Before I tested the leg.

This leg fits so much better.

This is the test socket it fits so nice I could stand all day!!

An update at last

Some of you may know that on June 23rd we had the carnival. We raised $10,000 that is a good start I would say. Each day someone else gives money to the fund. The amount is growing more and more. At the carnival we had leg events. We had Sportsplex gym come and they did some leg exercises and man let me tell you that doing those on one leg was rough. I think I need to go there and become an expert at those and have a wicked strong. That sounds like a good idea to me. Working out always sounds like a good idea and you really do feel good. You do really well then something happens that throws you off your rocker. UGH!!! Yes I am speaking of personal/current experience.

Faith and Miracels

I had a companion who is my dear friend share her faith with me and we saw miracels. In the mornings on the mission we would play soccer with other missionaries. One morning as Sisiter Parra (Tere) was playing her bracelet fell off. We got back to the apartment when she saw that her she looked at me and she that we needed to find it. We went back to the feild and had the serciutry gard let us back in to look; when he let us in he said "good luck" Tere looked at me and said "I don't believe in luck I believe in faith." Those words have stuck with me. Tere now is teaching me once again. Last saturday she fell out of a tree and broke her back now the doctors are saying she is paraliyzed. She is doing really good as she is in rehab.  She is learning how to get around with a wheelchair and with her new self.

Little Children

I love talking to little kids about my leg. A few weeks ago I was working at the What Women want expo and I was in a skirt. Three little kids, ages 5,4,3 came over and asked me all kinds of questions."Does it hurt?" "Can you run?" "How can you take a bath?" "Can you jump" "How does it stay on?" "How does it work?" As fast as I answered they had another question. The Mom and Aunt of these kids let them ask away. It was so great. I Jumped and walked and showed them the belt that holds it on. They were soaking it all in. The best part was when the turned to my friend Zach who is in the Arm Forces and he was in his uniform and the little boy looked up at him and asked "have you ever killed anyone?" Zach was taken by surprise. He did a very good job explaining that is not the only thing they do. I love little children they want to learn. To answer their questions: Does it hurt? sometimes, Can you run? no yet I need to learn, How can you take a bath? I take my leg off like a shoe than take a bath, How does it stay on? I have a strap, How does it work? kind of like a robot.

Learning to ride a bike

When I was 21 I decided to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. I was called to serve in the California Los Angeles Spanish Speaking mission. I received my call in May and I was leaving at the end of July. This was in 2009. Soon after that I received letter from the Mission President in Los Angeles saying that each missionary had to have a bike. I have never ridden a bike before. I started to learn when I was six and my brother took over my bike and I guess I didn't want to learn bad enough so I didn't take it back. Now I was asked to ride a bike so I could serve my Lord and Savior. We had to get a bike first. We went to Bountiful and found a bike. It was a women petite frame. We where having a hard time with the size until because a women size didn't fit me and a kids size was to small.We where coming down the stairs feeling a little discouraged and Dad had the feeling to look up. So he did and there was my bike. The salesman said to me that was the bike he told me about earlier and I blow him off. opps good thing dad was listening. So I got on the bike and it fit!!! So we went home with a bike and helmet and knee and elbow pads. We tried lots of different ways to get my foot to stay on the bike. Our neighbors had said that her dad was a machinist and maybe he could help with something. He did! Dad and were outside for hours and hours trying to master the bike. A lot of the time it mastered me and sometimes dad. We both had bumps and scraps and bruises. Dad did what dads do. The hang on the seat and handle bars and run with you. Dad running with his 21-year-old daughter trying to ride a bike. I was a little embarrassed. After almost hitting parked cars and crushing and crying one day dad said "Kristie just go for it" I said what? Dad explained that we were thinking to much and that when little kids get on bikes they go for it. So with a new determination and less fear I went for it. I did it!!!! All the way down the street alone. No way!! No way I just rode my bike.
On the mission I had told President that I wanted to go to an area that I could speak more Spanish and ride my bike. He did not like that idea.When he felt that I should go to the Compton- Lynnwood area he sent me there. I was with Sister Garza and Sister Williamson. We rode bikes a couple of times there. It was different and I didn't watch for cars very well. Not good. I am sure Sister Williamson had some heart attacks I will have to ask her. There was one time that we were going to ride at night to a meeting at the church. Sister Williamson told sister Garza to go in front and head to the church and not not and wait. Sister Garza dominated that trip there. She hualed. I remember looking up and not seeing her anymore. She did great.Than I was next in line and than Sister Williamson. There was one part of the trip I was not very confident in riding and that was up the little hill/slope to the tracks and over. As we got closer I yelled should I get off and walk over. Sister Williamson Said GO GO GO!!! So I went and I had to hold the tears back so I could see. This moment and Sister Williamson's actions have gave me strength through out my mission and now. This was a wonderful moment in my mission. Before Sister Williamson and I were companions I always thought when I would see her that if I was going to ride my bike I would want her to be my companion and she was and we rode.

If I am remembering right that was the ride home.

Sexylipo

Have you heard of sexylipo? where I work they have sexylipo. What it is, is ultrasonic lipo. How it works is like getting a ultrasound. They turn the ultrasound waves up higher and they vibrate so fast that the fats cells can't take it so the pop. They turn to liquid and your body gets rid of them just like food. There is no down time, bruising, pain. It sound almost to good to be true. It is all natural and it works. The office where I work does it and there was one lady that has lost 26 inches!!! oh and once the cells are popped they are popped. You are born with a certain number of fat cells and you will die with that same number. You can't gain fat cells. Yes you can gain it back in other fat cells unless you change your habits. My friend to is really active and in great shape had one area that no matter what she did she couldn't get rid of the fat on her inner thigh. She did this and now its gone. I am telling this because I did it to my stump today. To get a good fit of the leg it is important that the shape is the same on the leg so if it is like an ice cream cone shape that is bad. The best shape is a cylinder shape. With sexylipo and changing my life style I am going to work on getting a better shape of a stump then a better leg. We did the first time today. I will post pictures and results. Usually there is a two-five inches loss of pure fat in one session.  
I posted a link on the home page.

Questions and Answers

This post is for you all to ask any questions that you may have about life as an amputee or what is going on.
Ask a way!