My problem was with my muscles. All of the muscles in the lower part of my right leg were essentially dead. They tried to save some, but they couldn't so they had to remove my leg above the knee. Honestly, I think I'm happier with the way things are than I would be if they had saved my leg. They would have removed some of the muscle, so it wouldn't look nice, and I'm sure I'd have a lot more restrictions than I have now.

Hi...Great Question and I am the perfect one to answer it. Read my blogs to catch up on me, but I will go on to answer your question.

I would DEFINITELY NOT take my leg back if it was offered to me. My quality of life is so much better now. I never have to worry about another surgery, or having pain, or going on doctor's appointments or waking up to another infection.

I am fast on crutches, I am learning how to use a prosthetic. I am SO comfortable without my leg, it used to swell up every day, I always had to elevate it. Now I can kneel down on the floor (a one legged kneel, but still a kneel). I hadn't done that in over 20 years, it felt so good. I feel so strong and healthy now. There is no unhealthy leg holding me back!

Let me ask you this...what good is your leg doing you right now? The only thing I can think of is this: You probably look good with a pair of jeans on. I wear skirts now, unless I have my prosthetic on, then I wear jeans.

I find it funny that everyone tells you to keep your leg. Easy for them to say, they are not living with it in the same way that you are. I once made a vow to keep my leg at all costs, but then one day, I said enough, I can't do it anymore, my leg doesn't work, it is no good for me. It was only holding me back. I can now do ANYTHING. I don't feel disabled anymore. I don't mind the crutches at all. I feel free, I just grab them and go, easier than I did when I had my leg and I had to walk. And actually, you sound like you have it a little harder than I did. My leg could bend, yours can't. I lived like that for a year and it was miserable.

I am not telling you what to do, just my experience. Also, being that it will be your decision, YOU ARE IN CONTROL. Why wait to a possible point where you may not be in control.

Keep in touch!!!

Should you or shouldn't you? If anyone says they can answer that for you, run screaming in the other direction.

What I can tell you is that there can be life after an amputation. I was initially injured during a summer job while in college, at age 19. Crushed my right leg and left foot in an accident on a drilling rig (yeah, I know, but I was big, strong, Texan, and very very male, so there you go).

All bones in right leg broken, all compound fractures, lots of nerve damage (sciatic). Didn't walk really for the first year (couple of days around Christmas, but rebroke the femur and then into body cast), then had 20 surgeries over the next 25 yrs, all of them dealing in some way with the results of the original accident. Last nine years of that I had open sores on my rt. foot (not diabetic, but similar result) and three major bone infections. Pain got so bad that I walked only when I had too, had to drive with left foot, etc. Had never taken my son, then age nine, on a walk. Not once.

Amputation was 21st surgery. Had a doctor working on my foot that finally asked me, "what quality of life do you want?" Question blew me away -- I was just in an enduring mind set and hadn't pondered that question in years (silly man!). So, had my rt. lower leg cut off six years ago. Had to have another surgery a year later because I was so active that bone spurs formed in my knee! Have been snowboarding (very cool), skiiing (not cool, stump rotated too much in socket), did lots of bicycling (cross country), and even did two tandem skydives.

So, there can be life after an amputation. I do not tell people that there "is" life after one because it is possible to get the surgery and then do nothing with it. It takes effort to recover. It takes work to maximize the value from it. It is not automatic, nor is it always easy, but it is simple -- you just have to work at it (gait training, building core muscle strength, and pretty much anything a good PT pro can throw at you).

There is also no substitute for attitude and commitment. Further, there is no substitute for the support of loved ones, other amps, etc. If you decide to go through with the surgery, line up your support network in advance. My daughter, about 4 months after the surgery (she was 11 at the time) held my face in her hands once when I had returned from a walk around the block, and said that she didn't remember me smiling. Ever. But I was now. Go figure.

Anyway, just my little story. But I will tell you this, and it is something I learned from a couple of quads I know, and it is something that many amputees know (especially those that eliminated a chronic condition)). Here it is: life is good. Pass it on.

Hi again Terri,
I just read your page...gosh, I certainly can sympathize with you. I, too, had a leg that didn't work (car accident, shattered right leg). I had over 30 surgeries to try and fix it and make it "work". I finally couldn't take the pain anymore and also the fact that it just didn't function. With the help of my doctors and family, I decided that the best option to become active again was a below-the-knee amputation. It was done in Oct. 07 and I am very happy with the decision. I no longer worry constantly about it and suffer in pain ALL THE TIME! The prosthesis is taking some getting used to, but I've only had it for one week and already played a little bit of soccer with my daughter. It's going to be awesome after I've become used to it. Don't let your family dictate to you what needs to be done...they aren't living with it on the level that you are. Only YOU can make the decision, and that's the best advice I can give you from experience. Your family will still love you, I promise!! Take care!
Ronda