LIMB LOSS: Am I alone?
(By Kipi)
Hi! My name is Kipi. I remember being able to run and play freely with my 4 legs. I lost one of them in an accident, and for a period of time, I felt very sad and very lonely. I felt I was different and couldn’t do a lot of things like others could. Many tried to cheer me up and sometimes I couldn’t be cheered up. They tried very hard! My mommy would kiss me and kiss me! Have you ever felt lonely or like you don’t fit in?
My mommy told me that 2 million people, in the United States alone, have lost a part of their body and that many babies have been born with limb difference or without a limb. Just like you and me, many others share our story. This made me feel like I wasn’t the only one. Does it make you feel a little better knowing that there are many others that understand how you are feeling?
When I first lost my leg I was feeling alone, anxious, afraid, hopeless, tired, isolated, depressed and confused. I didn’t understand what happened, or why. All those feelings were making me feel bad inside. I didn’t even want to eat my doggy treats. But, oh! doggy-da-dog! I learned I was not alone! There is a lot of people who feel, or have felt, just the way you feel now. The way I felt too. And through mutual support, those feelings of loneliness and isolation and hopelessness turned into happiness and tail wagging again. It will happen to you too J
Have you seen me run with my 3 legs? I’m the fastest in the park! I don’t need my prosthetic to feel great, so I wear it only sometimes. I don’t feel different anymore, I am just like everybody else because everybody is unique in beautiful ways!
Your life is incredibly precious and valuable, and I want to remind you of that. Day by day you will learn new ways to adjust to daily activities, and you will meet others who will inspire you and cheer you up and be there for you. Like I’m here for you, ruff!!
With a lot of love and licks,
Kipi
PS: check out this awesome guy! Doggy-da-do! He’s… ruuuf!!… Doggy-da-do!
For parents:
To help children understand limb loss, the Amputee Coalition has a lot of resources listed on the following site:
They also have an incredible list of support groups, peer meetings and health care providers that can be very helpful.
NOTE: None of us at Wittle Buddies is an expert in these fields, and our blogs are simply written from the bottom of our hearts. We want to be sensitive to each person who reads us, so if in any way we are failing in doing that, please feel free to contact us so you can help us understand your concerns, thoughts, comments or personal story.
