Houston, We Have a Problem

I got up at 4:00 this morning to clean up, pack, and head to Charleston International Airport (CHS) for my 7:09 flight. Boarding began at 6:44, so there wasn’t much time to spare.

Everything was going according to plan. I showered, got my head nice and bald, got dressed, finished packing, and was ready to head out.

There was just one last thing to do: crank the prosthetic socket to make it snug.

Then I heard it.

“SNAP!”

Uhhh…what was that?

I looked down and discovered that the string connected to the piece that tightens my prosthetic socket had broken off somewhere.

Was this going to stop me?

For a moment, I thought, “Yup, it is.”

Then I reconsidered. The prosthesis wouldn’t be as secure, and I would have to limit my walking—but I could still go.

So, off I went.

On the way to the airport, I called Floyd Brace. They have an emergency hotline, and if I had been staying in the MTP area, I would have used it. But I was heading for the Big Apple, and this wasn’t an emergency.

I left a message asking for an appointment after dialysis on Monday.

When I arrived at the airport, I handed my keys to the valet and used wheelchair assistance at both CHS and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). So far, I’ve been okay.

Because the socket doesn’t fit as snugly as it should, I have to work a little harder. Still, I made it to New York.

This is life as an amputee. Sometimes something snaps at the worst possible moment, and you have to stop, assess the situation, adjust the plan, and keep moving.

This problem will be solved eventually.

Until then, I’ll keep adapting.