All year I have worn pants. My wardrobe choice was carefully selected because my job is physical (I am literally walking all day) and because I wanted to keep my prosthesis concealed. Anybody who has known me for a nanosecond knows that I am not ashamed of my prosthesis. While I am not ashamed, I am very aware of the disability bias that surrounds amputees and their abilities.
In my experiences, especially in professional environments not geared for individuals with limb loss, being 'out' too soon with a disability is detrimental. Co-workers often start their own little informal evaluations on their new disabled peer, "just to make sure that everything stays okay." I was not interested in having to work while continuing to prove my worth after I was hired, so I chose to simply wear long pants and do a stellar job all year with my students.
The school year is over. I looked back on the progress made by all of my students and I feel nothing but pride. Each one of my kiddos made amazing strides towards independent travel. I worked the entire year without encountering any issues because of my amputation and prosthesis. I no longer feel the need to hide because I'm damn proud of what this amputee mommy accomplished over the past 9 months.
Today, as I go into my final days of work, I'm feeling sparkly.
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