Three-time Paralympic athlete, Don Elgin, said today he couldn’t accept the conventional wisdom that amputees can’t skip (jump rope). “I don’t think I’m the first in THE WORLD, but I was definitely the first in MY WORLD to achieve it.” he told us at today’s “No Limits” event for amputees and prosthetic-users in Sydney.
Don emphasized the power of breaking bigger goals down into smaller, achievable steps, a philosophy that he says extends beyond sports and into everyday life. As a motivational speaker, he encourages people to “reset their brain” with small daily acts of positivity, like a gentle smile to yourself and the world while checking your watch or simply passing through a doorway.
Taitum Brown, a generation younger than Don, experienced a life-altering accident at age four when he was struck by a car. Though he lived with a limb that never fully developed, he didn’t have an amputation until only two years ago. As an adult, Taitum made the conscious decision himself to have the limb amputated. He emphasized he has no regrets about the decision, and spoke with passion about now playing wheelchair basketball and leading a fairly “ordinary” life.
Taitum’s story reflects a common theme I heard today – several attendees made the decision to have amputations due to chronic pain, whereas I was unconscious when mine occured, and therefore had no choice in the matter.
Darrell Sparke, CEO of Amputees NSW, also shared his experience today of growing up in a small town, after losing a limb in a teenage lawn mower accident. He remembered the pre-NDIS days, and because he never had access to prosthetics, he believes it’s helped him become resilient in himself. He spoke of his strong advocacy for fellow amputees on both an individual and collective level.
The “No Limits” event held today in Sydney, was organized by prosthetic supplier APC, and offered a wealth of information and support.
Amputees connected and shared experiences, while experts like physiotherapists demonstrated exercises, and specialists discussed “wet legs” (prosthetic limbs for water activities) and other more “technical” matters.
I left the event feeling enriched by the stories of others and the strong sense of community among my fellow amputees.
That event does sound inspirational and very helpful. My immediate thought was the song ‘Skip to My Lou my darling’. Ok, I’ve checked and it is song I recall from teenage square dancing. I still can’t get past the shock that both Ray and I felt when we read your first post about your amputation. The now dead Ray exclaimed, ‘What?’.
Yes, I remember that song too, though the one that came into my head today was more recent, also the name of a movie, “White men can’t jump”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Gjeii7iQE&ab_channel=JackMalaythong