The loss of limb will have a dramatic effect on your life. So many things will change, and you and your family are forced to adjust. The pain, the surgeries and the distress are among the initial obstacles.
Whether the situation occurred in a motor vehicle crash, construction accident, workplace accident or aviation incident, the result is the same. Now you must soldier on and deal with any additional complications and challenges.
More surgeries and PTSD
After the loss of an arm or a leg in a traumatic incident, you have no choice but to accept what happened to you and overcome challenges that may include:
- Additional surgeries: Surgeons remove the damaged limb and reconstruct the remaining arm or leg. So many complications surface as doctors cope with the muscles, bones, blood vessels and nerves of the human body. Also, plastic and reconstructive surgery along with skin grafts may be necessary.
- More and lengthy stays in medical centers: With additional surgeries scheduled, expect to spend more time in hospitals for medical treatment and recovery.
- Psychological, physical and occupational therapy: You have been through a horrific experience and may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A mental health therapist may help. Also, you will have to go through physical therapy as well as occupational therapy to regain the skills you used to be able to do for work and everyday life.
- Getting accustomed to a prosthetic limb: Multiple fittings with different types of prosthetic limbs may be necessary.
- Tackling daily tasks: Driving, eating and dressing are among the everyday tasks you must relearn.
- Continued pain: Expect discomfort at the wound site for weeks or even months. Sensations and pain from a “phantom limb” also are possible.
You lived through the incident, and now you simply must continue to live.
Tackle these challenges
Despite the seemingly overwhelming challenges you face, do not give up. You know you must adjust after losing a limb, so do your best to look to the future. Tackle these challenges day by day.