Amputee Questions

You are not alone

There many amputees out there and the reason why you haven't noticed them before is because most do not draw your attention. They look and are just like other people, and they can do everything they want to do. The difference is that most have had to rearrange their lives at some point and change some of the old ways to find new meaning and create an adjusted image of themselves. They may also do things differently from those who have all of their limbs, but you will discover that they can do everything they want.

Some amputees are born missing a limb, others lose their limb because of life threatening disease, and a small proportion have accidents leading to amputation.

Transformative Change

In Chinese the characters that form the word 'crisis' mean both danger and opportunity. A crisis can be transformative for a person. It may have negative effects but can unleash forces within you that you never knew you had.

You probably thought you were alone and it's most likely that you have never known another amputee. You might also be frightened at the turn your life has taken. After a while you will realize that you have joined a strong community, and although it is not a community you wished to join, it offers great support and involves diverse people from all walks of life.

You will need to rearrange some things and your thoughts, but you are still the person you were before and you know so much more. You have lived through an experience that is so overwhelming that most of us cannot imagine what it is like. By reading this text you have already taken a big step towards your recovery, and there are thousands of people in the world who share your feelings and experiences and are willing to help you.

Ask, Ask and Ask Again

Always ask questions if you are unsure or don't understand something. Our own expert is here to help. If you go to our links page you will find great sites for amputees. Read about common emotional reactions such as grieving and depression, but don't forget to read about other amputees and their success stories, these will give you some idea of what you can accomplish. The glossary explains some common terms used in prosthetics.

National Mental Health Association: What is depression
The journey through adulthood: Bee, helen (1996)
Therapy for amputees: Engstrom, B, Van de Ven, C (1999)