Frequent Topics

To amputate or try limb salvage?

Limb salvage and amputation may be commonly heard together, as they are related to the same topic. But, it’s important to know that they lead to very different outcomes.

Limb salvage involves saving parts of a lower extremity that have gone through significant trauma when otherwise that limb would have been amputated. Amputation not only decreases mobility, but it is more expensive and lowers life expectancy. It is estimated that approximately 60% of amputations performed in the U.S. could have been prevented with early detection. This is why it is important to seek out a limb salvage specialist before amputation.

Narcotics vs. CBD vs. Spinal Implant Stimulator

Chronic neuropathic pain is a common challenging condition following amputation. Recent research demonstrated the feasibility of percutaneously implanting fine-wire coiled peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) leads in proximity to the sciatic and femoral nerves for postamputation pain. A multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study collected data on the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous PNS for chronic neuropathic pain following amputation.

Lymphedema

Lymphedema is swelling due to build-up of lymph fluid in the body. Lymph nodes act like a drain in your sink. If the drain is clogged, the fluid cannot drain. It usually happens in the arms or legs, but can occur in other parts of the body. Lymph fluid is part of the lymph system that carries fluid and cells that help fight infections throughout the body. Sometimes this swelling develops quickly, or it may develop slowly over several months.

Goal setting

Goals that have a time frame around them usually come as three types. An explanation of these can be found below.

Short-term goals
These goals include the things that you may achieve in a short space of time. For example, when you first get your prosthesis, having the ability to stand up for short periods of time, and/or managing to walk the length of the parallel bars a number of times.

Medium-term goals
These goals include the things that may take a little longer to achieve. For example, having the ability to walk the length of a corridor and back again with a walking aid, or getting used to walk around safe areas of your house (like the kitchen) without a walking aid.

Long-term goals
These goals include things that you will gradually aim to achieve as your confidence with the prosthesis improves over several months. For example, feeling confident enough to walk through a busy shopping centre, using an escalator, going to the supermarket on your own and/or going on a holiday with your family.

Intimacy after limb loss

One of the major hurdles to intimacy with another person is low self-esteem and a poor body image. After an amputation, this challenge becomes more significant.

A 2018 study conducted in Ireland looked into the psychological well-being of 49 males and 16 females with lower limb amputations and how it affected their sex life. The researchers found that psychological challenges after limb loss are strongly associated with sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, some of the participants reported high levels of anxiety, depression, and body exposure self-consciousness during sex. The latter was the strongest predictor of sexual dysfunction.

Body Dysmorphia

The most common reason for amputation in body integrity dysphoria is the patient’s desire to correct the mismatch in their body. This unusual desire is due to the patient’s belief that the target limb does not belong to them.

The underlying cause of Body integrity dysphoria is still unknown, and research is going on to understand the precise cause. Scientists believe that it is mainly due to early childhood trauma, sexual arousal, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, or an over-identification with amputees.

Nutrition

Nutrition can be a powerful ally, helping to fuel you mentally and physically for the challenges of living with an amputation. Make nutrition work for you by focusing on eating real foods that are high in lean protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the right proportions. Here are some strategies to help keep you eating and performing well.

Self Advocacy

The ability to express your needs, desires and concerns in relation to your health and the care provided to you can be a tremendous help to you as you navigate your recovery from amputation.

In order to achieve the best possible health outcomes, it is important to be an advocate for yourself with insurance companies and healthcare providers. Only you know all the details of your history, your needs, and the resources you’ve looked into.

Boundary Setting

In a world as fast-paced as ours, it’s tempting to continuously look for the next shortcut or productivity tool to keep pace with the competition — but these “hacks” don’t usually work. Pre-pandemic research indicated that many Americans were already sleeping less than previous generations, often to get extra work done. Yet, we were somehow increasingly unproductive. More recent studies show that post-pandemic stress, anxiety, and insomnia has gone up. Unsurprisingly, we are also more stressed, caffeinated, and miserable. Our free time and physical activity has, on the whole, declined.

