Advocating For Yourself When You Reach That Moment
-My First steps as an amputee
-This was pure joy: a new life had been opened up to me
-The possibilities were endless
-My amazing nurses that saw me through
several days of recovery
-This was just before being discharged
-Excitement mixed with nerves
-Dr Judd Cummings, my amazing orthopedic surgeon
That moment had come, in my mind. I had done everything to make my knee work the way it was suppose to. I spent years in PT. I tried medication, pain management, dry needling, cryotherapy, holistic/Eastern medicine, blocks, non-invasive surgeries, and allergy testing. NOTHING helped. When I came home from Europe only to find out I had a blood clot and could've died in flight was it then that I realized that was it, the end of my pursuits to regaining mobility with the knee I was born with.
Enter Dr. Judd Cummings.
He listened to my concerns, had a real grasp of my years of trying to make things better and let me know that I was in the right place, checked off all the boxes, and that amputation was definitely a route he could help me take.
Was this an easy thing to talk about? No way! For a while I couldn't even say the "A" word. If I did, it became real and I wasn't emotionally there yet. I got several other opinions before heading back to Dr. Cummings office. One opinion even told me that I'd never walk again if I amputated!! Can you believe that!?!?
The reality is, you need to be in the right state of mind to accept it and go forward with this surgery. How did I know it was right for me? I knew I had exhausted all my options. I had started talking to people in that world who had success with their amputation, and I knew that I was NOT living my life. I was defeated. I was tired of working so hard for something that wasn't working. I missed doing things with my family, my boys, who were growing up so quickly before my eyes while I watched from the sidelines.
I once had a doctor tell me that I would be a good candidate for amputation however I wasn't there, yet. I had no idea what he meant by that....until my blood clot. It was like a final slap in the face. The final straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. At that moment, in the ER, when the doctor told me I had a blood clot, I knew right then and there that I was physically ready for amputation.
I spent over a month getting second opinions, even though I knew I wanted Dr. Cummings to do the surgery, but I was doing my due diligence. Making sure I heard everything loud and clear from several medical professionals, asking a lot of questions, and sometimes hearing things I didn't want to hear. Each one of those appointments lead me to the final decision, with conviction.
After I set the date for December 18, 2018 I had 3 months to mull it over, ask more questions, worry, get confused, doubt my decision and have nightmares. It was not an easy road leading up to that fateful date. But in those months I gained mental strength that was needed to rise above and succeed in my endeavor. By the time I woke, the morning of my surgery, I was in the best spirits, the weight of my decision was in God's hands and I was ready! My Faith drove me forward, gave me confidence and conviction.
-I did it for them❤
When I woke after surgery, the moment I actually feared the most, I never felt better. Even my family was shocked by my recovery (I usually am very groggy and sick to my stomach when I come to), and my chirper behavior surprised them.
As I speak with Dr. Cummings in my interview you'll hear some things that can help you succeed, if this is the path laid out for you. We discuss advocating for yourself in the doctor appoints, gaining perspective through talking to others who have been there, and knowing when to seek another opinion. Dr. Cummings also tells us what things he, as a professional, looks for when deciding if amputation is the best avenue for his patients.
