Edd Sewell esewell@VT.EDU
Howdy. I've been listening for several weeks now, but I guess it's time to introduce myself to the group.
Edd Sewell, age 52, university professor of Communication Studies at Virginia Tech (officially Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
In 1956 I lost my left leg (AK) as a means of correcting a congenital deformation of the femur. So, I've worn a prothesis since age 12 -- the technology has come a long long way since then! My first leg was a true "wooden" leg hollowed from a piece of willow (?) in Dallas, TX.
For exercise and recreation I swim three mornings a week. As I've gotten older, I've found that walking (especially on uneven ground like we have in the mountains of southwest Virginia) is much more of an effort and swimming is probably better exercise anyway.
I've lived in Texas, Arizona, Nebraska, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, and Virginia. College and university education at Hardin-Simmons University (Texas), Northwestern University (Illinois), and Ohio University (Ohio, in case you couldn't guess). I teach visual media and photojournalism, and I do research on visual humor (editorial/political cartoons) and on human/computer communication.
Married for almost 30 years. Two children whom we adopted, and four grandchildren (first grandson started kindergarten this year).
I've enjoyed the interactions in the group and especially like Ian's fine E-zine. I tend to be quiet online, and if you get me talking, you may wish I had kept silent since when I get going, I keep going.
Peace . . . Edd Sewell (last name sounds like jewel)
Jennifer Blake
jblake@rich.admin.umass.edu
WEB Page http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~jblakeI am a 29 yr old double bk amputee. The amputations were done about 5 yrs ago. It was the end result of a spinal injury I had when I was 8, car accident. I was partially paralyzed, mainly lower body and wore braces. I was forever having problems with pressure sores, blisters, infections etc. Finally, between the infections and just the general deterioration of my ankle joints my surgeon reccommended amputations. I've been fairly happy with the results, I walk better, and have much less pain. Of course, I still have my share of skin problems etc...
I joined this list to find out more about what other amputees have gone through, I'm also interested in learning more about prosthetics, I'm not entirely happy with what I have. -- This is in the process of chancing, new legs (I hope) 9/10/96.
Take care, Jen
Jakob Andersen jak@BIB.DLH.DK
I'm a Dane who's been on the listserv for some months now. I haven't felt that I had much to contribute, but now that Ian has asked for new> introductions I feel I should.
So here goes:
I had a bk amputation in January '96 due to an inflammation in the foot which spread rapidly up the leg. I also have diabetes, which I didn't know at the time. After a few weeks in hospital feeling weak and shocked I felt that I had to do something else. After all, nothing is as bad for your health as staying in hospitals. So I left in the last week of February to go home to my apartment in the center of Copenhagen.The week following I returned to work - on crutches. I'm the Deputy Librarian of the National Library of Education, so luckily most of the work is done behind a desk or at meetings. I got a plastic leg in July, but unfortunately the scar on the stump won't stop seeping when weight is put on it, so I have to go on using the crutches, even with the leg on. It also means that I only use the leg going to and from work (walking and train) and for the occasional evening out. (Not many of those).
I'm going on holiday to Italy in week, so I'll have to miss your (more or less) interesting missives for three weeks. Some of the posts are quite good, but the tone seems quite unnessecarily hysterical at times. In this I don't think I'm alone ....
For the information of the US free enterprise fanatics on the list I should like to express my happiness over the fact that all medical expenses in this country are paid for by the state and local authorities (with free choice of doctors and hospitals, BTW) ...
This is becoming far too long, I'm afraid, so bye for now.
Jakob
Rhonda Jordan Raven0001@GNN.COM
Hi! I'm Rhonda. I am a 3 month post-op BK amp. I am amp as a result of 25 years of trying to correct a birth defect. I live in Florida and have one daughter who is 4. She accepts the new me better than I do at times. I have been married a little over one year. I am currently not working much, trips to doctors, PT, etc. take up alot of my time.
Usually I work with helping people set- up marine aquariums all over the country and have collected specimens for the Aquarium of America's and the Smithsonian. Even though this summer has been taken up mostly by recoving, I am usually out in the water snorkeling or diving, even just fishing.
I have had my temp leg for about 7 weeks now and am still getting used to it. I am looking forward to getting the permanent one> soon! The flex in the foot I have is really bad! I am also still getting adjusted to life as amp. Some days it just really sucks! Due to scar tissue that I have on my stump from previous surgeries, I get injections every two weeks of steroids (there go my olympic> try-outs!) and am soon to start pain blocks in a few weeks. I have tried several medications for pain and phantom pain, all of which don't seem to help.
As far as things that bug me, well - people thinking that being an amp is catching and are afraid to come near you and people who think that just because your missing a limb, that the doctor removed your brain and hearing at the same time!
If one more person talks to me as though I am mentally slow and deaf (happens alot at stores!), I am going to scream! Well, that just an intro!
Maureen Martin MGMLive@AOL.COM
Hi, my name's Maureen. I'm 41, live in Michigan, and I'm new to the list, since about 10 days ago. I've been learning a lot! I'm interested in BK technology.