Boundaries as a solution sit right in front of us. When we define what we need to feel secure and healthy, when we need it, and create tools to protect those parts of ourselves, we can do wonders for our well-being at work and at home — which, in turn, allows us to bring our best selves to both places. A boundary could be how we want our partners and peers to communicate with us, when we want our bosses to contact us, or even the days we most prefer to work versus rest.

Effective Communication

Communication skills are some of the most utilized and the most sought after in the workplace. They’re essential for leaders and individual contributors to hone. Looking at our largely remot and hybrid work environments, great communication skills make the difference between connected, agile teams, and teams who fail to collaborate, stay aligned, and achieve common goals.

The good news is that improving communication skills is easier than you might imagine. Here are some basic principles worth following in order to communicate better.

Chiropractic Care

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is common and often accompanied by serious suffering. Current systematic-review evidence suggests that recommended treatments are no more effective than placebo for reducing PLP. Given the difficulty in conducting a meta-analysis for nonpharmacological treatments and the weak evidence for pharmacological treatments for PLP, consensus on the first-line management of PLP needs to be reached using alternative methods.

Weight loss goals

Body mass index (BMI) is a useful measure of whether someone is a healthy weight for their height.

However, it's sometimes not enough to use BMI to check the weight of someone in a wheelchair, as this may not give the full picture. If you're uncertain about your weight, talk to a GP. They will be able to tell you whether BMI is suitable for you and whether you're currently a healthy weight.

General frustrations with limb loss and current circumstances

Remember that even though you've lost a limb, it doesn't change who you are or prevent you from enjoying life. You'll have to adapt and learn new ways to do things. But you can still work and take part in sports and activities. And you can still learn, love, play, and live life to its fullest.

Family intervention and mediation

Family caregiving has its challenges: emotional overload, time constraints, anxiety, burnout, missed work, adult sibling conflicts and marital issues. But caregivers also grow personally and spiritually by providing care to a loved one.

Dealing with depression and anxiety due to limb loss and/or primary and secondary disease processes

Amputation presents multi-directional challenges. It not only affects function and sensation, but also affects body image, and social and psychological well-being. Psychological reactions vary greatly and depend on many factors and variable. In most cases, the predominant experience of the amputee is one of loss: not only the obvious loss of the limb but also resulting losses in function, self-image, career and relationships.

Many of the psychological reactions may be transient, some are helpful and constructive, others less so, and a few may require further action (e.g. psychiatric assessment in the case of psychosis).

About ≥30% of amputees are troubled by depression. Psychological morbidity, decreased self esteem, distorted body image, increased dependency and significant levels of social isolation are also observed in short and long-term follow up after amputation.

The goal for many amputees is no longer to reach a 'natural' level of ability but to exceed it, using whatever cutting-edge technology is available. As this new generation sees it, our tools are evolving faster than the human body, so why obey the limits of mere nature?

~ Daniel H Wilson

Online life coaching

Get the motivation, guidance, and support you need to get your life on track. If you want to attract wealth, success and happiness, then our online coaching courses are for you.

BASIC COURSEStrong start

Envision your ideal life and set goals to create your best year yet! You’ll discard old goals...

ADVANCED COURSEIncrease power

Attract what ytou want in life by eliminating the energy drains and adding in new, healthy energy sources.

ADVANCED COURSEClean up your act

If you want to attract new things into your life, you need to free up space for them.

BUSINESS COURSEDo work you love

Finding work you love is satisfying; start making the necessary transitions so that you do what you love to do.

BASIC COURSEStrong start

Envision your ideal life and set goals to create your best year yet! You’ll discard old goals...

ADVANCED COURSEIncrease power

Attract what ytou want in life by eliminating the energy drains and adding in new, healthy energy sources.

