About Me

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I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations. This blogger is available for hire! Let's talk and learn how a blog can expand your business.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Busy Day

This morning was met with freezing rain and ice. Unfortunately, Scott's school system opted to not call a delay, so he was forced to risk the drive to work. It is mornings like this that I am relieved and grateful to work from home. I definitely do not miss perilous drives on bad roads!

Hopefully the roads will clear by the time Robby is scheduled to go to his classes. The 11:00 start time makes all the difference in both traffic and road conditions.  My inquisitive Koopa is looking forward to his classes and his end of the semester celebrations that follow. 

While Robby is at class Timmy has appointments to treat his autoimmune issues. I hate treatment days. It is never easy seeing your child become a human pincushion. All of the handheld electronic gaming systems were charged last night, in preparation for today. Typically I hate electronic games, but today is a day when I encourage anything that keeps him both calm and content. 

Thankfully Timmy handles the ordeal like a champion, which helps to ease the stress of the situation. This weekend we will rest and continue our Christmas preparations. I'm sure that there will be cookie baking involved, assuming that my youngest helper feels up to the task. Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly!

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Amp'd Call to Action

It has been a year since Amp'd has issued a community call to action. Last night, our streak was broken. We recorded a special update podcast, discussing new legislation that is currently being debated in the House. H.R. 5262.  

Officially known as the Medicare O&P Patient-Centered Care Act, H.R. 5262 is the result of the tireless lobbying efforts of our friends at AOPA. This legislation provides safeguards against becoming victims to unscrupulous care and billing practices. In our opinion, it makes sense for all parties. 

Take a few moments to learn about the legislation, and we urge you to contact your Representatives to support this bill. (You can either listen to the podcast or pursue the show notes.)

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Nutcracker

Last night Robby and I went on our annual Nutcracker date. I continue to be amazed by my (not-so) little Koopa's wide array of interests. I love that he adores the Nutcracker and anticipates the ballet every season.  

Robby continues to be amazed by the beauty of the athletic feats of each dancer. In a room full of polite applause, he continues to extend an appreciative woot woot when he is moved. Of course, we were talking about World War II battles during intermission for the ballet. The irony is not lost on me.

The weather to the ballet was miserable but manageable. Thankfully the snow and ice held off until well after we were tucked into bed. The roads were just wet but between the limited visibility and the reflection of the Christmas lights on the pavement, the drive was still riddled with angst. The older I become, the more anxiety I feel when driving at night.  I don't like this stage of maturation!





Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Phantom Pain and Gingerbread

Yesterday was cold and dreary. I didn't even need to get out of bed to realize that we were going to have an icky weather day. My leg started hurting at 3 AM, about the same time that the weather pattern came barreling into our area. I spent the wee hours of the morning feeling miserable.

Usually my phantom pain subsides when I put on my leg, but yesterday morning proved to be the exception. Pulling on my liner, my limb felt like it was being stabbed with tiny (albeit sharp) needles. The pain was so intense that I was forced to stop to gather my courage before continuing. Expecting the worse, I was pleasantly surprised that the pain was not as intense once I started to walk.

I was cautious throughout the day, fearful that each step might result in the same stabbing pain that I felt in the morning. Because of the weather and my leg issues, we spent the day being quiet. AFter a few hours I felt confident enough to embark on a holiday project. Timmy and I baked our gingerbread house and train.

Because of my helpful assistant, my gingerbread project ended up taking about 2 hours longer than projected. Even though we made a mess, we had a blast. Our gingerbread house and train will undoubtedly be wonky and tilted, but it was baked with happiness. I can't wait to start decorating!

I'm going to continue to take it easy today. Even though it wasn't nearly as intense, last night I had another round of phantom pain. I'm not sure why it is happening with increased frequency, but it is becoming incredibly frustrating. If it continues to flare, I am going to have to become more proactive and speak with my doctor. Hopefully a visit won't be necessary.

 

Monday, December 09, 2019

Enchant Christmas

In late summer, my Facebook feed became overwhelmed with ads for Enchant Christmas. Always up for a new Christmas adventure, I began to investigate the experience. Touted as the "largest light maze in the country," I began planning our trip in August.  Needless to say, I was more than a wee bit excited on Saturday when we finally hopped into the car to drive to the highly anticipated event.

Apparently we were not the only family enticed by the constant flood of ads and pictorial promises of a mesmerizing holiday experience. Held at the Nationals ballpark in DC, the place was packed!  It took us a full 30 minutes to get through the cue to even park our car in the garage. 

Undeterred and ready to be 'Enchanted,' we headed into the ballpark. The ads didn't lie, the light display was gorgeous. We had dinner in the clubhouse at the park, overlooking the light maze from above. Even though our advertised "gourmet dinner" was underwhelming (we had to go to Sheetz afterwards to get some food), the view was amazing.  

Unfortunately, the crowds made it nearly impossible to move and to enjoy the experience. Being crammed shoulder to shoulder with fellow light gazers, being herded through cattle shoots constructed of lights, quickly lost its appeal. We made it 3/4 of the way through the maze before collectively deciding that we had achieved our maximum festive infusion from the experience. We were happy to escape the crowds and the chaos.  

I'm disappointed that Enchant failed to meet our expectations, but I'm glad we went. I wouldn't go again, but now I know that I am not missing anything amazing. Even though we were disappointed, spending time with my husband and kids while doing something festive and different remains my favorite thing in the world.