# Ask The Amputee **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 14, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703 "2012-03-14T00:06:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/41 "2012-03-15T12:47:02Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > or a HOP in the park ;). > Yes, I am going to hell. šŸ˜ƒ I actually hopped from the therapy gym to my room yesterday\* after my session with my [del]slave-driver[/del] physical therapist, on his insistence (WITH the walkerā€¦heā€™s tough but heā€™s not sadistic). \*Probably only about 100 yards, but still the longest distance Iā€™ve gone with the walker ever. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/42 "2012-03-15T12:50:11Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > ā€¦ > Something that just occurred to me: you might want to have a handyman-type come out and check your stair railings etc - a railing that would do just find under normal use would perhaps not be up to the chore of someone really leaning onto it on a daily basis. I know one of my kids managed to rip out one of our stair rails - just from goofing off (and she was about 8 at the time). Similarly, look into the shower setup - at the least, an inexpensive shower stool, but you will probably want to have grab bars installed as well. Such improvements, by the way, would generally be tax deductible. As I understand it, costs beyond normal wear / tear repairs - i.e. strictly necessary for medical reasons - should be deductible. There are some rules where you have to try to figure out how much of it adds value to the home, and the amount beyond that is the deduction. I looked briefly into that when we put hardwood in Moon Unitā€™s room - she has asthma / allergies and the carpet needed to go. I didnā€™t bother trying to do the math for that because itā€™s so hard to quantify that, but something like grab bars and unusual reinforcements on railings are not likely to be ā€œnormalā€ expenses, so more clearcut. ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/43 "2012-03-15T17:58:10Z")
**jayjay** , I donā€™t have a question. I just wanted to say best of luck to you in this new phase of your life and tell you to keep up the good attitude. Iā€™ve always enjoyed your posts and want more in the future, so please do your damnedest to get healthy. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/44 "2012-03-15T18:16:45Z")
> [@supervenusfreak](#): > > **Jayjay** ā€™s partner here. I hope that you do not mind if I answer, from my perspective. He ignored it for some time and then hoped that it would go away. He also hid it from me. Heā€™s been that way before about health issues. Most of his family is like that too. They donā€™t want to be a bother or burden to othersā€¦ > > One of the few blessings that has come from this is that he realizes that he cannot simply ignore health problems anymore, and that they will not go away. Hopefully this is a life lesson that he will carry with him from now on. Thanks for the answer, both of you. šŸ™‚ And itā€™s a lesson I need to learn too. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/45 "2012-03-16T11:36:41Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > šŸ˜ƒ > I actually hopped from the therapy gym to my room yesterday\* after my session with my [del]slave-driver[/del] physical therapist, on his insistence (WITH the walkerā€¦heā€™s tough but heā€™s not sadistic). > > \*Probably only about 100 yards, but still the longest distance Iā€™ve gone with the walker ever. 100 yards? :dubious:. I have great sympathy for your physical therapists. I must send them a card, after we get you home. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/46 "2012-03-16T11:53:19Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The hospitals have been enforcing a diabetic diet, so the carbs of the meals Iā€™m served are carefully watched. That, along with regular insulin and exercise (therapy) are causing me to lose rapidly (70 pounds in roughly 10 weeks). Are you including the weight of your leg in this weight loss? either way, good job! ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/47 "2012-03-16T12:29:00Z")
> [@supervenusfreak](#): > > **Jayjay** ā€™s partner here. I hope that you do not mind if I answer, from my perspective. He ignored it for some time and then hoped that it would go away. He also hid it from me. Heā€™s been that way before about health issues. Most of his family is like that too. They donā€™t want to be a bother or burden to othersā€¦ > > One of the few blessings that has come from this is that he realizes that he cannot simply ignore health problems anymore, and that they will not go away. Hopefully this is a life lesson that he will carry with him from now on. Wasnā€™t the severe obesity (420 lbs.) an issue/sign anyway? It would seem better general health would have prevented/delayed much of this? That said, I hope you both get through this okay, and in better health than you came into it. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/48 "2012-03-16T12:40:47Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > Are you including the weight of your leg in this weight loss? either way, good job! Well, yeahā€¦but according to sources, that was only something like 10-15 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/49 "2012-03-16T12:45:34Z")
I checked with the Fattie Council (of which I am a lifetime member) and we decided you get to ā€œcountā€ the leg. Seems like youā€™ve earned it. šŸ˜‰ (Seriously - there was probably a decent amount of fat on that leg, and less fat now means less insulin resistance. _shrugs_ It counts.) ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/50 "2012-03-16T23:20:40Z")
