How to Move Forward After an Amputation

Speaking of Craig, he sees the path to recovery as less about someone’s attitude and personality, and more that someone might be ready to move forward one day and have a difficult day the next. “It’s all moment to moment, at least for me it is. Some days I am motivated and others I’m not. Everybody’s struggle is different, none harder or easier than anyone else. Everyone’s going to be stuck at times.”

When it comes to attitude, giving oneself grace can go a long way. Rehabilitation is incredibly difficult. Years ago, I met someone with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. She told me something that a nurse told her after reconstructive surgery that has stuck with me since: “Recovery is not linear.” Just because yesterday was a good day, it does not mean that tomorrow will be better. Just because you were able to do something new yesterday, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do it today. Just because you were able to wear your prosthesis for a long time and get a lot of things accomplished today doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do the same tomorrow. Our patient Lynda found out that last one — that it can be easy to overdo it in the first few weeks of wearing a prosthesis.

Attitude can be really hard to change overnight, and it can be one of the biggest obstacles to moving forward after an amputation. People don’t suddenly become resilient. But there are ways to change. Carina Geraldez, clinical therapy specialist at our Dallas center, had some thoughts on this: “If someone is resilient, it helps them with their outlook on life and its challenges.” So how can someone cultivate resilience? Carina had a few videos to suggest, from Harvard University, Alberta Family Wellness and a channel called “How to Achieve a Blissful Life.”

Seeing Others Thrive

Shawn Johnson is an occupational therapist who specializes in upper limb loss and the founder of the nonprofit, Enhancing Skills for Life. The Skills for Life workshop gives people with bilateral upper limb or quadruple limb differences a safe space to socialize, be active, learn from others and feel supported. I asked Shawn what can make the difference between someone who pursues their goals after limb loss or congenital limb difference, and someone who might get stuck for an extended period of time.

"What I’ve seen at all the Skills for Life workshops, is that the biggest impact is face-to-face interaction with others that have a similar limb difference. This can be a motivator like no other. It can turn things around for them. I knew a physical therapist in Utah who told me that she was having a very difficult time getting her patient to actually come to their appointments wearing their prostheses. But the week after the Skills for Life workshop, she came to the rehab facility, wearing her devices. Who knew that would be this patient’s motivator, but it was.”