Category Archives: Amputee Life

Hard Work, Persistence, and Goal Crushing

  One thing I remember clearly from my first race – the Bellco Colfax 5k – in 2013 is how utterly exhausted I was upon finishing.  Zach and I went to Denver Biscuit Company afterwards and all I really wanted to do was take a nap (even before devouring my sleep-inducing biscuit with sausage, mapleContinueContinue reading “Hard Work, Persistence, and Goal Crushing”

Being a Test Subject – #itsforscience

This past Saturday I got to be the test subject for a study being conducted at Regis University in Denver.  I was their first amputee subject, so I got to be the guinea pig (which tends to happen a lot in my life).  This particular study was gathering data to show the differences between runningContinueContinue reading “Being a Test Subject – #itsforscience”

Choosing Amputation – Alina’s Story

For this blog I interviewed my friend Alina Miller who elected to have her leg amputated following a traumatic injury.  Everyone’s situation and circumstances are different, but hopefully others might find Alina’s story helpful in their own journey whether that journey involves choosing between amputation and saving a limb or any other tough decision you may be havingContinueContinue reading “Choosing Amputation – Alina’s Story”

Why I Run

I originally wrote this for the Achilles International-Colorado blog in October, but I wanted to share it on here as well. — We were in the first quarter mile of a Monday evening Achilles workout in Wash Park and I turned to my running buddy Jessica and asked, “You know when I like running?”  SheContinueContinue reading “Why I Run”

Meeting Saule

Every now and then, I meet someone and immediately know they are going to have a positive impact on my life.  That happened to me when I met Saule this summer.  Saule is a young girl who lives in Kazakhstan.  She was given up by her birth parents because she has disabilities, so she’s grownContinueContinue reading “Meeting Saule”

Having a Sense of Humor

“A person has two legs and one sense of humor, and if you’re faced with the choice, it’s better to lose a leg.”  ~ Charles Lindner This has been one of my all-time favorite quotes since I first discovered it in high school.  I even wrote it out on a piece of paper, decorated theContinueContinue reading “Having a Sense of Humor”

Diving in to Find a New Passion

In March of 2014, I attended a swimming clinic that was hosted by CAF and designated as the LIM359 activity for the month.  It’s probably important to note at this point that I was the one who had designated the clinic as LIM359’s activity for March even though I had very little interest in donningContinueContinue reading “Diving in to Find a New Passion”

Interview with My Mom

This evening I interviewed my mom over the phone (she lives in Spokane, WA) about her experience being the parent of a child with fibular hemimelia.  Here’s what she had to say… What was it like when you first found out that I had fibular hemimelia?  When was that? Unlike today, they only did ultrasoundsContinueContinue reading “Interview with My Mom”

The Impact of Limb Loss on My Life

This week I was contacted by a young mother about my life as a woman with a limb difference – here is her message: “Hey!  I’ve been following some of the fibular hemimelia groups online and came across your blog.  I’m currently pregnant with my first baby and she was diagnosed with FH in herContinueContinue reading “The Impact of Limb Loss on My Life”

The Amputee Athlete’s Additional Logistical Considerations

Logistics are something every triathlete must consider, and there are additional potential considerations for me as an amputee.  This post is meant to be educational for amputees new to triathlon so they will get a little glimpse into the additional things I consider prior to race day.  I don’t intend to address all the logisticsContinueContinue reading “The Amputee Athlete’s Additional Logistical Considerations”

Starting Up!

I’m diving into the world of blogging because when I was first starting to do triathlons, I wasn’t able to find a lot of information about the ins and outs of doing a triathlon as an amputee online.  Luckily, I had friends I could turn to, but not everyone has that luxury.  My basic ideaContinueContinue reading “Starting Up!”