Thanks for the thread. My mom lost her first leg below-the-knee & then the other, above-the-knee. She was very brave and went through all kinds of phys therapy, but my mom and I never really ā€œtalkedā€ about what she had to go through emotionally. Yes, these amputations were both due to Type I diabetes, which began (if that is the right terminology) when she was about 13. She died at age 53. Iā€™ve made it to 62, so far without diabetes, but my late sister died from its complications (heart disease) when she was only 47 ā€¦ very grim statistics. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!! Iā€™m also trying to learn how to do this, at MY age. I didnā€™t have very good role models, much as I loved my mother & sister. ---
**Author:** ![JulieOT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c89c15/32.png) [@JulieOT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JulieOT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/51 "2012-09-09T16:56:13Z")
I have a few ā€œI wish the therapist had told meā€¦ā€ things, but not really any I can think of for nursesā€¦most of the nurses Iā€™ve had have been absolutely wonderful and the few that werenā€™t were more grumpy in general than stingy with information. [/QUOTE] I know Iā€™m a little bit late here, but Iā€™m an occupational therapy student and would love to know what those ā€œI wish my therapist had told meā€ things are. It would be great to know when I encounter this in practice in the future šŸ™‚ Thanks so much, and I hope you have been continuing to improve! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/52 "2012-09-09T17:05:48Z")
> [@JulieOT](#): > > I know Iā€™m a little bit late here, but Iā€™m an occupational therapy student and would love to know what those ā€œI wish my therapist had told meā€ things are. It would be great to know when I encounter this in practice in the future šŸ™‚ Thanks so much, and I hope you have been continuing to improve! Goodnessā€¦Iā€™m trying to remember what I meant now. I wrote that a LONG time ago! And I honestly donā€™t know offhand what I was going for at the time. Probably just stuff like being careful to account for the new weight of the residual limbā€¦I did a lot of overpowering swinging around onto my bed for a while because the residual limb weighs about half as much as it did and I tended to swing it around onto the bed with the same muscle effort that I was used to with the full leg. But looking back, I wish my first therapy facility had known about [knee slings](http://www.mtsmedicalsupply.com/The-Knee-Sling/1690/6050/?affid=7&gclid=CKmKxvH8qLICFYSo4AodvnIA0g). Therapy sessions there were very nervous-making because I had to use a walker without it and hop instead of using the knee sling and just WALKING. Only when I was moved to the long-term therapy place did they introduce me to it. As a sort of general update, Iā€™m doing fine now. I was actually away from home for six months (January to June). Once I got my prosthesis and had acquired some proficiency with it, I was discharged and sent home, and two weeks later I was back at work. Right now, Iā€™m having some discomfort just because the shape of the residual limb has changed so much, so quickly (which is expected at first). Iā€™m getting cast for my first permanent leg next week. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/53 "2012-09-09T17:33:58Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > But looking back, I wish my first therapy facility had known about [knee slings](http://www.mtsmedicalsupply.com/The-Knee-Sling/1690/6050/?affid=7&gclid=CKmKxvH8qLICFYSo4AodvnIA0g). Therapy sessions there were very nervous-making because I had to use a walker without it and hop instead of using the knee sling and just WALKING. Only when I was moved to the long-term therapy place did they introduce me to it. Thatā€™s really cool! Iā€™m glad you linked to it; I didnā€™t know about it, either. Just a WAG, but was your surgical site ready for weight bearing early on in therapy? I wonder if the sling could impair healing if itā€™s used too soon. Just a thought, I really donā€™t know. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/54 "2012-09-10T10:33:17Z")
**WhyNot** Here in the Caribbean the nurses use mashed green papaya on diabetic wounds. Maybe we donā€™t have the resources for other healing salves, maybe it works better but I thought Iā€™d mention it. An American nurse who was working there said sheā€™d observed it and it seemed to work pretty good. **jayjay** I admire your attitude! Maybe youā€™ve had more papaya than you can shake a leg at. \ ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/55 "2012-09-10T13:30:59Z")
Iā€™ll chip in with a thing I wish the therapists had told me. Iā€™ve not lost a limb but have spent quite a bit of time on crutches, the first time for a broken leg. I was non weight bearing on the bad leg. My house is pretty small and getting around it on crutches and one leg was really hard, especially getting up the single step from my living room to the hall, through a narrow doorway. I felt that I shouldnā€™t go outside until I was better at managing steps and curbs but when I finally did I found it to be much easier outside as there was so much more room to swing the crutches. A couple of things I get from this: give people practice at moving in confined spaces and point out how much easier things are when you do have room. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/56 "2012-09-10T18:12:57Z")
Have you had any contact with devotees? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/57 "2012-09-10T18:54:37Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Have you had any contact with devotees? šŸ˜‰ Hehā€¦no, I havenā€™t encountered any fetishists yet. I know theyā€™re out there, though. Waiting. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703/58 "2012-09-11T13:02:30Z")
I have to thank you for this thread and wish you the best. I have diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. A few weeks ago, I drew blood when cutting my very thick toenails. I was very careful to clean in and keep a clean bandaid on it until there was no blood on the previous one. Since I use anti-coagulants, this took about 4 days. But after reading your story, I think maybe I should have seen my doctor right away. And I will be very careful in the future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-amputee/615703.md?page=2)