I Am An Amputee

Amputee and Humor

By: Wordy

Written on November 6th, 2008

I have been called many names in my life, but I recently came across one that I found to be quite exceptional; not because it was extremely cruel (which it was), but because I found it to be quite humurous. The term was "nugget," and it was used to describe a person without arms or legs (quadruple amputee). I feel even more alone, and like less of a person, just because I thought this word was funny. Am I crazy? I need to know how other amputees feel about associating humor with their condition. My friend is making a "nugget" love song. How far is too far? Thanks for any help.

By: Wordy

Age: 18-21

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16 responses

tgwynn

Being able to laugh at your condition is extremely important, especially for those, like myself, that are just entering into life as an amputee. Words are just that, words. they have no physical presence and the pain they cause is purely mental. Being as young as you are, I would expect that what others think of you is still of concern, but the truth is, the only opinions that matter are those of your friends and family. If someone you don't know wants to be ignorant, let them. As far as how far is too far goes, there is no too far, lol. Laugh hard, laugh long, laugh often. Trust me, my amputation occurred 4 months before my first child is due, I've got more important things to worry about than getting my feelings hurt because someone wants to hurl what are inevitably unoriginal jokes at me. A good sense of humor should be the backbone of every amputee's recovery in my opinion.

Apr 2
1 like
BigTuddyBear

Hi Ms.Wordy,I'm Kent a BIG TEDDY BEAR OF GUY.I am not a amputee but I am disabled so what I get it you can make a bad word lose it power but it's up to you..I am looking for a disabled girlfriend maybe a amputee lady could you help me out..thank you!!

Jan 21
1 like
Flipette

When people ask what happened, why I lost part of my leg, I tell them I broke it off in my exes a**. LOL.

Dec 31, 2012
1 like
Flipette

I think to be able to find humor in your amputation is a very improtant, it shows a great & positive attitude, it may not come easy but after awhile, hell, why not, its not as if your lost limb is going to grow back ( as much as we wish it would- LOL ).

Dec 31, 2012
1 like
bannanaorange

ireaaly relate to what you have said wordy dont worry your not no way alone sowordy dont worry we all feell as amputees or other things that bother us its just the world has kept us closed in we are very inteligent people remebger this god says he created us inhis making we are beutiful nho matter whato.k. you are wonderfull and funnny dont feel lonly ithink and know your gooodlooking dont be upset elisa i also am a amputee icame out of my coma woke up had no toes on both feet ha...ill be a friend nomatter what...elisa...

Nov 17, 2012
1 like
hnnh1996

i think humor is a good way to deal with it. Im a bka and i have a shirt that says "its all fun and games until someone loses a foot". I think people that can poke fun or laugh at themsleves have a speacial quality to them. It makes them shine even more and honestly being an amputee and showing it off just says your bad as* in a good way :)

Mar 24, 2012
4 likes
- bannanaorange
  hey i like yor stle the way you talk this is the way i see it you say it like it is and thats cool im an amputee also and cacer surviver ans3months in coma 3childrenthat died andphisicaalyabused byexes married divorsed remarried have 1 daughter she has c.p. shes my life shes smart li8ke you aloimmentallyabused to the person i married to but i continue mydaughter weighed 11 oz. and 13 in. long she beautiful and shes snar and an artist so all and all your a very nice andlovelyladyyour very understandin and say it like it is theres other things ihave happen to me mush more but i think iprobably put you to sleep lol...if you want to be friend let me know o.k. elisa...
  
  Nov 17, 2012
  1 like
krool1969

I lost my leg when I was 3 so I growing up through the 70's and 80's hearing all the names. I don't think it's funny at all. However some very funny things have happened to me. Like the time I sat down on a ski lift and my leg came loose, twisted around backward. It hurt my knee and I cried that it hurt (I was about 10) and my dad said "It doesn't hurt!" twisted it back the right way and stuffed it back on. The poor lift op nearly died right there!

Mar 9, 2012
4 likes
catslady66

My husband and I had to deal with his life and death struggle honestly and with humor. I had all but lost him in the hospital on three different occasions from two episodes of cancer and one stroke. And no, people never seemed to understand our personal humor, it was too dark and too honest. But everyone is different. The term was not a personal humor FOR you, it was ABOUT you.