I've been an amputee for 23 years, and echo what somebody else (Richard, maybe?) said about realizing I've never talked with other amputees about my experiences. It's really shocking to think about that. So this list is eye-opening and liberating. Thanks!
I lost my right foot as a result of a car accident where I was thrown from my passenger seat out into the street, and my foot was crushed by the car. I was 18 at the time, and I've got to say that my self-concept took a nosedive from where it had been, which was adolescent uncertainty in the first place.
Over the years, I've been working on that --- still am.
Now I'm taking some positive steps -- all puns intended -- and looking into a new prosthesis. For about 15 years, I had good luck (partly because of my youth, I think). For the last several years, I've been really good at "living with" shortcomings -- like skin irritations, ill-fitting prostheses, etc. -- and now I'm waking up. There's something better out there, and I'm going to find it. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks to see a new prosthetist who's supposed to be pretty talented.
So, can anybody give me leads on what kind of BK prostheses you're using? Plusses and minuses? My main troubles have been skin irritations on my knees and occasionally blisters on the bottom of my leg. Although these may sound minor, they are severe enough to make every step agony when they're acting up. There are days when I don't want to leave my chair. I guess I thought they were normal and that I just had to get through them, but now I'm thinking they're indications of poor fit.
About 8 weeks ago, I started walking for fitness. I was sedentary for a long time, my motto being, "why walk if you can drive?" But I feel like I need to overcome my fear of walking. So, I started doing 20 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week, and have worked it up to as much as 3.5 miles on two recent weekends. I "got through" some of the skin abrasions -- some the size of a quarter -- and now the skin around my knee has toughened up to withstand longer distances. So, I'm on a positive note right now, but I've had some dark times, too.
Really happy to find this list -- and happy to meet you all.
Mo
Archie M. Watts ampsport@INTERLOG.COM
I am 61 years old, have been a left hip disarticulation for over 13 years. I have been married to a wonderful wife, Fumiko for over 31 years, we have a daughter age 29 who lives and works in downtown Toronto. Fumiko and I live in Willowdale, in the north part of Metropolitan Toronto.
I am a chartered accountant (CPA equivalent) and worked in industry for most of my career until I encountered involuntary early retirement following a takeover in 1990. Since then I have been a Travel Correspondent (agent) for an agency in Willowdale that lets me work from home at my pace, but it is a full time job most of the time. It doesn't make much money, but I get pleasure from helping people get to where they want to go and I have quite a collection of post cards from my world travellers.
Both my family and my employer were very supportive when I had the amputation, due to bone cancer, unusual at age 47. I have a prosthesis, which I wore 3 or 4 days a week when I was employed, now I wear it occasionally, when I want to feel "whole" or when I know dinner will be buffet. The rest of the time, it is faster and easier to use crutches. There are lots of things that I can still do, such as play golf and lawn bowls, lots of things that are very difficult to do, like shovelling snow and cutting the grass, and things that I don't even try to do, like curling, washing the dishes and making the bed. But when my wife is away, I have to do them (not curling).
I guess my philosophy about the amputation is: Change the things you can change, don't try to change the things that can't be changed, and the have the good sense to know the difference. Consideringthat I am fortunate to be alive (I met the surgeon 10 years after he took the knife to my leg, he told me that he wouldn't have bet that I would last 10 years), I think that I would rather enjoy the life that I have instead of complaining about not having a life with two legs. I suppose that when you look death in the face, it puts a little perspective on what is important and what is not. Love of family and friends is important, the price of gas isn't.
Since my amputation, I have walked in every Terry Fox Run--the next comes up on September 22nd-- and raised many thousands of dollars for cancer research. Since 1990, I have become involved with the Canadian and Ontario Amputee Sports Associations and am Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.
That's enough for now.
Archie Watts
Peter Durr PDURR@DELPHI.COM
I thought I'd take a minute and introduce myself to everyone here on the amp list (it's the least I could do after lurking for over a year!).
Please bear with me, though, I'm not very good at all when it comes to introductions. My name is Pete Durr, and I am a 30 year old male triple amputee.
I lost my right hand (BE) and both legs above the knee after a motorcycle accident I had involving a train crossing where the warning lights were not functioning properly about seven years ago.
I see a lot of similarities of what I went through and to what others have written here on the list, especially concerning health care professionals and the like seeming to know what's best for me without asking for my opinions on the matter, and the general lack of knowledge available to the new amputee concerning all things dealing with their amputation.
Currently, I'm attending college for electronics with the VEAP (G.I.) bill I saved up while I was in the military while I'm (still) awaiting for the trial date concerning my accident.
I can't think of anything else to write at this time (I know this is a lousy introduction!), but since I'm not sure this will even get through (I'm on a new ISP, and I don't trust the mail server yet), I'll close this for now and see if it makes it through before I write anything else.
It's been nice reading everyone's posts the last year!