Before today, I have felt offended by images of prosthetic limbs that seemed to fetishize amputees.
Even though it’s none of my business what people fetishize, I will always remember the doctor who told Max to consider having his leg amputated. Max was visibly upset, but somewhat resigned. Everything was as bad as it could be for him, so why not this new development, too. As it turned out, his surgeon disagreed. Further surgery and physical therapy could save the leg. But pictures of prosthetic legs continued to fill me with anger and despair.
Losing a leg seemed indescribably horrible and unfair. But it happens. And clearly there are plenty of people who cope with this loss and don’t let it ruin their lives.
Kiera Roche is a strong-willed amputee who has challenged herself with cycling and hiking. She has struggled with ideas of ‘normal’ and looking different. She loves her beautiful new floral leg, and I love it too.
Keira and her beautiful leg have changed my thinking about amputees. I am grateful to have come across The Alternative Limb Project. I feel enlightened on a subject where my mind was once closed.
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photos (c) the alternative limb project
My Chinaman gets his new foot today and we are looking forward to it quite gleefully.
I’m not sure this lady’s leg would suit him but perhaps one shaped a bit like a saxophone would do.
I’ll keep you informed.
That’s a beautiful image. I followed the link, but it took me to a survey for amputees, not the public face of the project.
Thank you, as always, for sharing beauty, pain, loss, and sass.
xoxo
Andra – I’m sure he could get a saxophone leg. That would be awesome.
Lynn – That was the home page for the whole project but I’ve changed it to the floral leg. You can click around to look at other designs, too.
What a great post, not just in terms of hearing about your original and then changed perspective, but in the link you provided. Reading the profiles of the women photographed it rang out really strongly that having something made for them, and that was special and expressive, helped give them a feeling of worth and specialness that the amputation had taken from them. I hadn’t heard about this woman or her wonderful bespoke service, despite every other aspect of the Olympic Ceremony (did you see the ‘Ice Queen’ leg?) being banged on about endlessly here. x
Imagine having to decide on what design to put on a prosthetic limb. It takes me half an hour to select the right coloured $2 umbrella when its raining.
That woman looks gorgeous.
Viktoria Modesta is the girl from the Olympics with the Ice Queen leg/outfit. I didn’t read the article, so maybe it said in there.
Anyway, she is a fabulous woman, and there are people who love her because she is an amputee-and is also a fetish model. But she is a singer and designer as well.
https://www.facebook.com/viktoria.modesta.moskalova?fref=ts&ref=br_tf
I love this post, Sister Wolf.
Looked at the other “alternative” limbs. They are astonishing! Works of art!