How Adaptive Amputees began

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Long story short? I am an amputee.  Here’s the story of Adaptive Amputees!

When I first started school, I told the kids our pet alligator was a bad idea. That got me sent to the principal’s office. It was hard as a 5-year-old explaining to other 5-year-olds that I was born in another country and given up for adoption because my leg was all wonky. In all honesty, I was born with Clubfoot and Tibial hemimelia. My right foot was turned in, and had seven toes! My tibia wasn’t growing so my right leg was much shorter than my left. I was born to Flora and Lev in Mineralnyvodi, Russia. The doctors told them there was nothing they could do to fix me, and that I would probably die. They wanted to save me so they put me in an orphanage and prayed I got shipped off to the United States. Luckily, there was a young couple on business in Russia at the same time. Danny and Kathy ended their world travels in order to bring me home!

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Got a family, Got a Leg, & became a U.S. citizen in the same year

I came to the U.S., became a citizen, got my leg amputated, and had a family once again! Pretty crazy story. Growing up I knew I was very fortunate, but I struggled a lot. Middle school is not easy for a kid with a limp. I was also about half the size of my classmates. This made me an easy target for bullying. I played all sorts of sports, and was very active. However, I noticed that none of the other kids at school had a fake leg like me. They were all much faster than me on the field, and way more graceful in ballet class. I would often get frustrated that none of my friends were like me.

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too glam to give a damn

In high school, I was in a leadership program that required a big project that would make a difference. It was pretty open-ended, but I knew exactly what I wanted to do. A lot of the students were pairing up to go on volunteer projects and whatnot. I decided to start an organization to promote amputee awareness. After experiencing years of bullying for being different, and I wanted to be the voice for amputees in my community. I was able to talk to lots of students around St. Louis and share my story. I had a little girl come up to me at the end of one of my talks, and tell me that she finally felt proud to be adopted. She had never met anyone else that was adopted and felt very alone. I hope that changing just one child’s perspective can start to change many.

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One Inspires Many

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7 thoughts on “How Adaptive Amputees began

  1. You are awesome!! 🙌 Just love your attitude in your story here.
    I am an upper limb amputee, below elbow, right arm from the age of 18y/o. I used to be right handed, so had to retrain myself to write, dress, eat, do my hair, drive, cooking, baking, everything, one handed and, left handed. Believe it or not writing came easily, I had a lot of free time while in hospital. The day my hand was removed I had a doc come see me, went to shake my hand and asked me to sign a Surgery Permission form, I said, “well doc, I would shake your hand but it’s hanging by a thread right now. Pretty sure that’ll make my signature a squiggle too, that legal enough for your form?” And of course, that caused laughter. I get daily phantom sensations in abundance, most bizarre feelings ever but I participate in UK research studies into how the brain adapts following hand amputation, so they can better understand & learn about phantoms and with some luck a cure. (May be a long way off there though)
    My hidden trauma was a severe break to my pelvis, this meant lots of recovery time. I was told 2-3 months hospitalisation time & 9 months before walking. I was out in exactly 3 weeks albeit in a wheelchair, Right in time for Christmas. Accident was Nov-07, (my lucky numbers 11-7 here, yes still lucky because I lived to tell me story) – I was out before Nov-30 and walking in 3-4months, with crutch support, fully by 6months back to work by 9 months!
    Being any type of amputee is hard. We all have to adapt to a new way of living. The physical aspect often being the easiest. In my opinion, it’s the rehabilitation of the mind that is hardest, but with the right mindset, a positive attitude, anything can be overcome.
    I’m a huge advocate for sharing stories and educating people who don’t understand amputee life or don’t understand ill mental health, so yea, always free to offer an ear, moral support, encouragement and motivation 🙌

  2. Hi, I’m MoneyTrainRios ⬅️ (IG Name)
    I’m a double amputee below the knees. It’s crazy how God works, no matter what your going through always keep your faith in him and he will not let you down. He gives his strongest soldier’s his toughest battles. In life nothing is easy so you have to play the hand you’re dealt. In my case I was a former rail roader and I was struck by a train at work and nearly bleed to death but I didn’t panic and it wasn’t my time to go. It took me 3 months to learn how to walk and I’m still splashing and dripping and my walk has better Pimp’n in it lol… Beat The Odds, Stand Up Tall And Be Happy 🚂💨💰🤘🏽🙏🏽💯

  3. Hi I’m drlizap ⬅️ ( IG name)
    I am a transtibial amputee and as explained to me, I only had to deal with a “paper cut” in comparison to some. I would agree. So many things are relative to the circumstance of the individual. Having my amputation nearing 60 years of age due to cancer, my experience was that this one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. Totally sounds strange I know. I had no co-morbidities, relatively fit, motivated and probably because I am in health care myself, I understood that inevitable post surgical pain was coming that could be temporarily managed as healing was occurring. The rest of the responsibility was up to myself. So in understanding pain, neuroscience and nutrition I did lots of things differently from many others. When I say above that for me it was easy I mean that I had to let go of the outcome of how and when the next steps would happen. In doing that, there was little stress and no fear that I felt. Probably my greatest asset was my mindset, meditation, holding the focus for a preferred future, finding gratitude in each moment and honouring my body. Honouring my body through exercise and movement adapted initially with no leg, then initial prosthetic, then home life and new prosthetics. Honouring my body through nutrition. If one views nutrition like “food as information” that eventually becomes the body, good nutrition becomes easier. Did I want to fuel with healthy information or not? Then I used my knowledge of neuroscience to gate pain at the spinal level with tuning forks, and other modalities, plus mirror therapy for cortical changes. Heck, if I was sitting anyways why not do something that even in worst case would at least be more exercise. My results were better than anticipated. I’m finishing a book about my experience. Ultimately, we are far more creative and resourceful than we have been led to believe. It is difficult to realize that when in the emotional states of feeling frustrated, angry or in fear due to being in the “fight, flight, freeze centers of our brain that impact our chemistry and physiology. When we can become greater than our circumstances, our resourcefulness opens up to new possibilities. What worked best? Relying on the experience of those appropriately trained. Beyond that trusting myself.

  4. Hey! I have been following along on Instagram for a while and I am always encouraged by your posts. Most likely because they hit home for me so much. I am 31 and have been a right transtibial Amputee since I was 2.5 so approaching 30 years now. My amputation was chosen for me by my mother after receiving several options as far as plan of care from shriners hospital for children-st Louis. I was born with fibular hemimelia and had multiple bones in my foot missing as well as only 3 toes. My mom chose wisely, I feel, as I have never really known any different. I have always gotten up put my leg on and went about the day. Sure it hasn’t always been easy and as a child you encounter things adults don’t, like bullying and self confidence issues. I honestly wouldn’t change that. It’s led me to a great career (Certified prosthetic assistant) and I enjoy traveling speaking as a patient ambassador for shriners hospitals. It can be difficult when treating my patients though. Oftentimes I get comments like, “I can’t wait until I walk like you.” I am happy to be a mentor but I don’t feel like I’m an inspiration. This hasn’t been a walk in the park. It’s taken me 29 years to get to this point and my battles aren’t the same as someone else’s. I’ve had bad days they just don’t see mine like I see theirs. I love connecting with my patients on a more personal level in that sense though. My prosthetist growing up did more for me than he will ever know because he took the time to care and understand like others couldnt. Anyways, I love your story and am thankful you’re putting yourself out there for others! Thank you!

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