Hi my name is John. I'm 24 years old, married and the father of a beautiful baby girl. I have severe PFFD. I was born with only my tibia and foot. No femur, knee, or fibia, or even a hip joint. Just a tibia connected at my hip with tendons and muscles. My foot was amputated when I was three and my heel turned to the bottom of my tibia. I wear a prosthetic leg, with the C-Leg knee. Growing up I was always as active as any other little boy. My mother helped me stretch my stump every night so my tendons would stay loose. I walk very well and people usually just think I have a bad hip, unless of course Im wearing shorts. Well thats my story, if anyone wants to talk just message me.
Comments
Grandson's pending amputation
Having read John's message about his foot amputation at age 3, I was wondering if there was any significant psychological impact. My grandson, 2 1/2 years old, is heading for an amputation and a Symes procedure, later to be fitted for a prosthesis. Next year the surgeon said a knee fusion would be done. Hopefully he will be able to rebound as well as John has.
Amputation
For me personally, I was well prepared for the amputation. My parents had waited until I was no longer able to successfully wear a brace at age 7 so I was old enough to understand why the brace was no longer working. I could ask questions and buy-in to the treatment plan of having better mobility and being able to wear regular shoes. (For 7 years, I had worn saddle shoes and this was long after they were "the style".) My first two pair of shoes after the surgery were red. I was so proud to have shoes like everyone else that I even slept with the first pair in bed with me in the box.
The phantom pains right after the surgery were really tough, but if we had know to expect them, then we would have been prepared to combat them. We would have had distractions such as new books, games, special visitors, etc. and if we had known beforehand, then I would not have thought I was losing my mind. For me the "surprise" of the phantom pains was more traumatic than the surgery or the pain.
The only other trauma for me was the first time I took a bath after the surgery. They told me that I had dissolvable stitches and I was afraid that they would dissolve in the bath water and my incision would open. My mom did not know the reason I kept my leg out of the bath water and when I protested, she dunked me like a cat in water......not her best parenting moment......and now it is on the internet....but it was effective.
umm... hi
i'm sixteen and i havent done anything about my PFFD. i was also born with other deformities that my mother thought should be address before the PFFD. now that i'm of age, i want to explore the other solutions to PFFD to make my decision. you having the amputation done and others doing the solutions. i have one question: do you feel like it was the choice?