Tag: adaptive

Bouncing Back with TLC

Bouncing Back with TLC

Prosthetics, Trauma, and Giving Back

Meet my prosthetists and friends, Randy West and David Banks (left and right in blue). We met and began discussing my future as an amputee months before my surgery. During that time, I told them of my past activity levels, my current life as a wife and homeschool mom, and my dreams and aspirations for my future. They used that information to fit me and help me realize my dreams. They listened to me when I had questions and struggles, they made changes to my fit when I needed it and directed me to great medical doctors when I needed more than a great fitting socket.

 

Molding my socket
Another one done!
Two sets of eyes are better than one.
My team

 

They have done so much for me and given with their hearts.

David, as you can see in the 1st picture above, is an above knee amputee himself, and like all amputees, when it happened he had to adjust and change direction in his life, which brought he and Randy together. David tells his story in this podcast, and I will tell you that his story makes a full circle, which is kind of amazing!

Now after 20+ years of friendship they are beginning their road of a non-profit called, Limbs For Humanity. They go to Mexico every month and see as many amputees as possible in a weekend, bringing parts and prosthetics to these people, people who never even dared to dream about one day walking again. They give of themselves, and their time, heart, money, and talents for the sake of bringing mobility to people who never thought that was possible….and it has been life-changing (and not just for the clients, for David and Randy, too).

Giving back is the ultimate gift

 

This story of David’s tragic amputation as a young man, and now as a company who gives of themselves for a greater cause is what Bouncing Back is all about!

They have taken setbacks and used them as set ups for the greater good.

Come along today and be inspired by David’s story, find hope that a prosthetist can truly care about your well-being (because they do exist!), and find purpose in your life, because when one window shuts you must look for another window to open, and what’s on the other side could be life altering!

 

 

I haven’t done any CTA this month as we are talking with people about their journeys and how they bounced back to get where they are, but I feel this episode is a great one to put one out there.

This week, go follow my friend’s non-profit @limbsforhumanity on Instagram

And give!

If you have spare prosthetic parts around your house, touch base with me or them and we can donate to people who need them. Donating money is another way to help a non-profit get off the ground running. Money helps them get the parts they are lacking, among other things to help these guys get to Mexico to give new life to so many people.

Randy, David, I appreciate you!

Thank you for being exactly what I needed when I wasn’t even sure what I needed and allowing me to fly!!

Please help them and donate today! God bless!

 

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

Angie

 

Rise Up!

Rise Up!

 

My bouncy running blade

 

 

You can do it! It’s time to bounce back!
April is Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness month and I have a packed line up of some incredible people for you to hear from, feel motivated by, and relate to!!
Next week I am starting off this amazing event with someone who has just published her first book, who hasn’t lost a limb but was dealt a rough hand, which has led her to rise up and carve out an amazing life for herself, helping other people reach their full potential.
Coach Dar, who has worked with many professional athletes, the corporate world, and now is even speaking with youth who have experienced Limb Loss just published “The Art of Bouncing Back”!
Bouncing back is April’s theme on my podcast, because we’ve ALL been some place that we’ve had to make the decision to give up or bounce back, right?
Join me next week to hear Coach Dar’s amazing story and some tips and techniques from her on how we can all rise up to our full potential no matter our circumstance.
Don’t miss this event and April’s line up!!
Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!!
Rise up, Warriors, rise up!
Grab your copy of Coach Dar’s new book, “The Art of Bouncing Back”, read it, take notes, and then tune in next week to hear from Coach Dar, herself.
You’ll be glad you did!
Until next week and as always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
No Excuses

No Excuses

Your Mind is Your Only Limit

 

 

Your Mind is Your Only Limit
Today I’m getting ready to ski.
I’m an above knee amputee and won’t let that stop me.
I decided to amputate so I could get back to skiing with my family.
It was a choice, it was my fate, and I am embracing it.
You can decide what kind of life you have, no matter your circumstances. You can roll over and succumb to it or you can rise up and live the best life possible.
This is a mind game. And, yes, a physical one, too. Just make sure you know the difference.
If you want to get active but feel held back because of your circumstance or because you are an amputee, I am telling you that you can achieve your dreams.  Know your body’s limits and reach for them. Don’t allow others to make you feel incapable or tell you that you “can’t “, don’t even let “can’t” be a part of your vocabulary.
You are more than capable of becoming the best version of yourself, your mind is your only limit.
Mental toughness, mental fortitude, must be exercised and strengthened.
Believe in yourself, set goals, make sure you know what is good for you-don’t push past a doctor’s warnings, and know your body.
No excuses!
As always,
Be Healthy.
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!!
Much love,
Angie
Challenge Accepted

