January 24, 2013 
This is a short and sweet post today but a very important one for me. Last week a lady got in touch with me through the blog. She has a long-term condition and is faced with the very real possibility of a below knee amputation. She had looked on the Internet for stories and information, where she found most blogs were American. She did find another British blog, which she read, but found the lady who wrote it was very negative. This is exactly the same thing that I came across and this lady was exactly the person I started writing this blog for. She said it was good to find an NHS perspective and loved that it’s written with warts and all. She read every post and then emailed me with some more specific questions, which I was more than happy to answer. As with the Author I stressed that everyone’s experience is individual, as are the differences between a below and above knee amputee.
For me this email signified that my mission was accomplished, I felt so happy and overjoyed that I had achieved my aim with the blog. I could of course say my work here is done, and I will, that doesn’t mean I’ll stop writing though. Any other person who is like this lady will be a bonus for me, I’ll be as happy to have helped them as I was at accomplishing my mission. Some good has come from my misfortune, so for me it’s no longer a misfortune but a positive experience. With some small things going on and a couple of things in the pipeline I’m hoping to help other amputees and the people around them, watch this space!
The Amputee 
Please don’t stop blogging…..
My father had a blood clot in his leg which led to a above the knee amputation, this was a very sudden and unexpected condition. Your blog has help us all, as a family to understand the procedures and rehabilitation, but also to give us hope for the future. We are lucky that although it is only 4 months since amputation he is making very good progress but your blog has explained many things that the nhs services just don’t tell you.
Hi Rachel you’re my first bonus and the reason I’ll not stop writing the blog. Thank you for your comment I am over the moon that you’ve found it useful. I’m glad that it’s helped the family as well as your Dad and there are many things that you find out, rather than get told. An amputation affects not just the amputee but those around them and I know it can be difficult for non amputees to understand what we go through. I have met amputees who are suffering as the family members can’t come to terms with it or think they should be able to do more than they can, very sad. I’ve been very lucky with the support I’ve had from friends and family but you have to accept it and stay positive to be able to move on and get your life back on track. It’s good to get feedback from people on how the blog is helping and also for me to hear stories of other amputees. I am pleased to hear your Dad is making good progress and I hope his rehabilitation goes well too. Feel free to give me more information, updates or ask questions anytime if you want too. Thanks again for taking the time to comment, take care.
I will echo Rachel’s call for you not to stop this blog. I will also agree with the said Rachel that I am making good progress, but would correct her that it is only 3 months since the amputation (20th October). It was Rachel that introduced me to your blog. We all expect in these days of the internet to have the answer to most of life’s questions by searching online, and I had so many questions to ask!! Surprisingly there is little information of what to expect following an amputation, nothing to give you an idea of what tomorrow or next week etc. might have in store for you. I have steadily read your blog from the beginning, it has helped me immensely to get a better grasp of what is happening to me as well as around me.
My amputation although sudden and unexpected has been what can only be described as boring comared to yours. The consultant even called my scar pretty, and it’s a bloody long time since anyone said I was pretty. To me it just looked like a cornish pasty.
I have my new leg now and am steadily learning to walk again. I think one of my greatest concerns was how much mobility I will eventually have. Progress seems painfully slow, yet what I have seen at the prosthetic department at Seacroft simply amazes me and gives me lots of hope. On my first visit I was sat a couple of seats down from a young lad (sat in shorts), about 12 years old who was a double above knee amputee. You couldn’t help feeling sorry for him and pleased that at least it was only one of my legs, until they called his name and up he stood and walked so naturally following the prosthetist through the swing doors. Also a chap who goes to the physio at the same time as me, a below knee amputee about 65 to 70 years old who has struggled so much with the inflatable leg prior to geting his own leg that I felt that it may be all too much for him, just today with his second session using his new leg was finally told by the physio (in a very nice way) “Look David you’ve walked for the past 60 odd years, stop thinking about how you did it and just walk”. With that he trotted off down the bars, turned round and trotted back. I was so surprised, but the look on David’s face showed that he was amazed and the smile never left his face all morning. Basically what I am trying to say is that how well we adapt to our new situation is pretty much down to us, it’s no good dwelling over what might have been, we are where we are, get on with it!!
Lastly (and I never intended to write all this) I have to say an enormous thank you to Rachel and the rest of my family. You have all been amazing. Words are not enough. Just God bless you.
Hi Gromit, Thank you very much for your kind words about the blog. Have no fear I will continue writing for you, your family and all my other very loyal readers. I’m pleased that you’re making good progress, I love the remark about the Cornish Pasty that’s classic! You seem to have a good attitude towards your situation, which will make your road to recovery a lot smoother and faster. You have to have lots of patience as I have found out, recovery is slow and although I was ready and eager to get going getting used to the prosthetic leg is a slow process. We will both get there in the end, as I have to have more surgery you’ll probably get there quicker than me! The Physio’s and Prosthetists are great and can answer most of questions you have, it’s the experience side and how to adapt to situations where sometimes they can’t. You are more than welcome to ask me any questions you want and if I can’t help you myself I may be able to point you in the right direction. You can email me at theamputee2011@gmail.com and I quite often post links etc. on my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Amputee/300078160015089?ref=ts&fref=ts I had hoped that the blog and Facebook Page would become more interactive with people sharing their experiences so feel free to comment on either. It means a great deal to me to get feedback about how the blog is helping other people, thank you for taking the time to comment, take care and keep me posted on progress :)
Don’t stop writing…you spread the word, and that is one of the “Special Needs” that we all have.
Thank you Little Bird’s Dad, you keep up your good work too :)