On Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:57:25 GMT, Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> On Wed 17 Sep 2008 09:32:03a, blake murphy told us...
>
>>
>> but somehow, just to spite everyone, i came out of it alive and in
>> pretty good shape minus the leg portions, so i'm reasonably well
>> satisfied with the outcome. now, if i'd had them blown off for me in
>> the army (which many people assume) or mangled in a car accident, i
>> might be ****ed off. but i've been pretty lucky in life, so it doesn't
>> bother me much.
>>
>> your pal,
>> peg
>>
>
> Blake, I remember you telling me several years ago that your were an
> amputee, but I didn't know the details until now. Man, you really went
> through something horrific! Septicemia has a higher than 50% mortality, so
> you were extremely lucky given the circumstances. Because of a friend I
> work with, I'm curious if you have tried or considered protheses. My
> friend lost both legs in an auto accident when he was 24, one above the
> knee and one a few inches below the knee. He was fitted with protheses as
> soon as he had healed sufficiently, and hasn't looked back. I know he does
> use a chair at home some of the time, but I've never seen him in it
> anywhere else. He's no athlete, but he does ride his bicycle every
> weekend. Watching him move in any ordinary situation, you'd never know.
>
> As TFM® said, you don't have to answer this. I was merely curious.

they fitted me out with a pair of legs, which are now sitting on the floor
in the living room. the first couple times i was up on them, they hurt
like hell and it felt like i was on stilts. (this was while using parallel
bars for support.)

they said, 'see? all you'll have to do is use a walker for a couple years,
two canes for maybe a year after that, and then only one cane!' i said, i
think i'll take the chair.' i'm a complete pussy when it comes to pain.

plus, i was <counts on fingers> forty-eight or so at the time, which makes
it a little harder to adjust. in addition, i was and still am a lazy
*******.

the whole thing wasn't exactly a profile in courage.

i am lucky in that i don't often experience phantom pain, though fairly
often my 'feet' will itch like shit, which is disconcerting because there
ain't much you can do about it.

your pal,
blake