ADVANCED COURSEClean up your act

If you want to attract new things into your life, you need to free up space for them.

BUSINESS COURSEDo work you love

Finding work you love is satisfying; start making the necessary transitions so that you do what you love to do.

Successfull stories
and client testimonials

I had heard great things of Celeste's coaching and work

I am so glad that I did! Her books, audios and life coaching program contain some of the most practical and useful information and advice I have encountered. Her ideas are simple andeasily implemented, yet make a tremendous difference if you take the time to follow her step-by-step plan. Since reading Coach Yourself to Success, I have ordered all of her books and audio programs! If you seek to make the best of yourself and what is already inside you, you couldn’t find a better resource.

SUZANNE MITCHELL
ACC, CMC, CWC

I always look forward to see what the new assignment will be.

I’ve had a lot of great life changes since I’ve started the Coach Yourself to Success Online program such as I’ve been able to get rid of alot of stuff that I don’t need …. I’ve donated a lot of things and have sold things at my local used book store as well as on Craig’s list. I’m using the money to buy an IPAD. Something I wouldn’t normally splurge on myself.

Since I’ve made more room in my life, I’m receiving an additional $500 per month that was unexpected. I’ve lost 25 lbs., and many more changes. I really enjoy the weekly call-ins Coaching Hours. I’m on week 30 now and always look forward to see what the new assignment will be.

PEGGY TIDWELL
Business Owner
Scottsdale, AZ

Creating space has improved my relationship

First, I gained some real value from the program—mostly it was in helping me become unstuck in a few key areas. Like you said, it seemed almost like magic. I didn’t push anything or struggle, rather I just eased up and changed my viewpoint and then things shifted. For example, for a long time I’ve been bothered by all the clutter my very sweet and dear husband leaves around the house. I just accepted it as my lot in life to constantly need to move this stuff around as I need an orderly environment (my #1 emotional need as it turns out) and he doesn’t. But over the past nine weeks I realized that I was being proprietary about our space. Most all the space in the house is taken up with my stuff. We had very few places where his stuff could live, and no permanent home equalled constant clutter.

This summer we eliminated a guest room and turned it into an office for my husband. He treated himself to a new computer with huge monitor and killer sound system, and even though it is not yet furnished, he is enjoying spending time there and viola, we have a place for a lot of his stuff. It wasn’t hard to do this and we are both much happier on this issue as a result. Also now in general I am more open to moving things around or even stowing my stuff in the basement if he feels he needs more space. I just don’t feel as attached to it as I always have.

There’s a saying that it is pure folly to try to change another person, the only person you can change is yourself, and I discovered through the class that as I just quietly changed myself it caused people around me to follow my example, which was really neat too. And you’re right, men respond really well to declarative sentences vs. questions. I am doing that now with great results.

GEORGE MIDWELL
Participant
Dublin, OH

Wow! Love it!

I have suggested this book to every woman I know (and some men), married or single. The style is appealing, empowering, and again, completely engaging.

LAKESHIA RIVERS
Irvine, California

I realized my dream!

1.5 years after reading your book Coach Yourself To Success: and a small stint in your coaching program, I started my own conflict management business. Thanks for inspiring me.

Warm regards,
BRUCE LEGGERS

Thank you for a fabulous 9-week transformation!

The clutter is gone (home, work, mind!) and that’s made it easier to make decisions I trust — no more wasting time second-guessing. I embarked on a new professional journey I didn’t have the confidence to try until now. My communication is (becoming) precise and clear. Boundary work, needs assessment – BIG areas of change, and relatively simple. Everything — personal and professional — seems to be in flow.

Talane, thank you so much for providing this opportunity. I’ve been using your book on-off for about two years. I wasn’t prepared to invest in personal coaching yet, so this class was a great bridge/introduction. I came into this course extremely open and prepared for change and I carry that same openness to my new career and expect I will do personal coaching within the year!

Warm thanks,
MARYLIN BRODEUR