Challenge Accepted

Finding Your Path Through the Challenges

Do you have a challenging road ahead?
Do you struggle with fears of what’s to come and if you are strong enough to manage your circumstance?
We all face challenges, every day, yet some are so huge we struggle to see past them. We may cave to fear and shrink back from the challenge that lies in front of us.
Through my personal journey with 5 years of surgery, recovery and setbacks, only to be followed up with a blood clot and elected amputation I give you a snapshot into what my life has been like, the hard times, the fears, and what it looks like facing challenges head on and coming out the other side.
I had 2 extremely profound experiences following amputation that gave me peace, joy, and hope that everything would be alright and that my new “normal” was going to be an epic ride!
A horse who saw me for where I was

Feeling the mana, power, of the waves and the stoke of rising up!
Rise to challenges!
If you fall, dust yourself off and rise again!
When you face fears and challenges in life, the outcome can be transformational, and will help build up your character!
Never give up! Continue to fight for the life you want! You can do anything, if you’re willing to give it your all.
This week pick something that you find challenging in your life that you have been wanting to address, attack, and conquer. Now get after it!
It doesn’t have to be a huge, enormous issue, just one thing that maybe you’ve been afraid to face or fear you might fail at. If you have been house-ridden and really want to try getting outside for fresh air and steps, start small. What is it that you ned to accomplish first? A child doesn’t learn to run before it can walk, nor can you expect to walk a mile when you haven’t been to the end of your block. Baby steps will help you chunk your bigger goal into more manageable, small goals. These baby steps may be small, but they are leading you in the right direction- FORWARD!  Take your challenge head on, chip away at it, pick yourself up when you fall, and continue to make strides forward toward your goal. You’ll be glad you did!
Be strong! Rise to the challenges! Press through fear and watch your life become a masterpiece!
#abovekneeamputee #ampstrong #podcast #bawarrior360 #empowerment #challenges #riseup #mission22 #characterbuilding
Through A Horse’s Eyes

Through A Horse’s Eyes

A Mindfulness Journey to Healing

Taking time to stop and hit the pause button.

Taking time to sit quietly and reflect.

Being present and mindful, living in the moment.

This is how a horse lives, and this is what we can do to help ourselves heal and live healthy, full, and rich lives.

Quiet, mindfulness time with my sweet girl😍

 

 

How often do you find yourself saying, “Where has the time gone?” or “If only there were more time in the day.” I find that when I am multitasking and moving from one thing to the next, what I’m really doing is cheating myself out of truly living and appreciating the moments.

Today, as I laid down in the corral with my horse, watching her eat, watching her ears move to the sounds around her that distracted her, enjoying her playing with me as I trusted her while I was on the ground and she towered above me, I noticed how much I just enjoyed the moment. I had nothing on my agenda, no place to be, and nothing that “had to get done” and so I sat quietly. I observed and watched her movements. I studied her and the world she lives in. The sky was overcast, the birds were soaring overhead, the horses in neighboring properties were mulling around. My girl was attentive but relaxed, as was I.

She was being a stinker here and grabbing my hat!

 

After she circled around me a few times, she pawed the ground and then laid down, right next to me. These are the moments I live for. She realizes she can trust me, and that I am not distracted with anything; it’s just me and her, nothing else mattered. I placed her hand on her nose and I stroked it gently as her eyes closed in complete peace. Her breathing got deep and loud, and then she laid back, across the ground. As she laid there, I began to read from a book I brought into the corral. It was then that I realized how mindful I was living in that moment. Loving the feel of the cool breeze, and then the intensity of the sun as it broke through the clouds. I was attuned to the things happening around us so I knew how she might react…the last thing I needed was a 1200 lb. horse jumping up and crushing me out of fear. I have learned to live in the moment so that I could connect with my girl.

 

This time got me thinking about how we heal, and what is missing in most of our lives. we are so caught up in the busyness of our lives that we are forgetting to enjoy the journey.

Is this you, too? Do you want to find a peace inside, a healing that helps you overcome and move forward from your circumstances? It’s time to start living mindfully. You don’t need a horse to do this, just the patience and conviction to create a new, positive habit.

 

 

This week I want you to find time to live in the moment, breathe deeply, let the past dissolve away, and don’t worry about the future.

Be present, be mindful of what you are doing. Make each task you do full and give each one your complete attention. If you are washing the dishes, pay attentio9n to the feel of the water, the temperature, and the feel of the soap on your hands.

Make time to stop and slow down and really experience the world. Find a quiet place and spend 10-15 minutes with no phone, no music or TV on, no distractions, just you and the world around you. Remember to spend time on your breathing and clear your mind of “to-do’s”. Take time for you so you can begin to heal what ails you. You may be surprised how this will affect you and how you will crave this quiet time the more you do it.

You deserve this.

 

And as always, until next week,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

Angie (and Sakari🐎)

 

Boop!

