Judy, it is natural to feel somber, not knowing how to react. My wife was the same way, but we realized that we were going to embark an a whole new way of looking at life. I lost my right leg below the knee in August of 2004 to a MRSA infection. Be encouraged to know that the love you and he have will not change for the worse, but should grow deeper and become even more solid than you ever imagined. Encourage him to go on and not look at this loss as devastating and an end to life as he knows it. I know it is harder often on the wife because you now have to bare the brunt of responsibility until your husband heals. Love him, encourage him, and push him never to despair. I took my amputation and looked around to see how I could help my fellow amputees. I found that if I could "turn my liabilities into assets" I would be able to be productive again and so I created products that fight infection and skin conditions affecting amputees and diabetics in an all natural way. We have Prosthetic companies in several parts of the country conducting controlled studies with their clients and all reports have been great.

My point is this, if you have any faith in the Lord, then lean on Him, not your own understanding. If you try to figure out the whys and how comes you will drive yourselves nuts. Simply believe that He knows best and He will get you through, he did my wife and I.

JUDY, I WRITE IN CAPS DUE TO EYESIGHT PROBLEMS, SO NO OFFENSE OK. ANYWAY TO YOUR QUESTION, YES YOU CAN POST HERE, AND YES ITS NATURAL TO FEEL THE WAY YOU DO. I HAD MY LEG AMPUTATED LAST OCT. AND I AM STILL NOT OVER IT. MY HUSBAND IS A GREAT SUPPORT, BUT MY LEG HAS HAD A LARGE IMPACT ON HIM. I KNOW HE LOVES ME, WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED THIRTY NINE YEARS, FORTY IN JANUARY BUT THIS IS A TRUE TEST. HE HELPS ME WITH EVERYTHING, RIGHT DOWN TO SHOWERING. NOW, I WOULD RATHER DO EVERYTHING ON MY OWN, BUT ITS JUST NOT HAPPENING YET. AND EVEN HE AGREES THAT SOMEDAY IT WILL, JUST NOT NOW. I GET REAL ANGRY ABOUT HIS HAVING TO DO SO MUCH TO HELP ME, BUT HE SAYS, THE PRIEST SAID FOR BETTER OR WORSE! AND THIS IS WHAT HE MEANT. ITS ME THAT HAS THE PROBLEM NOT HIM. SO YOU SEE, I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL. IT IS SHOCK, AND IT IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT HOW THIS WILL EFFECT YOUR LIVES TOGEATHER. ITS A TRUE TEST. BUT ONE YOU WILL BOTH PASS I AM SURE. THE TEARS WILL FLOW FROM BOTH OF YOU, BUT OUR GOD IS LIKE A BIG SPONGE. JUST TAKE THE TEARS TO HIM AND HE WILL WIPE THEM AWAY, NO MATTER HOW MANY THERE ARE. AND IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY BECAUSE I HAVE CRIED SO MANY TIMES ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ONE PERSON TO WIPE THEM ALL AWAY ON THEIR OWN. MY BIG ADVICE IS TO USE THE JOURNAL PROVIDED AND WRITE DOWN HOW YOU FEEL. TALK TO US. IF YOU NEED INFORMATION, ONE OF US HERE HAS TO HAVE AN ANSWER OR CAN LEAD YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO PLEASE ANYTIME YOU HAVE A NEED WE CAN TRY TO HELP. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH AND KEEP YOU SAFE. PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM, AND WHEN YOU HAVE A QUESTION, THE DOCTORS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP AND A GOOD PROSTHETIST(LEG GUY). AND DONT FORGET US, WE WILL HELP AS BEST WE CAN. LINDA

Welcome to the group.It is normal to feel shock after something like this has happened.You have found a great site full of caring people who will try to help if you have any questions.Take care a good luck to your husband with his recovery.

Of course you should post here, your husband should too. You're not alone and neither is your husband. Keep faith in your husband and yourself.

Glenn Barfield
http://amputeenews.com

Hi Judy,
Of course you should post here. We are all here to help each other, either as apmutees, or as caregivers. Your life has been changed by your husband's amputation, as you will have new responsibilities until such a time as he may be fitted with a prothetic. There is always the outside chance he may not ever use one, though that's doubtful. In either case, the more you educate yourself, the leass frightening and frustrating the journey will be for the two of you, together and individually.
My own personal advice, as an amputee, is don't jump in to do everything for him. Let him do as much for himself as he can, and encourage him to do more as he goes along. Try to get him to see himself as alternatively abled, as opposed to diabled. In my mind, calling myself disabled implies I am not longer functional, and when I start to see myself in that way, I begin to throw pieces of myself away, because it is easier than thinking of new ways to do things. Encourage your husband to grieve, but so that he can move through the process, and not stay mired down in it. Also, know that a wide range of emotions will be normal for both of you. Anger, sadness, grief, fear, and even humor and joy. A sense of accomplishment is possible too, as you master the new methods of doing old activities. Laugh and cry togehter, and keep your love strong, and the rest will fall into place. Feel free to write to me if I can help at all. I did a pretty good job adapting to this part of my life.