Socket #2

Socket #2 is being made as we speak. My stump has shrank to a point where the one I have is basically useless. This morning when I woke up I put the prosthetic on and after a few steps I was already bottoming out on the socket and then it started slipping off of my leg. This is a very annoying feeling. I can't wait till these changes are finished. This is just a part of the process and I know that, but going back to my impatience it makes it a little more difficult. I've decided that this time I'm going to make the skull and cross crutches orange so the design stands out more than it did before. My officer friend told me that he went through around 8 sockets in the first year before things started to slow down and he got to a point where things became more comfortable. He said he still hates putting on the prosthetic in the morning, but after that it's just an extension of himself. He told me to get used to falling. A major part of learning to succeed in being an amputee is to lean to fail and learn to fall. I've started practicing falling down, his major advice is that once you take the fear away then you are no longer are scared to do anything. If you fall, so what...you know what to do. It's just like the training I received to become a paramedic, repetition makes things second nature. Just like starting an IV or intubating a patient, the more you do it, the easier it gets. So, I plan on learning to fall down, get up, and start over again. Tomorrow my new socket should be ready and with that I get to continue on my progress towards getting back. I can't wait till I no longer have to use crutches or canes to get around. I told Bryson today that when I am able to walk without assistance I'm going to take him and Logan to the aquarium. They have changed the plan on me, now instead of the zoo they want to go to Newport or Gatlinburg to the aquarium then I'll be back to being myself. I'll post pictures of the new socket when it's finished so you guys can see whats going on. Also, there may be an article in the Courier Journal in the coming future. I was contacted by a reporter and may be doing an interview. I'll let you know when and if this occurs.