Hello everyone, hope your all doing well. I made some progress since my last blog post, I faced my fears with the pool and I won! It was really nice to be able to swim; it felt really good on the nub too. No matter how long we have been amps or whatever your challenges may be, we can always work on accomplishing those challenges. The feel of accomplishment is so rewarding, thanks for all the support everyone.
Hello fellow amp's, another Valentines day has come and gone. Intimacy can be hard for some of us, it's not just us we have to think about. The first couple of times it can be just as difficult to our non amp significant other too. Having an amputation is a total life changing thing that last forever for us and our wives or husbands. You can't pressure it nor be afraid of it. Love will get you through, in some cases it's learning all over again, which can be fun too, it's not all doom and gloom LOL. What we choose to do and move forward is totally up to us. I chose to persevere and move forward with gusto, "life is not over, just different" said by another amp in an article I read. That statement is correct, I did some peer support today and met some really nice people, and then you have that one. They have no motivation or gumption, have given up and would rather feel sorry for themselves and sit in a wheelchair instead of pushing forward. Amp life is not easy, but it's not impossible or over either. So for people like that all I can do is pray for them, pray that they someday see the light. They have to want it, they have to want to strive to walk, they won't walk, ever until they are ready, in their mind to do so. Remember I am cheering for ya, we're all in this race together. Also remember to live, love and laugh as often as you can.
Hello everyone how are you all? I really hope everyone is doing well and getting around quite well. I have another video coming out in a day or so and I just really love this time of year. I have not written anything in too long and wanted to share some thought. The holidays are nice and people seem to be a little nice in some ways this time of year. Thats are good but we really need to remember the other 10 months out of the year, especially for some of our new to amp life brother and sisters and there families. People concentrate so much on the amp but sometimes forget the family and family and support loved ones are just as important. When I go to do my pier support at the rehab hospital, I really try to include the family or loved ones who helping in the rehab process. It's really hard on them too with the new change of life, some really have a hard time dealing with it and have tons of questions. So please remember the families too when dealing with amps, life is not over, just different and different for them too. Will send more blogs soon and some pics. Been really busy in my shop and church and everything else LMLO Thats okay, I rather be busy then not. Love ya all and God bless AuthorBy Todd Barrone "The Amputee Woodworker" Sometimes you have to take a minute and put your leg up LMLO Good day to all my fellow Amp's out there, I have done some experimenting and have a report for you all, some might find it helpful, some not. Last summer I noticed a small increase of an odor when I would take my liner off at the end of the day. I found sweating would also make my leg loose. What I mean by that is that my liner would turn or just get real sloppy due to the sweat. So after I joined some amp support groups I did some learning, I did not know they make an under liner. This would reduce odor, or so they said, and would absorb the sweat and keep you feeling more dry. After more research I did find them, at the amp store, Here is a link so you can check the, out for yourself. Underliner info, click here!
They are a little pricey, about $14.00 each, we ordered two. I was excited when I got it and was later disappointed in the result, It seem to create a situation of looseness that I was trying to eliminate in the first place. My leg felt like it was constantly going to slip off. So I gave it another shot and tried it on my other leg and still had the same result. It might have worked better if the under liner was tighter like a pantyhose or something, not really sure because it was snug. Just because it didn't work for me does not mean it wont work for you. I might try it again if I had a smaller size, we'll see at a later date. Thanks everyone and keep on keeping on and hope your 4th of July was great. Happy fathers day to all the fathers and happy late mothers day to you ladies too. It's been a really nice day, a lazy day but nice just enjoying the family. I hope your all having a good day too, being a dad does not change because of our physical situation. Being a dad is about love and how your family or kids know your there no matter what. Not just physically but emotionally too. They just need to know your with them no matter what. I also want to thank my heavenly father and pray him a happy fathers day as well, remember he is "The Father" of fathers.Since I am trying to get the message to others like my self with this blog and videos, my family bought me a phone /light stand to help with videos, I love them so much and I am so lucky they believe in me the way they do. Have a great day and a good weekend or what's left of it, remember we're all in this together.
I was looking at some things on social media this morning and stumbled across this drawing, this drawing really made me think. It was a shock but gentle reminder of what I was always saying, I think God sent it by me to remind me of things. It's really easy to get caught up in your world and to take life for granted. I just want to share this to give you a simple but true visual perspective of different life situations. I don't know about you but I have seen and been in all those scenarios. The last one really hit home for me, it reminded me of the first time I step foot in my shop after my amputation. I should say rolled in my shop. I remember saying how frustrated I was and if I just had both feet I could get more done. I am walking around now and sometimes forget the struggle I did have, take it for granted if you will. I guess what I am trying to say is everyday is a gift and should be treated as such. I need to start by practising a little bit more of what I preach. Even when our disability get's in the way at times, remember there's alway someone who wish they only had our issue. When you think it's bad remember this; "What's the alternative?". God bless everyone and keep on keeping on, you can do it!
It's been a crazy year so far and have not had a chance to post in here. Being disabled doesn't mean life is over, it's quite the opposite. For me it's made me learn different thing especially your daily routine things like dressing bathing and so on. I have just received my 3rd leg since my amputation and my one year anniversary was back in January. This leg is not fitting quite right, but were making due, it has been decided by my prosthesis to redo this leg. At least this leg has not made any sores although it did bruise my leg for the first week pretty good. But even with all this craziness, you still need to do the things you love, my thing is building and creating things. Especially my woodworking, I just finished a 3' memorial bench for a person's daughter who passed at a very young age. We did a turquoise inlay of a heart shape and wood burned the letters. Doing a memorial bench reminds you how valuable life is. Everything is possible through Jesus and your will to do it. Too many people I have seen just give up, they have chosen not to have a quality of life, not sure why. I think with the right support system, it would change things for the better. So don't let your disability disappoint you from a full life, you can still do anything you want! Till next time, keep the faith!
This has been a very exciting year, a year full of ups and downs. This next year will be a really great year, I can feel it. Together we will all overcome our challenges. Remember this blog and soon vlog is aimed to help others just like me. So have a safe and sane new years eve, and let's kick off 2019 the right way. God bless you all and will talk to you soon.
After my amputation life was extremely different, just moving around was a new challenge. When I was confined to a wheelchair for a couple months, I had to improvise quite a bit. I had mounted a backpack on the wheelchair, to help carry things. Like my bible when I would go to church, hand sanitizer, wallet etc. Because of my situation as it was, most task were interesting, like using a public restroom. I use to drive tractor trailer trucks for almost 20 years, been in and out of a lot of truck stops and public restrooms. It kind of turned me into a germaphobe as it was, so being a germaphobe and trying to adapts to life missing a leg is real interesting. So I needed a bag for all this stuff. Well as I got freed from the chair and got a prosthetic to walk on, it still comes in handy to carry things. Not only carrying the before mentioned items, I have to keep stump socks with me for my leg. The lower extremity will change in size throughout the day, as it changes you may need to add socks to keep a nice snug fit in your socket. Now with all this being said, I don't need my bag as much as I did before, It still comes in handy for church or going out and about for long period of time. Other than church I take it with me, but most of the time it stays in the car till I need it. The main reason for this info is to help men especially to let them know it's okay to carry a manbag. I am comfortable with my sexuality and masculinity to call it a purse, men can carry a purse, some have given me a little static about it, but when they see why your carry one,they usually sing a different tune. So do what you have to do to make it easier for you and to heck with what some might think. Just a hint, if you do, get you a cool bag. Like a Dewalt tool bag or a cool Snap On bag, if you need to cary, carry in style my man.
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AuthorTodd Barrone, The Amputee Woodworker Archives
August 2020
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