Bad Leg Day
Raise your residual limb if your plans for the day are completely dependent on what kind of leg day you are having.
Today was a good day, I woke up to find my prosthetic was fully charged! I can't tell you how many times I have rolled out of bed and seen the charging cable completely detached from the outlet. Did a ghost show up while I was sleeping and pull out the plug? Did I kick it loose while trying to get to the bathroom at night, or did I just forget to plug it in? Wanna know what happens when the battery dies? Well, it's like trying to walk with a 20 lb tree stump for a leg. Perhaps this is what it was like to be an amputee 100 years ago? I am starting to think that zombie folklore may have begun when someone witnessed an osteosarcoma survivor learning to walk post-amputation, before the invention of the modern prosthesis.
Some more common inconveniences include skin rash, irritation, and sweat. If you have sensitive skin as I do, the rashes will come. Spending 8+ hours with a gel liner on can make your skin quite angry. This can be made worst with heat. Did you know that if you get sweaty enough in your socket, YOUR LEG CAN SLIDE OFF?! Since I live in Florida and Summer is coming, I am already beginning my research and preparation for survival on the most humid peninsula known to man. Thankfully, I have a pool that will get plenty of use both for exercise and emergency cool downs after gardening during daylight hours.
So how do I handle bad leg days? Well, sometimes I cry. But most of the time I simply adjust. On days when my leg doesn't charge overnight, I bring my charger to work and spend the first hour of the workday sitting still at my desk close to the outlet. I read emails, make phone calls and find other tasks I can complete while simultaneously bringing life back to my prosthesis. Skin rashes are still an ongoing battle, but trial and error have taught me which creams and lotions work best to repair the skin overnight, and on lazy days at home, I give my residual limb room to breath and keep the prosthesis off.
I can't have my real leg back. This is my reality for life, but it does get easier with time and sometimes I just need to take a deep breath to realize that I am still blessed and I can overcome these obstacles. I beat cancer, I can handle a little leg sweat...
