I have been asked a few times if my amputation was worth what I have been through. I could have comfortably retired to the couch intact, or seen in the picture above with Jack.
Even though I'm not running since my amputation - and am sometimes still not walking - I still tell people it was worth it. With the amputation and prosthesis there's hope; with a completely wrecked leg there was none. Maybe one of these days soon medical science will have a reliable way of regrowing talus bones and putting everything back together but living a life of surgery/recovery/preparation for next surgery/repeat is no way to live. I've had struggles since the amputation and phantom pain and all the rest of the problems we've talked about but even on my very worst days I do not regret the amputation at all. (Plus, I always have you running ahead in the distance to inspire me!)
Even though I'm not running since my amputation - and am sometimes still not walking - I still tell people it was worth it. With the amputation and prosthesis there's hope; with a completely wrecked leg there was none. Maybe one of these days soon medical science will have a reliable way of regrowing talus bones and putting everything back together but living a life of surgery/recovery/preparation for next surgery/repeat is no way to live. I've had struggles since the amputation and phantom pain and all the rest of the problems we've talked about but even on my very worst days I do not regret the amputation at all. (Plus, I always have you running ahead in the distance to inspire me!)
ReplyDeleteYou certainly helped me through some tough times, especially with the phantom pain, which I hoped I have passed along to some other amputees too.
ReplyDeleteI know none of us would have chosen this path, but once traveled we found limb loss not to be the tragedy portrayed by the able-bodied.
The coast is clear...hope to see you wave running soon.