Try not to take it too close to heart.

Feb 26, 2012
3 likes
OfFansAndFlames

I don't think there's anything wrong with finding it funny. If you're telling a joke about someone, and they GENUINELY think it's funny, then why not? But if he's making you uncomfortable, that's also totally understandable (and then he should stop). But as far as you finding your own situation funny... That sounds like perfectly healthy coping to me.

From my own perspective, I've had a brain tumor for 8 years and make jokes about it. I even named the tumor. After receiving MRI results that showed the tumor bleeding into my brain, my mom started calling me Blood Head. :) I appreciated that sort of approach, rather than just awkwardly avoiding the issue. But different strokes for different folks, I say.

Jan 19, 2012
5 likes
anniw

If you are questioning it, then I am guessing your not that comfortable with it ... so tell them.

May 9, 2011
2 likes
toxiclulz

aww, i dont take comments very well when people talk about me. even if there joking. i've had this amputation for 12 years and im still not used to it. i hate it.

Sep 10, 2010
4 likes
- bannanaorange
  hi dont hate being an amputee im an amputeein2003 ithink that was the year i ended up in an induced coma i was on lfe support system for 101day and to be honestwhen i woke up and the drs. said she going to probaly dyewellhelloseei am a cancersurviveralso i had a wilms tumer 3 kidneythey took out thtwo right onesradiationkilled the tumer that was done in 1963 ive been very sick all my life also radiation stay with you it stilldammage to mky body it ate my right muyclesande all my tissueson the right side of my bak at13yrs of age within 8 months i got scoliocis of the spine and it really was killling me. it rotated in8 months it was crushing my right lung my father was in th usnay we had to move to a more safficisticatedarea orlando naval traing center the drs. looked at my back and said she has 6 month to live wll....hemoved fast tomaryland iwent to bethesda naval hospitalthey put back then was called a herrington rod, afdter allwas done they put me in a fullbodycast fromsholder tothe hips weighed 28 pounds i wor it for 12 months they took it off they put my picture inte front page of the navy times beautiful,l story iwas going to be a nurse iwent to lna scool for 3 month training8hours aday went to work after classes an8 morehrs,working knight shift was dating my thought one day would be my husband whom cheated onme with oh yes his englsh teacher just greatiguess what im trying to say is you can hate it what hAPPened to you but loookingat you your a beautifulllady and i just want to add ialso was divorsed have a24yrs old daughter who weighed 11 oz, at birth 13 inches lon shes smar she anartist shne my life shehas c.p. andshesbeenthroughso so so mushwhen i her what youare saying believe me when i tell you thi stop think listen read look at what you are saying about your self just because the worl isinso many wrong certain peoplemadeyoufeel infereeraboutyourself because at any gin time it canbe them soremembder god created abeautifulpersonandthat perso need too start finding ther good thing iher do you kina understand what im trying to say i understand that what makes us th smarter and nicer comfoting people we are so dont hate what has happen instedd turhnevery thinaround because your hear and you just need to start loveing your self for suere god doed im sorry to be so blunt but i feel your hurt you are not alone and by the waytheres more to my situationbutit goes way beyond iwill ay one thinif i may ialways wanted to wear a swimsuia bikini bu icouldntbecausewhat the radiation and aaaaalso what the drs di during theinducedcoma he told me he accedently puntured a whole in my intetestancedand cut myasophogus andtheleftvalveof my heart was slolyleeking looksoihad to be placed on cumonum hmmm...im ok know but he scraped out all my mucsles in my stomach and cut7and1/2ft of my small intestance just because he wanted to take my gallbladderstones out he did it by scoping downh my bellybut did not sujcseed know my whole belly is a huge hernia and jknow dr; wiiltouch mke because they say im a war zone and you know what im in chronic pain every day and i dont aSKE MY HUSBAND TO HELP ME AND HE WORKS NEXED DOOR AT DDBEANAND SONS THEY MAKE MATCHES ALL AROUND THE WORLD HE JUST WALKS DOWN THE HIIL AND HE AT WORK HE DOES NOT NREALLY MAKE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF HE MENTALLY ABUSES ME BUT IT HURTS WE ARE STLL MARRIIED HESHOMEEVERY DAY AFTER WORK HE DONTGO OUT TO DRINK OR ANT THINIDO EVERYTHIN FOR HIMMI TREAT HIM LIKE A BABY LIKEKE A HUMAN IRUB HIS FEET SOMETNNNNHING THAT I DONT HAVEJUST MY HEELS AND YES ICRY I LOVE HIM BECAUSE 18AND1/2YRS IS A LONG TIME SOMEDAYCAN BE GOOD BUT MOSTLY HES NOT GOOD TO ME SO WHAT MY DAUGHTER AND I KNOW DO IS PRAYEVERY DAYAND TPRAY FOR EVERYONETHAT IS DOWN OR SICK AND WE PRAYFOR MY MARRIAGE FOR HIM BECAUSE THE EVIL IS WITHIN HIMSO I CRY ALOT AND ASK GOD FOR COURAGE WISDOMANDKNOWLEDGETOMAKEY HUSBANDS MIND TO BE AT PEACE HE IS VER JUDGEMENTAL ALSO HES FROM NICARAGARA HE LATIN IM SO SORRY THAT IVE TAKEN YOR TIME BUT IWILL PRAY FOR YOU i KNOW KNOW YOUWILLBE HAPPY MAYBE YOULL LET ME KNOW AND YES ICAN TAKE IT IF YOU TELL MEDE DONT BOTHER ME BUTI JUST CANT SEE YOU LETTING YOURSELF PUTYOUR PWN SELF DOWNH ITS OK TO BE ANGRY ITS CALLED BEING NORMAL ANYONE WHO LAUGHS AT YOU OR CALSSYOUANAME THEY ARE THE ONE WE NEED TPO PRAY FOR IM NOT A PASTOR BUT IDO KNOW THIS MUSH WERE ONLY PASSING BY JUDDDDDGEMENT DAY WILL COMME FOR ALL PLEASE DONT BE ANGRY IF YYUOU WANT OR NEED A FRIEND JUST FIND ME OK.IF NOT THATS OK LIKE I SAY ISTILL HAVE SO MUSH MORE TO SAY BUT IT HAS TO BE IN PIECES SO CHEER UPYOUR PICTURE IS SO PRETTYI HOPE TO HEAR HOW YOUR DOINGONE DAY IF NOT HAVE YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY A WONDERFULL HLLIDAY AND GO SAY SOME PRAYERS THANK GOD HE WILL LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND IT DONT COST A THING AND HNE ALWAYS LISTENS IN MATHEWS THROUGH CRIST ALL THINGS ARE PSSIBLEIF YOUBELIVEAND ASK ANDREALLYBELIEVEAND YOU WILL RECIEVETALK TO AND THANK HIMHE LOVES YOU OK.....ELIS....LATER
  
