Getting my next socket fabricated as we speak. I've had trouble keeping a fit now so that means that my stump has shrunk to a point that my current socket just isn't work like it should anymore. This is very exciting. This means I am making great progress, my stump is maturing and I'm getting closer to getting to a point where i should be able to start taking some steps with just one crutch or a cane, the new socket keep me from bottoming out. I am so thankful that my body is agreeing with my impatient attitude, much to the chagrin of my prosthetic company. Sienna, has stated that she is amazed that my body is agreeing with me. I'm so excited at the prospect of being able to take a few steps, each step I can take with fewer appliances is a step closer to my freedom. To the dream I have of being able to walk and hold hands with my love. We haven't been able to just take a walk and hold each others hand in months. We are both wore down and stressed, each step forward helps take that stress away some. Another exciting moment is that Dennis, my physical therapist, has started working with me on some skills I'll have to learn in order to treat patients. The first lesson is like doing a lunge with the prosthetic leg, rotating down to both knees and walking myself back up onto 2 legs. This will be a change from my normal way of operating, which I can imagine that I am going to have to learn to do a majority of my normal patient care motions over again. Finally, learning skills that I will be using in the field helps me get a feeling for my new goal in life. My favorite thing Dennis said to me was that his goal was for me to get in and out of a scene and only those who know me be aware that I am a one-legged paramedic. That is a wonderful thought.
Another option that my brother amongst others seem to think that I need to look into is writing a book about this experience. They feel that I have a lot to give in way of inspiration and motivation. Who knows, maybe I can be a speaker at the next EMS conference. I'm thinking about starting typing in a more organized fashion, not for here, but to see if I can even begin to write a book. Anybody out there have any tips for writing a book? Anyway, tomorrow is a new day with new challenges, I should get my new revamped socket Thursday. I cannot wait.
Follow along on the adventures of an amputee Paramedic. I have now fell into activism/advocacy work for Insurance Fairness for all amputees. I occasionally do some Motivational Speaking, I'm writing a book, and of course blogging all that stuff here. Follow me through all my wins and losses in the fight to break the stereotype of what amputees are capable of. I may write about EMS, Healthcare, Amputees, or Nonsense. Follow the blog and see what today brings!
On every episode of the Medical Author Chat podcast I ask the authors, mostly paramedics, for their advice to aspiring authors. Find all past episodes at www.medicalauthorchat.com or iTunes.
ReplyDeleteThe top tips seems to be:
1) get started
2) self-publish
3) have a great editor
4) only publish an ebook version
5) go for it