Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AMA
Original poster

I'm an amputee..ask me anything!

132 replies

HappinessIsKey · 30/04/2019 18:03

Thought I would start a thread, as a young (ish) woman, who has had a below knee amputation..

Since having my leg removed friends and family have always had a lot of questions about what's it's like etc..

I constantly get stared at and sometimes even followed, when I go out. So I thought I would start a thread to answer questions people have about it..

You ask me whatever you like, I will answer them!

Don't worry I'm a rough cookie, so can handle any questions 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
HappinessIsKey · 02/05/2019 23:24

@Dhalandchips I searched for threads about amputees before doing this one, I couldn't find any! I'm so sorry, I would never of started one!

Jesus me and sports have never gone well together..I had a permanent sick note for every P.E lesson all the way through secondary school 😂

Join in and answer questions if you like! I feel terrible now! Xx

OP posts:
Jaspermcsween · 02/05/2019 23:29

You sound lovely.

Here’s an odd one. ‘How come Heather Mills can do so much stuff? Is she athletically unusually gifted ?

Dhalandchips · 02/05/2019 23:34

No! Don't feel bad, like I said, yours is much more interesting Smile which limb centre do you use?

Dhalandchips · 02/05/2019 23:35

And you don't need huge amounts of sporting prowess, we're always looking for new team players. It's fun 😊

foreverhanging · 02/05/2019 23:37

You'd need a leg-drobe if you had many different legs!

ArabellaDoreenFig · 02/05/2019 23:43

I have no questions but just impressed by your bravery and courage. You are an inspiration to others OP

Just want to reiterate this.

Original poster
HappinessIsKey · 02/05/2019 23:53

@doodlejump1980 I have been asked loads of questions from children when I'm out and about..they come out with the funniest questions!
Once they have gotten all the information they need from me, they just turn away and carry on with their day 😊

There are no negatives to it at all, they are learning..how else are they suppose to learn to accept everybody?

Its one thing, every single amputee I have met has mentioned. They wish people would just spit it out and ask them. Apart from children, it's only old people that ask us questions when we are out 😂

Let them ask away! Xx

@TheSpottedZebra
Some companies can offer insurance, and it can come under health insurance but its very expensive!
People treat their prosthetics like babies. Damage doesn't normally happen, when you are paying quite a bit of money.
At my clinic my leg comes under warranty for a year, so if it doesn't fit right, or my skin starts peeling away from my actual prosthetic then it's fixed for free. If you cut through your false skin with scissors, then you are simply an idiot!
But it doesn't cost much to repair, they made mine look like a scar

OP posts:
LindsayDentonsCat · 03/05/2019 00:17

Just wanted to say that you are awesome OP. This thread is fascinating, thank you.

Gingerkittykat · 03/05/2019 00:37

Can you drive using a prosthetic?

MooseBeTimeForSnow · 03/05/2019 01:07

Thank you for this post. I teared up at you writing a thank you letter on your leg. What an amazing idea. I went over the edge when you worried where your leg was after it had been removed, like you were worried it was all alone.

Luckily, I’m sitting in an airport wearing sunglasses as I had an eye exam today. So no one can see me!

TheSpottedZebra · 03/05/2019 08:51

Thanks for answering mine -and all the other questions OP with such good humour and honesty.
This really has been fascinating and enlightening.

Electrocute1980 · 03/05/2019 10:38

I don't have any questions but op I just wanted to say I think you're amazing. I can't believe the woman who hit you has shown no remorse and I think the grace and strength of character you have is astounding Thanks

As for kids asking questions, my best friend's partner has a prosthetic leg and my ds(3) thinks it's fascinating and is convinced he's a superhero robot Grin

Original poster
HappinessIsKey · 03/05/2019 11:06

@Jaspermcsween every amputee is different. It depends on the damage that was done. In my example I completely shattered my pelvis, but the left hand side after being rebuilt, and once my bones started to heal, it healed much lower than my right side. This causes me to limp and swing my leg out a bit when I walk. The nerve damage is the major issue..Its up to my thigh and knee to control my prosthetic, so because this doesn't work, this makes it more difficult to control.
No matter how much training I have, these are factors that stop me from walking completely normal.

If no other damage is done and they don't have any complications, then it can be quite straight forward for amputees to have a leg fitted and learn to walk again.

No matter how bad of a persona she has in the public eye, she will of still had to work very hard to get to where she is now!

But still the vast majority of amputees are nothing like the ones we see on television.
Everyone I have met, has so much determination but that can only get you so far, pressure sores, pain, your stump shirking and swelling during the day, meaning your leg doesn't fit properly and the cost.

I bet Heather Mills has a walk in leg-drobe 😂
In the real world, people don't even have one spare.

