Elective Leg Amputation: How I Told My Friends (This Video!)
Channel: Footless Jo
Date: 2018-10-06

Through message boards and amputee Facebook groups, I've had a number of people ask me how I told people that I was having an elective (not like its ever something I would want...just that it is now the best option) below the knee leg amputation. After telling my family in person, I sent out this video to everyone as well as attaching this message. The response I got was incredible and so supportive - and I'm so grateful!

Feel free to use any of this as a template for talking to people in your life if this is helpful to you!

"After months (technically 14 years) of thought, consideration, consultation, and speaking with countless specialists and people on many sides of things, I’ve decided that lower leg amputation is the best choice for my life. For those who don't know, I shattered it horseback riding 14 years ago. I can’t live in pain, on drugs, 24/7 anymore, and having it degrade and affect the rest of my joints, and any other surgery would just be prolonging the inevitable and providing me a half-life still filled with pain and restriction and more surgeries. After 10 surgeries since I was a kid attempting to piece it back together and save it, it is time, and the surgeons agree. Surgery is scheduled for Thursday, October 11th.

I’m not entirely sure how recovery will go – so if I don’t respond to messages, texts, or phone calls, it isn’t personal! ;-) Also I'm kind of overwhelmed, so if I've been absent, or if you message me and I don't reply quickly, I apologize in advance. I know this is the best decision for my life, though not the first one I’d pick in a perfect world, and am excited to figure out how to embrace all that comes with it.

A couple requests:
1. If you have gone through something like this or know someone, suggestions are definitely welcome! 
2. With that said, I'd like to kindly request that no one try to convince me out of this or tell me what to do with my life. I've spent more time than I can recount considering this seriously for years, consulting specialists, and more - and I've made my decision. I know to some on the outside it may not seem like it's been "that bad", but I assure you, it has been. If I'm cutting my leg off, I promise you it's been that bad.
3. If you have any questions or want to say hi or want to come visit me when I'm back at home, I'd love to hear from you in any form! Messaging me on Facebook would be the easiest way for me to get back to messages as I come out of my drugged stupor. ;-)

My husband will definitely be updating everyone post-surgery on how everything has gone. I'll definitely let you know here as well as soon as I'm with it. ;-) Prepare for photos documenting my recovery journey (and damn it, I am going to run again! Haven’t been able to do that since I was 12…5K’s here I come), but I promise no terribly gross photos! Lol!"

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