Night Walker

Timmy has been put on a strict, and frequent, feeding schedule in the hopes of plumping him up to a healthier weight. While I don't lament the lack of sleep, after all I fully anticipated newborn sleep deprivation, I have found myself battling a growing resentment with my prosthesis. Having to don my prosthesis so frequently in the middle of the night is quickly becoming old.

I try not to spend a lot of time lamenting my limb loss. In fact, I don't invest a lot of energy thinking about it. Waking up, slipping on my liner and leg has become part of my morning routine. After nearly eleven years, it has become as natural as brushing my teeth and pouring my first cup of coffee.

It is when I feel encumbered because of my prosthesis that I begin to feel resentful. Every ninety minutes in a slumber-deprived haze, I am clumsily putting on my liner and leg. This extra step, although it only takes a few moments, has become a true inconvenience when it comes to caring for Timmy. I wish that I could just pop up and get a bottle without hesitating, but I know that this is not the reality.

I suspect that I won't be nearly as frustrated with the constant putting on and taking off of my leg if it were fitting well. Unfortunately, my limb volume remains in flux which is making a comfortable fit elusive. I have found some solace in the fact that the swelling isn't limited to my residual limb.  I can barely fit into my previously comfortable shoe because my foot is puffy, and I wouldn't recognize my own hands if they weren't attached to my body. 

Hopefully the postpartum swelling will wane soon, making the donning of my leg less cumbersome. In the meantime, my mind is spinning with a new concept for a prosthesis. Wouldn't it be wonderful if a temporary, middle of the night emergency leg were available? Something that required no liners, was easy to slip into (like a slipper) and quasi-comfortable for short distances? I'm not an engineer, but if somebody would like to design this, I would be more than happy to give it a try. I don't foresee my middle of the night sojourns ending anytime soon!