Saturday (7/14/2018)

Update:

I had my surgery done in Indianapolis last Friday (7/6).  I was told that it went well.  I was discharged on Sunday.  My wife had flown in on Saturday to drive me home.  500 miles is a long drive when just sitting upright in a chair for an hour wears you out.   I laid down in the backseat of the truck for half way home.  

I've stayed at home resting for the week.  On Friday (7/13), I went over to my daughter's and got to play with my granddaughter and hold my grandsons.  That was pleasant!

I was having trouble with my limb all week.  The bleeding at the incision hadn't stopped, which is unusually long.  Also I was showing possible signs of infection, so I called the doctor.

It's a little more complicated when the hospital you had the surgery at is 500 miles away, the surgeon had a family emergency right after my surgery, and you are trying to find someone who knows you to talk with them.  Thankfully both hospitals use EPIC for record keeping, so the records and things transferred back and forth.  Anyway, my Indy team sent me to the ER to have someone look at me and run some blood work.  

My white cell count was somewhat elevated but I had a number of symptoms that I seemed to indicate an infection starting.  So I was put on two antibiotics and sent home.

I'm so very grateful that now just 12 hours after starting the antibiotics that my leg already looks so much better!!!  I think we nipped it in the bud before an infection really took hold.  Whew!  Fears alleviated!

I've got a two-week post-op follow-up scheduled in Indy this coming Friday (7/20).  I'll drive down on Thursday and then drive back home on Friday after my appointment.  Not looking forward to 1,000 miles in two days, but that is just the way it is.  I'll have lots of time to listen to my favorite music!                              

I got to tell you this.  It makes me laugh.  I called the hotel that I stayed at prior to my surgery.  I asked to reserve "a wheelchair accessible" room.  The lady told me, "We don't have any of those here.  We only have handicap accessible rooms."  I answered back, "Well, I stayed at your hotel last week, so whatever you got will be fine."  LOL.  The room I stayed in there was one of best layouts for a wheelchair that I ever had.  So yeah, I should be fine.

Tuesday (7/3/2018):

I’m driving down to Indianapolis tomorrow (500 miles) in preparation for my reconstructive surgery on Friday (7/6).  The tibia on my amputated leg is pronounced (too long) and needs to be reduced, among other things.  I hate to be wheelchair bound for the rest of July and early August as I heal before getting a new prosthesis; but it has to happen for me to regain my comfort and mobility.

I’ve been an amputee for 4 ½ years now.  This will be my second reconstructive surgery following my amputation and the third summer that I’ve been severely limited in my activity levels.  And I had such high hopes for this year.  Oh, well!

After joining the “Amp Club” you find out that every person’s experience is different.  Some people seem to immediately find the “sweet spot.”  They have an amputation, get a prosthesis, and off they go without almost any other problems.   Others find themselves in a nearly constant loop of surgeries, procedures, fittings, in an endless attempt to regain their comfort and mobility. 

I fall somewhere in between.  I’ve had a few difficulties along the way, along with some very good times.  The beauty of social media for an amputee is that you find out that you aren’t alone.  You see the success stories that fuel your drive to continue forward, as well as finding out that there are others who are facing much greater battles than your own.

For me, being an amputee is a mind game.  Despite setbacks and failures, maintaining a positive outlook is a requirement to keep moving forward.  Every step is a trade-off.  Is this worth the time and energy it will require?  Will my investment pay dividends?  Am I wasting my time striving to achieve an unattainable goal?  The hard part is that you don’t know if it is unattainable until you’ve tried every possible solution.  Until then, every step along the way is just part of the road you travel. 

I’m beginning to understand that being an amputee isn’t about “arriving,” it’s about the journey itself. I may never arrive at the destination that I seek; I can’t wait until I get there to be happy. Instead I’ve got to remember to enjoy the journey itself. The breakdowns, detours, and road construction zones are never the most pleasant part of traveling; but they are a fact of life and you might as well learn to appreciate them as well.

Take a minute to read what John Maxwell wrote about success (and the happiness or satisfaction that comes with it).

www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/what-i-believe-about-success