 

A Day in the Life of an Amputee

A Day in the Life of an Amputee

Walking a Mile in My Leg

 

 

You never really know what people are going through, and the idea of “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes” is how we best “try” to understand and empathize or learn from their journey.

Join me today as I walk you through a typical day of being an amputee (pun intended), from what my mornings look like to midnight runs to the bathroom and everything in between.
Some days are easier to deal with but there are days that can really test my perseverance and fortitude.
Staying focused on the positives and finding ways to distract myself when times get tough can be a challenge, but I take you through how I run my days, and how routine can help me get through days I’m just not feeling it.
I also talk about items that help me make complicated tasks easier to complete and how to travel with just carry-on baggage despite all that I need for travel.
Walk in my leg for a day and experience being an amputee through my eyes.
This week just find the positive on what you are dealing with. Find the silver lining and enjoy it!  Remember there is always something positive, or good, in your life.  When you realize what you have you will be better able to handle the days when times get tough and push you to your limits…. and NEVER give up!
Have a blessed week, and until next time, as always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie

 

Dare to Dream

Dare to Dream

You are Special and Deserve It!

 

What do you do when you’re struggling? Maybe you are like me and lost a limb. Maybe you have a plethora of other medical issues and have been wheelchair bound. Or maybe you just can’t get out of your own way and headspace.
Is this you?
I know you want more from life.
You may have even questioned, “Is this all there is for me?”
Don’t give up!
Dream!
Chase answers!
Seek help!
I struggled for 5 years and went through 10 surgeries, only to be left with a leg that only had 20° range of motion and wouldn’t straighten. I could barely move around my home, let alone ski with my family, hike, take the dogs for a walk, or ride a bike.  All dreams that I knew were fading away! Talk about depressing and defeating.
A blood clot was my wake up call and the metaphorical nail. I talked, researched, visited doctors, asked opinions, even spoke with other amputees to make up my mind.
Dare to dream!
Don’t give up!
Join me today to hear how this journey is going and at the end of my podcast listen for my Call to Action for YOU! Let’s do this together!!
Make a list of the dreams you have. List everything that you would love to do, see, experience, try.
Dream big! Don’t be afraid. Spend some quiet time thinking and dreaming. Write them all down.
Now place them in an order that builds upon each other. Maybe some are more accomplishable now and work to build upon the next and so on.
Finally, ask yourself what you need to do to accomplish goal 1, goal 2, etc. Pursue those goals by working through what’s stopping you.  I understand that some may seem really far off based on medical situations. If your goal is to run a 10K and you’re in a new socket then plan to start small. Maybe it’s getting it on and wearing it around your house for a few hours, then for the day around your house. Work toward walking all day in it, out and about. Then work toward walking to the mailbox every day. The next thing you know you’ll be out walking a mile, then 2.
Take your big dreams and break them into small goals to achieve them. Only you know what it will take to get yourself there. For me it was scheduling my amputation, then dealing with that loss, then healing and getting a prosthetic. Finally I registered to run a 10K a year out and worked on strengthening and learning to walk again. Baby steps. I may not have run the whole race but I DID finish!! Then I moved on to my next goal. I had them all mapped out in my head and on my vision board in my bedroom (see the podcast on making a vision board back in season 1) I highly suggest a vision board to help you visualize your dreams and goals!!
Spend the next 7 days dreaming and writing them down.
If you need to talk through your plan please feel free to reach out to me on IG; @BAWarrior360 or Facebook: BAWarrior360
I’d be happy to help in any way I can.
Until next week and as always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!
You are a Warrior!
Much love,
Angie
Facing My Fears

Facing My Fears

New Year, New Season: Welcome to Season 3!

Wow! It’s 2023 and we are on to season 3 for Be-YOU-tiful Adaptive Warrior! Welcome back, and a special welcome to first timers! I hope you take a listen to some of my old episodes and find some help or comfort in my words on the journey you are on.
I am an above knee amputee trying my best to empower others to live their best lives, despite their circumstances.  This means I speak of my life and the reality of becoming an amputee and living day to day, the good, the bad and the ugly of it. I am transparent with my journey as it is NOT all roses. I am hoping by speaking the truth of my journey you won’t feel alone in your struggles and circumstances, and you can see that despite the hard times, you can still live a good, full, and happy life.  So come join me on this journey called life. Subscribe to my podcast, website, and YouTube channel. Don’t forget to like and share as you explore my sites. I appreciate you!
So where have I been? For those of you who have listened in and followed me you may have noticed my lack of podcasts in December.
I spent the past 4 weeks being fully present with my family, traveling, skiing and staying away from social media, but it’s good to be back! I have missed this.
Several weeks ago, our family went skiing and as much as I love skiing, it truly pushes me WAY out of my comfort zone, now as an amputee, and into a fearful, anxiety ridden state of mind. I’m not sure why it’s like that but it is. I decided that I can choose to cave to fear or face it.
This episode is dedicated to facing fears.  We all have them, we all have to decide how to handle them, so why not discuss this as we begin a new year that is filled with uncertainties, struggles, and new fears that will inevitably arise in the next 365 days.
I don’t want you to stress about the future, as today is all you need to deal with, but you should be prepared for the ups and downs.
Sometimes you’ll be prepared, and yet other times you’ll feel like you got sucker punched by a situation. How will you handle it? Will you face the storm or shy away? Will you rise up or cower? You can’t totally prepare for unknown situation or problem, but you can start positive habits and behaviors now so when hard times arise you are stronger and positive enough to handle them.
It’s time to strengthen your self-esteem and resolve. Prepare for the battles ahead, dear Warriors. You can do this, I know you can!!
Until next week and as always:
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!!
Much love,
Angie
Roll With the Punches

