On Thu 18 Sep 2008 10:24:04a, blake murphy told us...

> 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.

I have a feeling my response to all this would have been the same. Maybe
if it was only one leg, who knows, but both seem overwhelming to me
personally.

> 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 *******.

My friend was lilke half your age, and had always played competitive sports
and is very driven. I suppose this has a lot to do with how one might
respond.

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

I can imagine not.

> 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.

Yes, you are lucky that isn't a big issue for you. I have another friend
(in Cleveland), whose phantom pain was so bad that he underwent numerous
subsequent surgerires trying to alleviate it. It helped a bit, but not a
lot.

I must say that you have a great attitude about the whole thing, and that I
am *very* glad your with us!

--
Wayne Boatwright

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Date: Thursday, 09(IX)/18(XVIII)/08(MMVIII)
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