In the 4 years since my amputation I’ve learned so much about myself. I’ve learned what I do need and I don’t need to be happy and have found I don’t need much at all. I don’t even need two legs to be happy. 5 years ago that would’ve been an impossible thought. Happy & an amputee? Yah right. But it’s true. Happiness doesn’t stem solely from what you have. Happiness doesn’t stem from ideas of perfection. It does however come from who you have that stands by you through thick and thin. It comes from impressing yourself even if it’s from making a pretty crappy birthday cake for your one year olds first birthday party one week after coming home from an amputation and a 2 month hospital stay.

Happy 4th Ampuversary! I didn’t know “Ampuversary” was even a thing until I started celebrating them. I’m sure many of you get the jist of what they are. Your anniversary of becoming an amputee. Many of you are probably thinking “it’s been 4 years already”?! You remember being told that scary story for the first time about a young girl in your community like it was yesterday. But to me & my family we are thinking “it’s only been 4 years”?! Yah. To us it seems longer because of the amount of stuff we have learned in such a short amount of time. We have learned more about each other & things that are out of our control & about infections and hospitals in the past 4 years than we have ever anticipated on learning in a life time. But for me, I’ve become the person I am meant to be and it seems impossible to achieve that in only 4 years time. I’ve grown & learned & failed & dreamed & so much more in a span of just a handful of years.

I’ve made it a point to add something to my list for every year I’ve been an amputee so let me share my list with you. It’s what I’ve learned and grown to love about the life I live, despite the fact that it’s on one leg.

1. A pair of socks lasts twice as long meaning I have less laundry to do.

2. I have some killer upper body strength. You don’t want to get in a fight with this mommy.

3. I can fit 3 kids in my chair with ease. Turns out being down a leg gives you lots of leg room. ** pun intended**

4. I have developed the mind of an engineer, the hands of an inventor, and the determination of an Olympian. The wheels are always spinning.

So today I challenge you to realize change happens to everything. A moment that started out as a 10 can evolve into an 8 and further more into a 5 or 4 as you change. As you become more & more acquainted with your situation and the things that actually make you happy, you realize bad doesn’t stay bad forever if you don’t let it. Today I challenge you to imagine the things you could live without if you had to, and please do not hesitate to write down leg(s) on that list. Sure amputation is not a bucket list item, but it is an amazing life list item if it happens to fall on your plate and you let it be. Because no one ever said it would take 2 legs to move a mountain.

#TheOneLeggedMommy #Ampuversary #Amputation

#Cardiology #NecrotizingFasciitis #HipDisarticulation #ProjectEverybodyBeautiful #PEB

📸: RISE Photography

👚: Project Everybody Beautiful