Roll With the Punches

 

Life is never truly easy, for anyone. Sometimes it feels like everything is going our way when out of the blue a bomb drops.

Maybe your job or family life is struggling, or maybe your health.  Then you can feel overwhelmed and defeated.

But don’t fret. We all go through these moments. We all have valleys we must trudge through. What I have learned through life is that the valleys don’t last forever and soon you’ll be on top once again.

The problem being on top is that you never know when a valley will strike again, when you get gut punched and feel the wind knocked out of you.

If you realize that this is just how life goes, the sooner you can prepare yourself to handle those moments.

Not like you will ever be totally prepared but at least not naive to the fact that it happens. If you practice positivity, and strengthening your character, you will be better prepared for those moments. They won’t control you and every aspect of your life.

Our job is to learn from them, to build up our resilience and character to better handle those situations.

As an amputee I have these moments a lot. As soon as my socket feels great, I’m out being active, life is good….. BOOM!

My socket doesn’t fit anymore, it’s too loose, or there’s a crack that’s hurting my leg, leaving painful raw spots every step throughout the day. That’s when I need to dig down deep, realize that this too shall pass, and I must carry on. My family depends on me to function. I have goals I want to achieve and a life I want to live… to the fullest.

If you are struggling right now, life has served up some lemons and a swift punch to your gut, don’t fret. You can get through this.

We all deal with these moments, wishing they would just pass us by, but if you can see these as learning moments, to better serve you in the future then you are on the right track. Each trial we go through breaks us down to build us back up, preparing us for the next, making us stronger.  But it’s up to you to rise to that challenge, it’s not just given to you. You won’t just rise up because you sit around pouting about your circumstance. You rise up and build character if you FIGHT! You have to use those muscles to get back up, you need to speak positivity into your soul, you will struggle otherwise.

Take a look at today’s Call to Action for steps to take to work on your resilience today.

 

 

 

 

 

This week I want you to prepare for the storm.

How you do it might be a little different from me, but a basic strategy is:

  1. Use positive affirmations about myself. Post them somewhere or at least write them down. Look back at them when the going gets tough!
  2. This week, write down a “silver lining” about each day for the next 7 days. Even in the toughest times there is good. Sometimes we have to look long and hard, but it’s there. Realizing that your world isn’t ending because of something bad is half the battle. If you start looking for the positive and the good in your life then you are armoring yourself for the battles that are sure to come.

I hope this helps you get through your week, and your future. Fight the good fight, Warrior! You and your family are worth it!

 

As always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!!

 

Much love,

Angie

 

 

 

Commitment and Consistency Brings Confidence

Commitment and Consistency Brings Confidence

“How long did it take for you to learn to walk?”
“Was it hard to learn to walk in a prosthetic?”
“What helped you get use to your prosthetic?”
I get these questions on a weekly basis from curious onlookers to amputees in wheelchairs.
It took time and commitment. Some would say courage, as well, because it’s hard to learn a basic skill all over again, and the fear of falling, and failing, is so great as we get older.
This week I share the one major thing that helped me conquer using a prosthetic and walking again, with confidence.
GOALS: Commit
My 1st in person race as an amputee, just one year after amputation!

 

 

Focus and determination

 

 

 

Now it’s your turn!
Find a virtual race you can push yourself, at your pace, and in your timeframe that works for you.
Sign up and then get to work!
Get excited when the mail arrives with your finishers medal, you earned it!!!
If I can do it, so can you!!
Be the warrior you are meant to be. It’s time to rise and live your best life.
Commit- Be Consistent, Build your confidence!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
And don’t forget! TODAY is the final day to join the #14daysofmagic challenge
Go to www.magicmind.co to order your own pack of Magic Mind TODAY!!! Use my discount code: BEYOU14 to get a discount on your order. And remember to post yourself being productive while you’re using Magic Mind for your chance to win a 1-3 month subscription of Magic Mind!!