‘My leg has fallen off,’ I told a colleague yesterday when she asked about my activities in the foyer at work. I was seated “reattaching” my prosthetic leg which had come loose.
The connection between my actual leg and my prosthetic relies on a latex sleeve and a bolt. Somehow, the bolt had come loose. Initially puzzled by the difficulty I had in fitting my leg into the prosthetic, it only became clear after I detached my leg and reattached the bolt. Should I call it minor surgery?
Yesterday marked a significant day in my rehabilitation as I embarked on my first ‘training session’ for participating in this year’s ‘Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ with the ABC float. While I’ve marched several times previously, this will be my first year with a prosthetic limb.
Is the distance too daunting? How will I tackle the hills? Is it too soon after the amputation to undertake such a physically demanding endeavor? These concerns surfaced when discussing it with my physiotherapist, who, encouragingly, deemed it a realistic goal with some extra gym work to enhance strength and a couple of trial runs.
Waking up yesterday, I wasn’t confident about our initial test run from Hyde Park to the Captain Cook Hotel. The route spans 1.7 km, featuring hills and uneven sections of roadside and footpath. Doubts crept in, but I decided to stick to the plan we had devised. There’s nothing to lose, I concluded.
To my surprise, I completed the parade route in about 30 minutes, maintaining a pace sufficient to keep up with the group and feeling remarkably un-fatigued. It was only when we returned to Taylor Square to catch the bus home that I started to slow down a bit.
We have a few more test runs scheduled before Mardi Gras, but at the moment, I’m feeling confident in my ability to meet the challenge. The only lingering concern for the night revolves around the possibility of it being too hot and humid on the night.
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