Reddit reviews Living with No Excuses: The Remarkable Rebirth of an American Soldier

First off, do you have any general resources on life as an amputee that I could read? Accounts of lived experiences, etc? Don't bother explaining the basic stuff to me if you have helpful links that can do it in your place! You should check out back issues of Amplitude: https://livingwithamplitude.com and InMotion: https://www.amputee-coalition.org/limb-loss-resource-center/publications/inmotion/. Both are free amputee magazines online that include personal essays on various topics. Also try Amy Purdy's memoir On My Own Two Feet: https://www.amazon.com/My-Own-Two-Feet-Learning/dp/0062379100 and Noah Galloway's Living With No Excuses: https://www.amazon.com/Living-No-Excuses-Remarkable-American/dp/1455596930/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TDMRXL1KPJDA&keywords=noah+galloway+living+with+no+excuses&qid=1571089087&s=books&sprefix=noah+galloway%2Cstripbooks%2C132&sr=1-1.

What are the formal and informal names of the kind of amputation I described? In general, what kind of vocabulary do you use to describe your condition? Are some terms considered rude or improper? Sounds like she's going to be a BKA, below-knee amputee. If she's missing a knee, then it's an AKA. People will sometimes add if it's right or left, so I'm an LBKA, left BKA. Someone once told me that "stump" was offensive, and to use "residual limb." I just call it my leg. People figure out what I'm talking about from context clues. I also get cranky about the term "peg leg." My prosthesis is a very expensive piece of medical technology, not a pirate costume!

What sort of common misconceptions do you often hear about amputees/life as an amputee/use of prosthetics and wheelchairs? People don't realize how expensive prosthetics are. I heard that arm prosthetics aren't always covered by insurance, but also that young children don't always like to wear them! Also, people don't realize how much insurance factors into how nice of a limb you get. People also assume you need different legs for different activities. I like to ride my bike, and people always ask if I use a cycling leg. I don't need a cycling leg for the leisurely rides I'm taking, and unless it's covered by insurance or a grant, I'm not shelling out for it!

What sorts of things would the character not be able to do? / What sorts of things would the character be able to do, but with difficulty? Check out arm hacks on Youtube- there are so many creative ways people have come up with for doing stuff with one hand, like putting her hair up in a ponytail, or putting on jewelry, or chopping vegetables. Here's an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_sG_Hbwbo. She probably wouldn't be too limited by her legs, so long as her other leg is strong. She'd rely on the other leg to jump, stand on her toes, etc. Going to the beach is kind of a pain, though she might have a fully waterproof leg if the beach was important to her.

What might prompt the character to use her wheelchair one day, and walk with her prosthetic on another? I use my wheelchair when I'm REALLY hungover... also if I have a skin infection or blister on my stump (usually from a very hard, sweaty workout or from trying a new liner that my skin does not like), I'll go legless to let the skin heal.

If someone is born with missing limbs, do they still get called an amputee, or is there another term? They are still amputees. I believe they use the term "congenital" amputation or limb deficiency/abnormality. Keep in mind that some people are amputated very early in life if their limb is deformed in such a way that amputating it will actually make it easier to live a normal life, like Aimee Mullins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aimee_Mullins.

If I choose to make her an amputee from birth, should she suffer from any pain in her residual limbs and/or phantom pain in the absent parts? I don't know! Anyone else on the board who can speak to this?

Same question if I choose to make her an amputee from early childhood (somewhere in the ballpark of 2-5 years old for example). Also dunno! Sorry... does she need pain in the story though? Phantom pain is a very personal thing, and it varies from person to person.

How often do you need to perform maintenance on prosthetics? (Cleaning, recharging, etc). Clean the liner every night! Your basic leg prosthesis gets replaced every 3-5 years. The feet itself wear out, and the sockets need to be replaced if you grow or shrink too much. I only go to my prosthetist when I'm having a specific issue. I have an adjustable heel foot (the Runway foot: https://www.google.com/search?q=freedom+innovations+runway+foot&oq=freedom+innovations+runway&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0.4500j1j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) that once got stuck because I wore it to the beach and the adjustable joint rusted! I took it in to my prosthetist thinking I'd have to replace it or something... he just wiped it down with acetone and sprayed some WD-40 on it... my everyday foot and my blade are waterproof, for the most part. Those wouldn't rust like the Runway did!

Would the character find a use for crutches, considering she has access to prosthetics and a wheelchair? Maybe? That's a personal preference thing. I dated a guy who tried to get me to use crutches because he was weirded out by the wheelchair, but I didn't like crutches, and we broke up anyway. Whomp whomp.

Is there anything specific that needs to be done to care for a stump? Exercises, physical therapy, specific washing routines, things like that? Just keep it clean. I put tea tree oil on mine to prevent infections.

Would an amputee’s intact limbs be on average physically stronger than a non-amputee’s due to being used more often to do things? Maybe? If she's been using prosthetic limbs most of her life, she's probably about average. Maybe above-average? I don't know if she's winning every arm wrestling tournament though. Just depends on what she does on an average day.

Can a right-handed person learn to be as proficient with their left hand as with their right after an amputation? I think so? I heard that surgeons train their non-dominant hand to be as strong as their dominant hand, because surgery needs you to be ambidextrous. Not sure if that's actually true or just a random thing I heard though!

How did you get treated as an amputee in school, overall? Was there bullying? Rude comments? Did people think your prosthetics looked cool? I lost my leg as an adult, but I tutor 3rd graders, and two boys were so grossed out by my leg. They kept sneaking looks at it, saying "EWW!!!" then laughing. Very young kids have been scared of my leg, but more commonly they're just curious.

What are some typical "amputee things" that you tend to do that you don’t notice non-amputees doing, ever? (Especially those of you that have been amputees for many years.) Not really sure. I take my leg off at work sometimes, if it's bugging me. It's like a girl taking off her shoes because they were bugging her.

After a year of using new prosthetics with TMR technology, should the character be used to them or still getting acclimated? Of course, I’m sure this varies depending on the person, but I’m looking to get a vague idea. I have no experience with TMR tech- hopefully someone else jumps in here!

Finally, what sorts of things should I absolutely avoid in my portrayal of the character? And what should I emphasize? I'm surprised you're not going to include the cause of her amputation! I get asked "how did you lose your leg?" CONSTANTLY. People are so nosy!