So a little over a year ago I was scrolling through an amputee Facebook group when I came across Jennifer’s post and I instantly messaged her. Though her son and I had a 13+ year difference in when we contracted Necrotizing Fasciitis, our stories are scary similar. So I’d like to introduce her & her son Julian to you. Here is a small part of their story and Jennifer’s perspective on being a mom of an amputee! Enjoy!

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Raising an Amputee

I met Josie through an amputee page when I was sharing my sons story who had recently became an amputee in January 2017 at the age of 10. Josie reached out to me because like herself Julian had lost his leg due to Necrotizing Fasciitis, also known as a flesh eating bacteria. Julian underwent 21+ surgeries in 61 days. During his second surgery his surgeons came out during surgery with a somber face, and paperwork in their hands. I instantly knew it wasn’t good. They began to tell me that in order to save Julian’s life they needed to amputate his left leg above the knee, and I needed to sign the paperwork right away. I just remember looking at them and hearing what they were saying, but seeing all the things Julian loved doing, doing them in my head. As I signed the paperwork, the surgeons said they were sorry, but all I could mutter out was, “It’s ok, he’ll be ok. He’ll be fine.” It sounded so easy coming out of my mouth.

Julian has made this new journey, and our new normal easier than I could have imagined. When he went to sleep for his first surgery, he woke up 5 days later without his left leg, and had no idea what happened. When we told him, he didn’t cry, or yell, he just looked down at his legs and said ok. When asked if he understood, he simply said, “they took my leg to save my life.” Those words, and his attitude are what helped us as parents push him and support him to succeed and start living the fullest life as an amputee. Julian was up and walking with his prosthesis in 7 months, and by 11 months he was learning to run with his running blade at a running clinic we took him to with Paralympic Gold medalist in Baltimore. He has fallen countless times, but he has always gotten up. He went wade fishing, which was something he loved doing before a year and a half after becoming an amputee. Nothing is easy for him or us as parents. I feel like we are sometimes more nervous than he is when he tries out new things, like when he made his 7th grade swim team this year, and puts himself out there with his scars, and not wearing a leg when he swims with his peers.

As a parent, I’ve learned to let him have his moments when he has a bad day, and hates the fact that he doesn’t have a leg. I’ve let him go through the motions, and grieve what he lost. It’s hard, none of this is easy, and sometimes I wish there was a book on what to expect and how to deal with certain situations. I want to protect him and be the mama bear all the time when something goes wrong, but if I did that I would be doing Julian a dis-service. He is strong and confident most times, and when he isn’t sure we let him know anything is possible it just takes work. We are so thankful for the support Julian has received and continues to receive from our community, family, and friends. I am especially thankful for the amazing friends Julian has made, that accept him for him, and include him in everything. Seeing Julian and his friends hopping around the house on one leg, or his siblings hopping like him when he rests his leg from his prosthesis brings the biggest smile to my face. “Everyone is strong they just don’t know it” –Julian Maldonado (Strong words from a 10 year old who was stuck in a hospital bed, and is now on the swim team.)

#TheMommyOfAnAmputee #AmpStrong #NecrotizingFasciitis #JulianStrong #Strong #SaveMyLife #Stories #Mom #TheOneLeggedMommy