self talk matters. I believe we all have the fight within us, but our priorities are different. We all have a desire to succeed, but only some want it bad enough to keep getting up when they get knocked down. When we have our bad days, or days of struggles, that is when we choose the path. Do we want our goals and dreams bad enough to fight through the hard days, or does that just exhaust us and we raise the white flag in surrender? Same goes with how we see ourselves. When we feel great about how we look, how clothes fit, and feel good about who looks back at us in the mirror, we feel on top of the world, but the moment we have an uncomfortable feeling or a change in perspective we become harsh with ourselves and show zero grace. That's when I find negativity can destroy all we have been working towards. In the end, we all have ebbs and flows in our views of ourselves, our looks, our accomplishments at the moment. One moment we feel amazing about what we've accomplished, like walking a mile in our prosthesis, to all of a sudden feeling inferior because we allowed comparison and negativity into our minds. This is self destructive behavior, and we can all fall into it.
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    31 分
  • The Process

    The Process
    2025/09/03
    Healing Physically, Adapting Mentally and Emotionally Amputation isn't just the act of amputating a limb. It isn't just surgery, heal, and walk. This is a process. It takes time, money, patience, and a whole lot of grit! Unfortunately, most patients that knowingly go into amputation surgery can't comprehend the struggles to come. For those who didn't choose or prep for amputation, they have no idea of the life that's ahead of them. For them, their emotional and mental state need to heal first, while they wait for their physical healing. They had their life torn apart by disease or war or an accident. Whichever category you fall into know that you will get through this but it takes time, and commitment. You will need to work on, what I feel are, the four major components of successfully navigating amputee life: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Financial. Physical: Obviously, you will take time to heal. You will need to learn to rebalance with less weight on one side of your body and also how to get around with crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair. You need to heal your incision but also the bone, muscle, and tissue. It was told to me that true healing takes up to 12 months. Within that time you will also experience new sensations and possibly phantom pains, all of which you will learn to adapt and work through. The whole wearing of a shrinker and then being cleared for a socket is a whole other side of the physical aspect you will need to come to grips with. Mental: As an elected amputee I had four months to prepare my mind for what was to come. I could ask questions, meet people, find peace with my decision, and set my future goals and dreams. Setting goals and daring to dream of a brighter future post-amputation is invaluable and can set you up for success. Manifesting your own destiny with a powerful and positive mindset is key! Get your mental game lined up as soon as you can. Emotional: Being ready to face your new life and new look is extremely important. Understanding how to deal with some of the struggles and hurdles you will face is hard to prepare for ahead of time, just know that when you do face a hardship that you need to take a step back, take a deep breathe and understand that these moments will end and good times will happen again. This journey is filled with ups and downs, highs and lows, pains and peace. If you have dealt with an amputation due to someone else's negligence, like an accident you were involved in, then you may have some extra baggage to address with your emotions, anger and hate. These emotions are poison to your healing. They can create some major problems for you and ultimately stifle your level of success as an amputee. Letting go of negativity will allow for healing and growth. Insurance/Money: My general practitioner gave me great advice ahead of my surgery, to contact my insurance company so I knew and understood my coverage and the rules of external prosthesis, but even then I got the short end of the stick (listen in to hear what happened!). Remember that prosthetics are your new 'forever', being able to afford them or having coverage for them is highly important. Be prepared for what's to come so you don't feel like you've been duped. The reality is that you may be looking to get a new one every 3 years (most prosthetics have a 3 year warranty-at least that's what I deal with as an above knee amputee with MPKs). I wished more people had some of these basic facts before their surgery, but you learn as you go, that's how my journey happened, and is still happening. Everyone's experience is different, and you need to do what you need to do to embrace your new life as an amputee. The best teacher is time and experience. This week is simple in detail but tough to execute. Look yourself in the mirror and address what weakness you have and where you struggle the ...
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    33 分
  • What Is Really Important

