It’s April again-LLAM

It's April again. Flowers are blooming all over. The Florida Gators won the NCAA Championship, and it's limb loss/ difference awareness month. Yay!

This year, just like the last four, I'm being vocal about what it's like to live with limb loss and reminding myself and everyone else that accessibility, including medical access, is a right we deserve. While all of our experiences may not be the same, it truly is a time for community and acceptance and a chance to raise overall awareness about a really cool group of people who just want equal and fair treatment and the ability to go to Trader Joe's on a Sunday morning in a pair of biker shorts without everyone gawking at them like they just walked in naked and the door sign clearly states shirts and pants are a requirement. I mean, seriously, guys, it's 2025. There are holographic-wrapped cyber trucks on the road, and you're shocked to see someone walking around on a metal leg? And in Winter Park, FL, no less? There is enough Botox in this town that I should never have to see a stranger's facial expressions.

Thankfully, we're seeing so much growth in representation. I could not be more proud to see more and more people from the limb loss/difference community all over social media, billboard advertisements, television, and competitive sports. I love to see my people thriving and shining. And yes, I say my people because meeting another person who is also missing a limb is like finding the other half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Who knows what it's like to be stared at on the daily and has faced the kind of challenges most other people won't face in a lifetime. Plus, they might come with some cool hardware accessories like mine. There might be over five million people living with limb loss/ difference in this country, but it still makes me smile every time I see another kindred spirit in a crowd. Truly, The peanut butter to my jelly.

It's freaking hard to be us, but here we are, doing it and being awesome at it. And while we're out here being awesome, can we get a little more of the world to catch up? Like, maybe some automatic doors that actually work., Or maybe a healthcare system that doesn't act like prosthetics are a luxury item, like a Gucci handbag you just happen to wear on your leg.

Still, despite the stares, the paperwork, and the occasional unsolicited "you're so inspirational" from someone who watched you tie your shoe, I wouldn't trade this journey for anything because it's made me tougher, kinder, and way better at handling awkward small talk.

So here's to another April. To awareness, to community, to calling out nonsense with a smile—and to every limb-different baddie out there rocking their prosthetics like the runway was built for them. You deserve space. You deserve access. And yes, you absolutely deserve to wear those biker shorts in peace.