Choosing the Hard Road

Starting Over Isn't Easy   Who would choose to take a harder road, isn't life hard enough? And who would decide to start over after working hard to be high functioning? What would possess someone to put that sort of challenge in front of them? Last October I was approached by Dr. Carty's office, in Boston, if I was interested in doing a study with them. I decided to learn more and had an hour long phone interview with his assistant. This interview led to a second interview with Dr. Carty himself, which inevitably led to a final face-to-face appointment with Dr. Carty, and a decision had to be made.   Dr. Matthew Carty   Ironically, before having the initial interview I was doing just fine where I was. Yes, I had pains, but I thought they were pretty normal and unavoidable for an amputee. However, from October to January I started having more pains and some really strong break through pains, finally ending with a huge blister on the end of my residual limb. That's what led to my prosthetist making me a new socket. My thoughts were leaning more towards doing this study, which entailed reopening my original amputation and having some reconstruction done. I knew something wasn't totally right in my limb so I asked to be checked for a possible neuroma when I went in for my face-to-face appointment. If something showed up then I was ready to have the surgery, and sure enough we found something.... There was a foreign object hanging out of my femur with a bursa surrounding it!!! I was stunned and decided right there that I was going through with this surgery.   Post surgery walk with PT   It seems pretty obvious to have a surgery, but the fact is, it was a big decision. This not only affects me but also my family. It also sets me back several months and begins the process again as if I am a new amputee. That is quite the undertaking, for a second time, and I'm not getting any younger. So why? Released from the hospital-the smile says it all!   My belief is that we can learn so much about ourselves when we face adversity. We also grow so much more when we are up against hard times. Since becoming an amputee back in 2018 I have met some amazing people, found a deeper and more meaningful purpose in helping people, started this podcast and created a women's chat group. My life became richer and changed me, and I saw what I was meant to do in this life. With this mindset I couldn't help but see God's hand in this setup this time around and I truly am sitting here ready to accept the challenge, grow stronger and spiritually deeper, and accept what is to come, knowing that there is a greater plan for me than I could ever imagine. I wait excitedly for who will come into my life and how this new path will mold and change me.   Life on one leg again... this will be at least an 8 week lifestyle.   I accept this challenge with the hopes of becoming a better person and gain more experiences to help others. This is why I chose a harder path, the path that includes pain, setbacks, change and uncertainty. I believe that growth happens when we step out of our comfort zone and take chances. I believe God has a plan that is far greater than I could ever create or imagine. I choose to believe that I am a warrior, ready for the fight and ready to rise up again, stronger and even better than before. How about you? Are you ready to accept the challenge that is in front of you?   Are you in a place that you have a setback? Are you struggling to find the motivation to rise up and unleash the warrior within you? This week I want you to focus on 2 things: Your nighttime and morning rituals. If you are like me you probably check your phone before bed and also when you get up in the morning. I am going to challenge both you and I to adjust this. At night before you fall asleep look at your calendar for tomorrow.