After a great deal of thought, and after discussing it with several people, I have made the difficult decision to stop using my prosthetic.
There are a number of reasons behind this decision, which I want to explain. I know some people may think I am crazy for making this choice, especially after all the work that has gone into getting me to this point. However, at the end of the day, I have to make the decision that is right for me, my health and my quality of life. Ultimately, that is what matters most.
The reality is that I might manage to get up and about using my prosthetic once or twice a week for a couple of weeks, only to then have a fall and develop another wound on my stump. When that happens, I can be unable to use the prosthetic for anywhere from three to six months, depending on how long the wound takes to fully heal. During that time, I am essentially back to being completely wheelchair-bound.
For more than four years, I have been dealing with this same cycle. I make progress, start getting more mobile, something happens, I develop another wound, and then I have to start all over again. It has become incredibly frustrating and, quite honestly, exhausting.
I have reached the point where I simply can’t keep putting myself through the same cycle. I am done.
This doesn’t mean I am giving up on myself or on continuing to move forward. I will still keep kicking along, just as I always have. I will continue doing what I can, in whatever way works best for me.
Sometimes, making the right decision for yourself means accepting that the path you originally hoped to take isn’t necessarily the path that is going to work in the long term. For me, this is one of those times.