OP posts:
Original poster
HappinessIsKey · 03/05/2019 11:29

@Gingerkittykat Yes I can. The DVLA did initially take my driving license away from me for four years, until I reached a medically stable point. And then my driving license just got restricted to automatics.
I am very very lucky, losing my left leg. I can just drive any automatic car..

If it was the right leg I would have to pay to have the car adapted to switch the accelerator to the left hand side.

But the last time I was in the limb centre, I met a man who lost his left leg. He was a huge car enthusiast. He hated automatics! His goal in life was to be able to drive a manual again, and had just passed his test in a manual! The joy coming from him was so inspiring ❤️

OP posts:
Dhalandchips · 03/05/2019 18:23

I drive a manual..left below knew amp

Original poster
HappinessIsKey · 03/05/2019 19:04

@Dhalandchips wow that's amazing!! Well done..my prosthetic specialist said after I spoke to the man who had just passed, that it's very rare..DVLA are obviously very strict..you sound very inspiring 😊 xx

OP posts:
Dhalandchips · 03/05/2019 21:17

I think k because I was an elective amputation it was very straightforward, no complications. In fact, I've been told that in the 'heirarchy' of amputees mine is 'only a scratch' GrinGrin

Teacakeandalatte · 03/05/2019 21:40

Hi OP and thanks for answering all the questions, you sound amazing! I like to watch The Supervet where he is working on making prosthetic implants where the metal implant is joined to the leg bone leaving a peg, which a prosthetic foot can then be bolted onto. Its easy to see how this can benefit animals as they don't have the ability to manage a prosthetic leg as humans can, but do you think this sort of implant could be of benefit to humans in future?

Original poster
HappinessIsKey · 03/05/2019 22:56

I have heard of these for humans. I think it works best for people that have had to loose a significant amount of their own leg. They may only have four or five inches of their upper leg limb left, making it extremely difficult to fit a prosthetic. I have never met anybody with this type of leg, so I'm sorry I can't answer more than that. I wouldn't want to give any information that wasn't correct.

The advances that are happening in prosthetic's are amazing though.

For example in the limb centre I go to, they have just developed a prosthetic arm, that is controlled by the persons foot. So if they want to clench their fist they push their big toe down, or if they want to move their hand into a hand shake position, their push their heel down! The whole hand and arm is controlled by different foot movements! How amazing is that! That could be absolutely life changing for people! But these cost £350,000. Only three have been fitted so far.

OP posts:
GunpowderGelatine · 04/05/2019 00:21

I don't have any questions but just wanted to say thank you for this thread OP, you're an amazing woman and I agree with a PP who said you should write a book you write so eloquently

Jaspermcsween · 04/05/2019 09:12

Thank you.
I have learned so much from this thread

VQ1970 · 04/05/2019 23:39

Thank you for posting this - my husband is an above the knee amputee on his left leg and partial right foot amputation so he has no toes whatsoever! It's interesting to read other peoples experiences.

His is all diabetes related. Similar to you, he had to make a very quick decision about what to do. We were told in the evening that things were critical and he needed to make a decision and once that decision was made, he was being taken down to theatre 20 minutes later on a Saturday night. This was just over three years ago.

He doesn't use his prosthetic. We're not mainland U.K. so no NHS but his prosthetic was funded by our own social security system. He was doing really well with it but had a fall and broke some ribs. By the time he'd recovered, he'd put on some weight and his stump had changed shape because he wasn't using his juzo and the leg no longer fitted. He uses a wheelchair all the time and had a mobility scooter to get out to the shops.

It's interesting what you said about men wearing shorts - he lives in shorts! He finds it much easier. When he does need to wear trousers we just roll the leg up.

He only has himself to blame for his condition (lifestyle choices over the years) but still has some 'woe is me' moments. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for people who have had this done to them through no fault of their own. You sound incredibly positive which is absolutely the right attitude to have.

He can still feel his toes sometimes and can wiggle them. A couple of times he's gone to scratch his itchy calf and of course it's not that. In the last week or so he's had a few phantom pains but thankfully they seem to have stopped.

Hearhere · 04/05/2019 23:57

amazing strength and courage

sweetkitty · 04/05/2019 23:58

This has been an amazing thread to read thank you so much OP. You are such an inspiring, brave lady.

Hearhere · 05/05/2019 10:36

The thing about men choosing to wear shorts because it will be assumed that they are a war hero...on the face of it this sounds like a trivial and amusing little detail but actually I think it's very significant that men are able to get kudos from something that very few women are able to get kudos from

I really hope that prosthetic limb technology improves and you are able to benefit from it OP, I think it is very generous of you to share our experiences on here😊

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.