Arm amputation for LE

Colleen, welcome to BCO, and thank you for your book. Here on our boards members are expressive about their fears, and open in a casual way. This is supposed to be a safe place for "getting it all out". The members are sincerely very sensitive people, and nobody would ever have intended on insulting you, or anyone else. We hope that this simply creates a dialogue, and everyone can move forward and learn from your well-portrayed experience. We are sorry for all you have gone through.

Thank you all for your understanding and kindness. Again, if you have any further questions or concerns Please do not hesitate to skype me @ colleen.mckinstrie..just put in subject what/where you are from. It is alwats my pleasure to help ease any fears or help in anyway. I know I speak for many other amputees when I say that we need to be careful assuming it was a choice to "chop it off". Whether you are an author or athlete one is not deserving of such harsh judgements without the facts. I am sincerely touched by those who said apologies ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

We are in this together!

Love,

Colleen

Well done Morwenna! I see no foot in mouth!

And Barred Owl, you always say just the right amount of words.

Colleen, I am being very amazed at beaucoup sextremely similar life experiences we have shared, unknowingly, very glad you wrote your book.

Nooooooooo!!! You are fine!

Thank you I really appreciate your words. Obviously, it struck a nerve with me, for other reasons that have nothing to do with you. It has been said before and it pisses me off. I totally get what you are saying. It is a trigger point with me because it is such a devastating loss to lose a limb and it has changed my life in ways that I could not even begin to explain. Please accept my apology for projecting anger on you that was meant for someone else.

Warmly,

Colleen

@Colleen, I just read this thread and maybe I'm taking all of this wrong, but being afraid seems like a normal reaction to reading the above post and I am afraid. I wonder if you had read that post before your infections when you had just learned you had LE, when you were trying cope and trying to gain some control, if you wouldn't have reacted with fear also?

I react with fear to every thread about Cellulitis, infections, flares, poison Ivy, bug bites etc. I've never felt like I couldn't express that fear If I needed to on this forum. The most important thing I found in this place is empathy and I am so very grateful for that.

Just want to chime in and say that I have not read your book yet, but do plan to get a copy and read it. I cannot even begin to comprehend what you have been through Colleen, but I am so glad you have put your experiences into a book so that others can benefit and learn from your experience. Knowledge is power. Though it may be scary reading about what can happen, I know that for me, it will make me much more diligent in working to prevent LE. I also realize that despite doing everything right, it can develop and the consequences can be severe. I do think you have a unique story to tell and am glad you told it.

SusanSnowflake, thank you for taking the time to clarify the complexity of Morwena's response to the original post (which was not, after all, a response to either Colleen or her book, but to the post as she read it). Colleen, hurt, like fear, is a universal experience, especially among those of us battling this disease--and it too can be expressed with empathy in order to avoid a negative impact on others.

I too am grateful for the caring and empathy I find here!
Binney