PSA- What it’s Like to be an Amputee

You’ve all had that one itch that won’t be satiated.

Now imagine you have it but the place it’s located is what you don’t have.

That’s what being an amputee is all about! It truly is the itch you can’t scratch.

7 thoughts on “PSA- What it’s Like to be an Amputee”

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    1. Last night was legitimate itching. Where the nerves that used to be in my ankle are now is at the end of the stump and the whole stump was itchy where it’s still healing but my brain still thinks those nerves should be in my ankle. It very much appreciated the scratching and recognized it, but it couldn’t reconcile the fact that my hand was scratching at a calf area not the ankle so the itching got worse, as it does when you can’t scratch that itch.

      Phantom pain is a real term, well done, and there’s also phantom sensation. The sensation is when you feel the limb. I usually don’t feel my foot but every once in a while I do: my toes, the sole of my foot, my ankle. Not pain, just the sense that it is there. Phantom pain is when you feel pain that isn’t there: bone chilling cold, a twisted ankle, stepped on a lego, plantar fasciitis, whatever. I get those on occasion. Mostly what I get though are electric shocks as my brain tries to figure out where the nerves are and why it can’t feel the foot and ankle anymore and those are a jolt like touching a cattle prod but it runs down the whole leg trying to find the foot. I jump when that one happens.

      Last night my brain just couldn’t understand why scratching my calf felt to it like scratching my ankle.

      As to the dreams, I dream I’m in a prosthetic, in a wheelchair, or on crutches usually. I haven’t had a dream with ye olde left foot for a long time. The fact that I’m dreaming as an amputee means I’ve accepted and processed my amputation. People who haven’t accepted it tend to dream as the whole body still.

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      1. Amazing! Kit, thank you for answering my questions! I’m completely engrossed in learning the new terms and committing them to memory. (My memory sucks but I will try.) The electric shocks are completely making sense, (never heard of them before) and I bet that makes you jump. Not fun. I am glad you dream and see yourself as you will be! Happy, healthy and with prosthetic! I hope to never dream about my fibro, my only escape from pain is sleep! I think that is very different from losing an actual existing part of your body, which must be very traumatic but at the same time you were very courageous in that you made the choice to preserve your health. Thank you sincerely for the answers. Most appreciated and learning invaluable knowledge! ~Kim

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      2. I have fibro too, or at least I’m diagnosed with it (there’s a question about whether I have it or I just have a hundred symptoms of microclotting that happen to line up with the symptoms of fibro). It was a game changer when it started. Someone would touch my elbow or my knee and I’d cry out like they’d stabbed me. I never dream of the fibro pain or related symptoms either. It’s one reason that when everything is flaring all I want is to go to bed early and sleep for 12 hours: I don’t feel the pain and for 12 hours my brain forgets it’s there. ~Kit

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      3. I didn’t know! Yes, sleep is the only respite from the chronic pain. I love dreaming about the healthy me that can and does do anything! I’m glad to hear it is an escape for you too… I thought I had completely accepted my diagnosis, and you had me guessing??? Whew! ~Kim

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