Access by Various artists

Thank you Chelle for sharing your experience of losing a leg and your subsequent steps of recovery (no pun intended) with the rest of the world.

My father lost a leg as the result of a hunting accident when he was a young man, so I grew up thinking that amputee-ism was perfectly normal. Being as selfish as most young children naturally are, I used to wish sometimes that he could have played sport and run with me like other Dads. Also he was very protective of me in the outdoors because of course he couldn't run after me if I took off unexpectedly.

As I grew older I not only felt ashamed for my selfishness but also came to admire how he did so many amazing things with no apparent effort - maintaining a big vege garden, mowing the lawn, riding a bike (while drunk!). Prosthetic limbs back in the 60s were heavy cumbersome devices, and even with a stump sock he would often suffer from chafing and blisters. Later on his heavy metal leg with a shoulder strap was replaced by a lighter model which eased a lot of his stump problems.

An abiding memory was the day he was mowing the lawn at our bach, Part of the section was slightly hilly, and one day he slipped and his leg came off completely, just as a group of kids wre walking past. Did they run a mile!

Have you by any chance been watching the excellent ABC drama series "The Time of Our Lives" that is currently showing on Choice TV? The patriarch of the family loses his leg after the car jack fails while he is working on his car, and it takes us through his rehabilitation including the reaction from his wife and adult children. You can catch up with previous episodes at this link (requires registration but is free).

Your description of your position is a valuable insight. Thanks Chelle.

I had been wondering how things were going with you. Thank you.

Your description of your position is a valuable insight. Thanks Chelle.

I this is what Chelle does well – writes about experiences most of us will never have with such candour and clarity that we can start to understand them.

It was so difficult for me to comprehend, even at the time, that I might feel so self conscious. After all, I have always used a wheelchair to get around and people have always stared.

Sounds like a striking emotional experience. Thank you for telling us about it.