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I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations. This blogger is available for hire! Let's talk and learn how a blog can expand your business.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Smiling and Faking

I've been home from Arizona for several days, and things are starting to settle back into place. The laundry mountain has been turned into a small hill with each load, and I am beginning to believe that someday we will be caught up. I spent yesterday working nearly non-stop, allowing me to take a chunk out of  my to-do list. After a few more days, I hope to be completely caught up on everything that was pushed to the side during the trip.  (It's a good thing that we aren't going on a proper vacation this year, I don't think I could handle the work afterwards!)

I have accepted that one lingering effect of conference will remain long after the housework and reports are complete. In a hotel bursting with amputees, I was normal. Back in my hometown, I am again the oddity. It is taking me some time to readjust to the stares and second glances.  I know that I will eventually acclimate to the attention my prosthesis garners, but it is going to take me a few more days.

Yesterday we went to the grocery store, where I was acutely aware of the not so concealed attention from the twenty-something in the yogurt aisle who proceeded to knock over a row of little cups in her attempt to act natural.  Typically, watching her try to reassemble the yogurt display would have made me giggle, but yesterday I felt like crawling into a hole. I asked Scott if I was receiving more stares than normal, because it felt like I was walking around with purple horns plastered on my forehead, but he promised that the attention has not increased.

Obviously I can try to conceal my leg by wearing pants, but it is 95+ degrees out and I am not terribly keen on overheating and being uncomfortable.  I will eventually adjust to the reactions my prosthesis receives, but it will probably take another few days. In the meantime, I'm going to hold my head high, but a big smile on my face and fake it. I'll pretend that I'm confident and comfortable, and eventually my feelings will follow suit.  I continue to be amazed by the impact of a few short days of being in the majority. 

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