The last few days I have been thinking hard about my future, I am not sure if the New Year has also played its part. An amputation is obviously a life changing experience but for me it has not been all bad and there have been lots of positives. Now the fact that I am in rehabilitation, having physio twice a week, can’t walk on my prosthetic leg yet and have a stone and the rest to work off, you wouldn’t imagine thinking about my future would be a major priority, but to me it is. I am not sure if it is just the need to plan, something to work to or achieve, or just to plan little goals to reach the bigger one but I feel like I need something to work to. The problem is that believe it or not I now have more options open to me since the amputation than I did before I had my surgery.
I am a Staff Sergeant with Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force, who I have been with for over six years but was only able to teach Cadets for over a year. Currently I only do the Internet Media for them but I am not sure what my future there could be, or I want it to be. I could bimble on as I am, go back to the Corps of Drums if they will have me, go back to teaching at Detachment if I am fit enough, help with First Aid, take PRO role back, combination of roles or leave altogether. In the beginning of September I started to Volunteer with Operation Warriors Return, which is a charitable organisation who help both physically and mentally injured veterans, whether that injury occurred while in service or since discharge. At the moment I have been helping them with Internet Media but there could be an opportunity to teach which I do enjoy. The only thing with both of these is that it is helping others, which is great and I do enjoy helping others but for as long as I can remember I have always put others first, often to the detriment to myself.
With the hope of being more mobile I may get more opportunity to do more photography which would be brilliant. I want to become fitter now I have the chance and might take up more sport, even if it is just swimming which I hope to start in the next couple of weeks. When I saw a consultant a while ago he told me that if I had an amputation I would never work again! I didn’t say anything to him but the first question to myself was why? Would they take my arms and head off as well? I found that comment highly unprofessional and unacceptable, there is no reason why if you have an above knee amputation (unless of course there are other complications) you will never be able to work again. I want to work again and this may sound selfish, not sure what you think, but I want to put myself first for a change and do what I want to do. There may even be a perfect scenario where I can do something I really enjoy and help others too. There is one thing for sure and that’s that there are now more options open to me than there have been for ages. I could just sit back and see what happens but if there is something I want to do then I am going to go out and get it. I won’t make any hasty decisions about anything but if I look at what opportunities there are, then I can increase my chances of working towards and grabbing the opportunity with both hands.
