New Member in Ohio

[rickwise]

Hello! I became a right leg above the knee amputee 3 weeks ago. I had a bad accident 6 years ago that destroyed my leg and hip, doctor put a hinge in to try to save leg, but didn't work too well. After fighting infection in knee area for 2 years that was in bone and on the rod, I was given 2 choices, and amputation was the best. Things seem to be going well, wish healing would go faster, but am getting around good on crutches, in fact I can walk better now than I have in the last 6 years. My knee and my hip both became fused as they healed. I am walking every morning at the mall and do about a half a mile, but arms get to hurting too much to go farther. Right now, one of my biggest concerns is a prosthetic, every one seems to think should be getting one, but I don't think I really want one. With my hip fused, my stump is angled forward about 15-20 degrees, and I think that would affect usage. I don't want to go backwards in my mobility to where I was. Am also learning to drive again left footed, working up to taking the motorhome out camping again. Sorry for rambling on. I live in New Philadelphia, Ohio

[cherylm]

Hi, rickwise, and welcome to our little "family!" I think you can be forgiven for rambling...you have a lot to ramble about.

It sounds like you're discovering what a lot of us have found out: if your limb is painful enough and useless enough, amputating it can provide a real solution to mobility problems. I know that, for me, the amputation was what let me get back to living a normal life...in hindsight, I might have been better off having it done earlier than I did.

One thing I would suggest to you is that you not decide on whether or not you want a prosthesis until you've spoken in detail with a prosthetist...and perhaps even tried out a prosthetic leg. They can do some really amazing adjustments to fit unusual physical conditions and stump "oddities." If your hip and stump can be accommodated, a prosthesis could give you even more mobility. If it turns out that the prosthesis doesn't improve matters, you can still go back to crutches.

That's something to keep in mind: very little about being an amputee is set in stone. Aside from the fact that, once it's off, the limb doesn't grow back, you have a lot of variety in what you can do to get around and live an active life. I have "gear" that ranges from a wheelchair to walking unaided with only my prosthesis to hold me up. I move between my full range of assistance devices, depending on how I'm feeling,what my stump is doing, and what I want to accomplish on any given day. Anything that lets me continue to be active is just fine with me!

Hang in there and keep your options open...you're going to do fine!

[Ann]

Hi rickwise, welcome to the group and I am glad things are going well for you. I can empathize with you on the frustrations of the healing process, though you sound like you are doing pretty well with getting about on crutches.

Generally I would agree with what Cheryl has said regarding "not deciding on whether or not you want a prosthesis yet", but am looking at it from a slightly different perspective of someone who didn't elect for the initial surgery and that of a bilateral amp where the choices are more limited. What I have learned from my previous experiences of amp surgery now is that the healing process can be lengthy and as it progresses can sometimes reach a point where I get pretty comfortable with how I am managing and the thought of having to adapt to something else, like the processes of prosthetic fitting etc., can be unknown.
  
Usually though, my experiences have always been that long term, walking on prosthetics is easier,  takes less energy than trying to do things without them and gives me more independence.  Am not saying that initially getting to grips with it all is always easy, for many of us there are usually a few frustrations along the way but generally this is short term and it does all become pretty normal.  I appreciate, what you say about the difficulties you 'think' you might encounter with your residual limb, though you don't know yet if this will be the case, so maybe use this time now to seek out a prosthetist who is confident in working with you, usually things are do-able with the right input, there are so many new inovations with prosthetics at the moment, it might not all happen overnight but if you can stick with it it keeps your options open and meanwhile you can still be mobile on your crutches as you are now.
Having said all that, some amputees do opt not to use prostheses, and are very happy with that, though I meet others who are not so happy and for whatever reason and some years in find themselves longing to be able to stand, or walk, even short distances with a prosthesis.

I notice in your posting that you mention you can only walk "about half a mile without your arms hurting", although I reckon half a mile is pretty good so soon after surgery, though do bear in mind your arms and possible long term wear and tear, they will become quite important to you.  Actually as Cheryl says, a lot of us, long term collect a range of 'gear' that actually allows us to keep us active, so somedays that might be prostheses, prostheses and wheelchairs, sometimes crutches, sticks or whatever we feel is best for what we are doing and I know these days I do juggle things quite a bit.

So hang in there and keep your options open, you sound like you have made a really good start, it would be normal to be feeling a bit apprehensive at the moment, but if it was me, I would think longer term and I wouldn't shut those doors before they open.