“What can I expect?” As a patient advocate at a prosthetic care facility, that’s a question that comes up often when an amputee is being fit with their first prosthetic leg.

Think about it. Before you became one, most likely the only images of amputees you saw were of athletic superstars. You will naturally expect too much, too soon. And why not? You turn on the TV and see these athletes wearing high-tech prostheses and achieving incredible feats. With all the new technology you should be able get up and walk in no time at all, right? “When I get my new leg,” you think, “I’ll just go running off into the sunset!”

They don’t portray what a day in life as an amputee is really like.There are weeks, or sometimes months, of physical recovery that must be endured. We don’t see an amputee when he takes his first steps, encounters his first curb, set of stairs, escalator, or moving sidewalk.

“I see all these amputees on the news running faster than I ever did with two legs!” you exclaim. “I just want to walk. That should be a piece of cake!” With these kind of expectations, you are set up for failure before you even get started.Then the frustration sets in. “What is wrong with me?” you think. “Everyone else can do it. Heather Mills was on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ for heavens sake, and you couldn’t even tell she was wearing a prosthetic leg!” You wonder if you will ever get it right.

So now it is six weeks post-amputation and you have arrived at your first prosthetic appointment. “How long will it be before I can walk independently and get back to my old life again?” you may ask. Well, just how long depends on several factors such as your age and health, or other injuries/physical limitations if the amputation was due to trauma. Yes, you should be able to begin the prosthetic fitting process in approximately 6-8 weeks, but that is just a starting point. Although your incision may be closed, the tissue is likely still healing, so you will need to take it slowly in the beginning.

The exact amount of time this will take is individual to each of us. You will find that patience, determination, and a lot of hard work will be key to your success. You also need to know that you most likely will fall at some point, and it will be frightening, but it is important to get back up and keep walking. All the top-end technological components in the world won’t do you any good if the socket doesn’t fit correctly; it’s worth the time and effort to get it right. The socket should not hurt. If it does, then there is an issue your prosthetist or doctor must address.

So, although you won’t be “skipping out of your prosthetist’s office and into the sunset” that first day, if you are given accurate and realistic information from the beginning, your transition to an active life will be much less stressful. Yes, progress will probably be slow in the beginning. It takes time to heal and gain strength after the illness and/or trauma that necessitated the amputation. It’s equally important to acknowledge your loss and grieve it fully so that you are mentally, as well as physically strong enough to move on and rehabilitate successfully.

And don’t underestimate the power of peer support! It doesn’t matter whether that support comes from an organized group, your prosthetist’s office, or an on-line discussion forum. Just being able to communicate and share with someone who truly “gets it” is invaluable. Not to mention all the advice and tips that an “experienced” amputee like myself has to offer!

Remember - knowledge is power. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something. If you are educated about your prosthetic options, you will empower yourself, and only be limited by your own boundaries.

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– Above article was written by Karen Hughes, AK amputee (My leg was amputated above the knee at age 13, secondary to bone cancer)