Super Human

This week marks two years since Reid's amputation. I can never quite believe how normal it has become. So normal, in fact, I'm sometimes surprised when I'm dressing Grayden and he has two feet made of flesh and bone. I regularly expect a stump or prosthetic to poke through his pant leg.

Reid certainly has adapted well. Though he can run at super-sonic speed without his prosthetic, he really doesn't like to be without it, refusing to take it off even for swimming. Which is fine. His prosthetic hasn't slowed him down from normal three year old life in anyway (except that he's a little bummed he can't wear flip-flops).

I take the crazies to an afternoon PE class every Tuesday through the kinesiology department at the local university. The first day of class, all the kids went through a serious of activities to determine a lesson plan for them throughout the semester. Reid wore pants that day and got through all the activities (hoping on one foot, kicking a ball, crab walking, jumping, running, etc) with flying colors. Though they noticed he slightly favored one leg, they had NO IDEA there was a prosthetic under his pants. And he's excelling in the PE class. It's so fun to watch him. He's such an active, happy, silly, little kid (when he's not whining).

In remembering Reid's amputation, I'm including my favorite post about this journey...though the majority of you have already read it. Originally posted August 7, 2007.

(For more, you can Reid about the beginnings here. About his one-footed superhero, here. About his first prosthetic here. And second here.)

-------------------------------------------------

I was bathing the boys the other day and they were sticking the plastic cups they play with in the bath tub on their feet. When Reid put the cup on his stump, it went all the way up to his knee. And we all thought that was pretty awesome. So then I started to think about all the other advantages of having only one foot and a prosthetic leg (which goes clear up to his knee).

• When he wears a cup on his foot it goes all the way up to his knee


• If ever he wants to be a pirate for Halloween, he'll make a great peg-leg


• At play group this afternoon an older kid referred to it as a robot leg


• He can only get a sunburn on one leg


• He has 5 less toenails to clip (and it's not an easy task clipping a 1 year olds toenails)


• He has one less foot to wash and dry at bathtime


• If he steps in a puddle with shoes and socks on, he only has to experience that sloshy discomfort with one foot


• When he plays in the snow, only one foot will be unbearably cold


• If he steps on something sharp with his prosthetic, he won't bleed


• His foot sits on a stand when he sleeps


• It won't hurt when he stubs his toe


• If ever he gets in a fight, as boys do, he has a secret weapon (it hurts pretty bad to get kicked by that thing...so far he hasn't done it on purpose, but he'll soon learn)


• People freak out when you pull his leg off to go through airport security


• He'll be able to play awesome tricks on people

• He only has half the chance of developing foot problems (ingrown toenails, athletes foot, corns, planters warts, and all the other gross diseases of the foot)
  

• When he's been wearing shoes with no socks, only one foot stinks


• He's the only kid in nursery who has one


• According to the latest Olympic debate, he'll have the "advantage" in athletics


• If you ever get paired with him in a three legged race, it will be more like a two legged race.

• He'll win any standing or hopping on one leg contest


• His legs are two different colors


• If (heaven forbid) he decides to wrestle in high school, it will be easy for him to "drop weight" - He can just take his foot off

• He can't sprain or break his ankle
  

These are all the advantages I could think of in just 5 minutes. Given more time, I 'm sure there are many more to list. It's pretty awesome. He's doing so well.