  Nov 17, 2012
  1 like
- bannanaorange
  SO SORRY ICANT EVEN READ EVERY THING I TYPED THATS NOT GOOD WOW IGUESS WHEN I TYPE I WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE I GET ENOUGH IHAVE NOT BEEN TO BED IN TWO AND 1/2 DAY AND I STILL HAVE TO BE UP TO TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY THEY GET UP EARLY SO I WILL TRY MORE BETTER I FEEL BECAUSE NOBDY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPED NO ONE WILL RESPOND BUT ILL UNDERSTAND ANY COMMENTS LET ME KNOW...THANKYOU ELISA...
  
  Nov 17, 2012
  1 like
ourdoubtsaretraitors

Well I guess it's only funny if you feel comfortable with it. I can see why it's funny, I'm not an amputee so it wouldn't make me feel bad, but if you are, then it's different I suppose. And if your friend is making you feel uncomfortable you should say, they probably don't realise.

Jun 2, 2009
2 likes
vetra

Well I don't care what others think, but others do. I can see why this would be funny, but if it bothers you that he's wrightin' a song then stand your ground, if they are your friend they need to concider your feelings. It is only to far if you think it is. Just cause you thought it was funny dosn't mean your less. If that was the case then any blond who laughed at a blond joke is less then.

Feb 26, 2009
5 likes

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