Sitting down today with Priscilla Sutton for The Limb Shift was a masterclass in navigating “light and shade.” I found Priscilla to be an incredibly engaging guest; she possesses that rare ability to pivot from the harrowing details of medical trauma to sharp, observational humour without missing a beat.
We began our conversation in the small town of Biloela, Queensland, where Priscilla was born. She spoke candidly about the “community vibe” of the 1970s, where many believed their health challenges were linked to the two main components of Agent Orange used as herbicides and pesticides in the area.
While there is no definitive blood test to prove it, Priscilla noted she was born in a cluster of babies with various health challenges—including a high rate of leukaemia—all within a six-month period. For her, this meant being born with a blocked iliofemoral artery and heart issues. “I already came out missing some stuff,” she reflected, describing her leg that didn’t fully develop.
Priscilla shared the “absolute threshold” she reached at age 24 while living in Japan, where every step felt like a “shooting” pain through her body. She spent two years moving between hope for a miracle and the acceptance that amputation was her path to freedom.
She spoke with great shade about the “brutal” reality of more recent surgeries to fix neuromas—clusters of “bored” nerves—which she described as “much more brutal than my original amputation”. During this time, she was diagnosed with CPTSD, admitting her “mental health went in the bin”.
Despite the heavy moments, the conversation was filled with light, specifically regarding the “circle of care” that keeps her grounded. She spoke with deep affection about her wife, calling her “the most incredible human” who “picked me up off the floor literally and figuratively many times”.
Priscilla is also a fierce advocate for honesty, finding “toxic” phrases like “it is what it is” unhelpful. “I want to go to a doctor that I can’t sit there and cry and talk about how hard things are,” she told me.
Her Spare Parts art project beautifully bridged these worlds by reimagining old prosthetics as vibrant artworks. She shared wonderful stories about Australian characters like Cliff from Mackay and his peg legs used for fishing, noting it was “really beautiful to be able to give parts of people’s loved ones like a second chance at life”.
I felt like I could have spoken with her for hours, but I was literally being kicked out of the studio as she was describing herself as a “custodian of spare parts”. Even as we were being rushed out, her warmth and resilience remained the defining notes of the interview.
This conversation will be part of “The Limb Shift” which launches in a few months time.
PRISCILLA’S LEG CREMATION
During the interview, Priscilla shared her unconventional decision to have her lower leg cremated rather than treated as medical waste. This segment highlights the profound grief often associated with limb loss, while also capturing a lighter, humorous moment as Priscilla describes the surprised reactions to her unique request.