Life doesn’t end with the loss of a limb!

I was approached by Iryna, a marketer from the Center for Prosthetic and Orthopedic Care “Tellus,” with a request to share my experience on “How not to fall into depression after losing a limb.”

At first, I declined because I thought I had nothing to say on the matter, as I never dwelled on it myself. In this, I was somewhat fortunate: I lost my leg while protecting my children, and it was the least I could give. That’s why I have never regretted my loss for a second — people sacrifice the most precious thing they have, their lives!

For people who lose their limbs for other reasons, it’s much harder to escape a state of despair. For instance, my relative had his leg amputated due to cancer a couple of years after my own incident. Since then, he has considered himself an incomplete person, and his active life effectively ended.

Depression in such people robs them of the meaning of life. That’s why I decided to share my thoughts on this topic, as I believe that my “easy” way of coping might serve as a key for others.

As I see it, it all depends on how you perceive the situation: some will see it as a loss of opportunities and sink into despair, while others will view it as a challenge and become even stronger. When I saw men without legs playing basketball in wheelchairs, I was amazed! They played better than guys with fully functioning bodies who could easily play any sport. Such losses made them stronger! They chose to shift their focus to sports and engage in something they were passionate about.

Another example I can offer is the scientist Stephen Hawking, who had a rare progressive disease that began at the age of 18 and eventually left him completely paralyzed. But that didn’t stop him from working in cosmology and developing the theory of black holes. He lived to be 76 years old, continuing to live fully and work on his projects. He chose theoretical physics because it all fit within his mind, and his physical limitations did not become a serious obstacle.

My advice is to discard negative, limiting thoughts and replace them with interests you are passionate about. New technologies, such as the internet, robotics, and more, open up limitless opportunities for self-realization. Life doesn’t end with the loss of a limb!

Remember: everything happens for the best! I always remind myself of this and enjoy everything around me!

Live and be happy!