Mafia

This past summer I went to Europe with a group from my school. There were a lot of other students from all over the U.S there as well, so it makes perfect sense to transport everyone via bus. Anyway, the second day of the trip we were going from the Caen/Normandy area to Paris. This is after a nine hour plane ride, three hours on the bus from Heathrow to the seaside, a four hour ferry ride to France, and an hour bus ride to our hotel. The night before we had gotten about five hours of sleep, so we were delirious. After a morning/early afternoon of awesome (Europe as a whole is another story….one word. amazing.) we were tired, but with the adrenaline running, we weren't tired enough to take a nap. Our group was sitting toward the back of the bus  with another group from a church. They convinced people in our group to play the game Mafia with them. Now, if you don't know the game of Mafia, here's how it works:

Everyone gets a card, and depending on which card you get, that is the role that you are playing. Basically, if you are in the mafia, you all choose someone to "kill." The police then accuse someone else in the group of committing the crime, and the one accused has to present a case as to why they are innocent. 

Anyway someone was "murdered", and I was accused of being the "murderer." Wen I was asked to make my case as to why I was not the murderer, my brain didn't really compute with my mouth. I didn't think about the fact that I did not know half the people we were playing with, and therefore they do not know that I have one leg. 

"Well it couldn't have been me, because I can't get away because I have one leg!!"  The response I got was amazing. The guy who was leading this game just looks at me and says "No you don't." 

……..

I wasn't sure how to respond, so I reverted to the days of Kindergarten and said "Yes I do."

"That's a sick joke. You don't have one leg." 

At this point, my friends start sticking up for me. One of my friends said "Dude. She really does have one leg." 

His response?

"Oh yeah? Prove it." 

I love a challenge.

I rolled up my jeans on my left leg, pushed the button that releases my residual limb from the socket, and pulled it off. And this next part was actually an accident. 

Somehow when I pulled off the leg, it got out of my hand, and onto the floor right in front of the guy who challenged me. 

Now this guy is very tall, tough-guy, and athletic. As soon as my leg was off and right at his feet, he freaked out.  Not only was this guy like "OH MY GOSH!!!" but he started crying. 

I actually made a guy cry just by throwing my leg at him. I felt bad at first, but not for long. You can imagine this guy crying at the sight of a prosthetic leg…..I mean, come on….needless to say, this is one of the best pranks/things I have pulled. 

"What if?"

Besides the fact that I am an amputee, I am, believe it or not, a normal person.  I can walk, run, cycle, ski.....crazy right?

It always amazes me that people don't realize that amputees really aren't these poor sad people who crawl around on their nubs being completely pitiful. It's sort of condescending really. For the past six years, I have gone on an Amputee Ski Trip with MD Anderson, and I went on another ski trip in 2010 with Scottish Rite (shout out to Amanda!!!).  When I first got my amputation I wasn't able to even stand up on skis, and now I am skiing blacks. (The most difficult/challenging terrain for those of you who don't know about skiing.) The attitude I always try to keep in mind is that I can do anything, and it has proven itself to be helpful for the past seven years.

After my amputation I wasn't sure what I was going to be able to do. I'm sure most amputees go through this...the "What if?"

"What if I'm not able to do this or that?"
"What if people don't like me anymore?"
"What if...."

If we base our lives on the "What if?" we are bound to hold ourselves back. I don't know who reads this blog, but here is what I want to say to all my readers:

To all new amputees:
I know that what you are going through is really hard. But don't live on "What if?" You can do anything that you want to do, and don't let anybody tell you differently. Doctors or friends can't make you not be able to do things.

To all other amputees:
Keep on keepin' on.  I know that there are tough times in the amputation, but as I just told the new amputees, don't hold yourself back. You are all special, and you can do anything any four-limbed person can do.

To all the four-limbers:
I don't want to say "Don't be hatin'." because I know that many of y'all aren't. But for those of you who think that amputees aren't able to do anything you can do, you are wrong. The only difference between us is that you have more limbs. I know many amputees, myself included, who do many sports, including skiing expert terrain. For those of you who have been encouraging and loving towards amputees, I truly want to thank you. Without your compassion, we wouldn't be the same.


I know it's been a while since I posted, and this post isn't really that amusing, but this was weighing on my heart, and I had to share it with you. Thank you for reading, and I hope that there is more to come, sooner rather than later!!!!