    What Is Really Important
    2025/08/27
    Knowing Who and What To Ask About Amputation Becoming an amputee is so surreal. Electing to have it done is a choice I never thought I would have to make. It brings about fears, anxieties, questions, and so much uncertainty. How do you know life will be better? What if I can't wear a prosthesis? Will I walk again or will I be in a wheelchair the rest of my life? How long does it take to heal from an amputation Do I get a leg right away? Is walking like riding a bike, easy once you do it again? How do I find a prosthetist? Do I need to go to PT while I'm healing or after I get a leg? So many questions, yet so many more that you may not even be thinking of. How do you know what to ask your doctor? What type of doctor is best for this surgery? Who is the most important person in your life right now, or how about in 5-10 years? Most of these questions I, myself, didn't even know that I had because I didn't know I needed to ask them. But I got lucky, or maybe it was fate. My surgeon was amazing. He sent me to the best prosthetist in town at The Limb Center. The Limb Center sent me to an amazing, caring physical therapist at Touchstone Rehabilitation. They were my team, and besides my family, they were my biggest supporters and fighters for my life, dreams, and goals. Listen in today, and please share this episode with someone you know is going through, or about to go through, amputation. It may give them a better than fighting chance of knowing more about what is to come and allow them to find greater success as an amputee. We all have a warrior spirit within us just waiting to be called out. You need to educate yourself, and learn to fight for the life you want. Now is the time to be that warrior, so rise up, dear Warrior, and pave the path to your successes. I hope you find something that helps you, motivates you, and supports you in this episode. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Have a blessed week ahead. And as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love,
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    28 分
  • Don’t Let Pain Gain Control

    Don’t Let Pain Gain Control
    2025/08/20
    This has been a weekend! Everything was set up perfectly. A family getaway for a long weekend, before our youngest goes back to college, and bringing the dogs to see the ocean for the first time. I couldn't be happier! We got to Carlsbad, California Friday late afternoon and took our pups for a walk. Dinner came and we fed them as normal but around 9:00 pm my year and half old pup started acting really weird, almost drunk. She tanked quickly after that, just as my boys were arriving. I called the All night pet ER and asked a few questions and was told by the doctor on call that she could've gotten into illicit drugs around the beach! Are you kidding me?!?!? We took off for the clinic and when we arrived her heart rate was 160! They gave her a sedative and took a urine sample to test. We held her and waited. They continued to monitor her heart rate, which thankfully came back down to 70-80 bpm. This is how our family vacation started! Needless to say I was completely stressed out and afraid for our pup. we brought her home where I monitored her all night long with no sleep.... Now let's get to the pain part of this story. Don't get wrapped up in the moment of pain. Look out and see the beauty around you and a future that will get better. This was the first full day in my newest socket since my surgery, add in the stress from the night and Saturday was painful! Phantom pains grew and I started to get a raw mark on my thigh from the top of the socket, plus for added fun, a stomach ache. I was a hot mess! I did everything in my power to stay positive, deep breathing often and enjoying our beautiful view, but damage was done. I didn't get in the steps I had hoped I would get this weekend but I will take a small win- I wore my prosthesis everyday all day, even when I just wanted to take it off. I let my husband know the pain I was in on Sunday as our kids were packing up to leave for home. I wanted him to know why I was a bit quieter than normal but that was it. I didn't speak of it any other time, why? I won't allow pain to gain power on my life. Even on those hard days. If it's so bad that I can't walk then I focus on what I can do to have a "win" in my corner-wearing it all day. Our mind is so very powerful and when we allow pain to take over, consuming us, talking about it often and at every turn, that's not healing that's sabotaging yourself. It's ok to get quiet in those moments and allow yourself to muscle through hard times, just know that they will pass but talking about them can set you back and hold you down, downing you in the pain. It can be almost impossible to see a light at the end of the tunnel. What do you do to help yourself in the midst of pain? Do you give yourself grace knowing it's a part of life or do you get consumed by pain? What are steps you take to get your mind right when it seems impossible? Do you have a good support system to help you navigate life during these trials? Don't give up, Warrior, this too shall pass. Reach out and tell me how you are managing your setbacks. And remember, you are stronger than you think. Have a blessed week and as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love,
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    18 分