I had a choice.I was born with a rare bone disease called Olliers disease or multiple enchondromatosis(that is a mouth full).It causes tumors to form in the cartlidge of bone and makes bones weak and some shorter than others.Mine effected my femor.Aftermany surgeries through my childhood that didn't work.Like one to stretch the leg.Painful producer that causes bone infection which I got.Also many time breaking the leg.The doctors gace me a choice of amputation.I thought about it for a few months and decided to do it.So I say if it will imrove your life then do it.

Sorry about the typos.We really need an edit button.I also need to try not to type so fast and proofread before I hit add.

I lost my left leg above the knee due to blood clots. I chose to have it amputated. I do have phanthom pain. But is a lot less then the pain I was having before. I have not been able to master a new leg yet so I am in a wheelchair. But that does not stop me from doing just about everything I want to do .. I drive, stand when I need to and sometimes just to be doing it. So in my case it was pain versus amputation.. I chose the latter..

Hi, I also electively made the decision to have an AKA. I survived bone cancer to my tibia 23 yrs ago(age 12) and had limb spatring using metal to replace the bone, well over the years, I have had a dozen major revision surgeries and because of the little bone stock left, amputation was pretty much inevitable. I decided to do it now, vs. sometime down the road. I don't regret my decision at all, but I do now understand why a doctor may say that your leg is better than a prosthesis any day, of course your probably saying, but I truely felt that my leg was dead weight and not very functional at all, but it was "my real leg". I am not looking back and have not at all (my amputation was 3/07), but it is much more than I ever thought and so much more time consuming with the fitting of a prosthesis. I have been in the medical field all my life, and worked in the operating room as a scrub nurse, so all the knowledge and research is great, but until it happens you really don't know.

I hope I don't sound too negative, because that is the last thing on my mind, but just do your homework. I also felt for me it is quality of life and I did this for a new lease on life. I haven't ran or jumped or riden a bike since I was 11 y/o, so I am still hoping that if I want to achieve these things I can if I set my mind to it. My point, get more opinions, talk to physical therapists, prosthetists or anyone else to give you more info for a more informed decision.

Please email me if I can help in any other way.

I had a choice too. As a matter of fact they made me make the decision myself.
I was given 3 choices.
1.Remove the tumor and what was left of my heel and other affected surrounding bones. Then recontruct, fuse etc what was left of my foot. No guaratee that they could get clear margains around the tumor. Or how many months/years before I would be able to walk.
2.Remove tumor and do nothing. Wait to see if bones grew back. No guarantee of clear margains.
3.Amputate. Get clear margains. Cancer would be completely gone, and I could walk again in a few months.

One of my docs said to me "the most important thing is to save your life." So for me 3 was the only choice I could make. It was a tough decision even though I knew it was the best one. I turned it over in my head for a couple of months before I decided. Once I did I couldn't look back. I also had 2 doctors tell me if it was them, they would do the amputation.

To answer you last question about mobility and quality of life... Absolutely it shoud be about that. But unfortunately when there is cost and insurance involved, somebody always gets screwed.

i was an "elective" amputee. you should check out my first journal entry when you get a chance. and also maybe check into finding a new surgeon too. amputees can do basically ANYTHING they did before the injurys. please dont go on the fact that amps have trouble walking and trouble with pain. the pain fades drastically and all you need to walk is some determination and the belief in yourself! and yes, my choice was based on the fact that i desperately needed quality of life. i felt i didnt want to go on the way i was pre-amp.

I was diagnosed with a synovial cell sarcoma in my right knee. After the tumor was surgically removed, I was transferred to the University hosp where I was given 3 options:
* Take my knee out and put in a replacement knee.
* Take my knee out with enough bone and muscle on each side that the Dr's felt was safe so the cancer did not come back, and put in a cadaver bone (live with a straight leg the rest of my life)
*amputate.

NO WAY was I amputating my leg, so I chose option 2. Along with the cadaver bone they put in metal plates and screws to fasten it to the existing bones in my leg.

My problem came when I got infection on the patch of skin between my first incision (surgery to take tumor out) and the second incision (surgery to take out knee and put in cadaver bone) that would not heal. They surgically removed the infection that literally left two huge holes in my leg (you could look inside my leg and see the bones/muscles/metal plates). Then I had to decide if I was going to amputate or do a muscle/skin graft plus multiple surgeries late to place metal rods in my leg to strengthen the leg to walk on. With the second option, there was a lot of chance for infection again with the open wound and the metal plates already in my leg and possible amputation down the road anyway.

They made me make the decision, no one would lean one way or another as to what to do....I was 15.

Looking back, this was definately the right decision.

Thank you all for your posts. This is really helpful in my decision making process. Bugbing...mentioned blood clots - did you have a DVT and post thrombotic syndrome (swelling, etc)?
Dianasmom...mentioned a tumor in the foot. I have a new bump on the bottom of my foot that started about 6 months ago. How did you know yours was cancer? I read that bumps on the bottom of the foot can be noncancerous or cancerous. I don't have the two scientific names for it right on hand. I guess it is worth mentioning the next time I see a doctor...Jude, a very positive post. Thanks.
I wonder if my family doctor saw Heather Mills in Dancing with the Stars. He didn't believe the video I showed him. I have since collected links to many more amazing ones. I like to focus on the positive stories; my family doctor focuses on the negative ones. Ugh. Well, he is only one of my many doctors....I'm too scared to dicuss it with them...yet.

La1: I do not mean to come off sounding preachy, but there is absolutely NO ROOM for embarassment, incompetance by doctors or waiting. I learned the hard way (by losing my leg) that you get second or third opinions by drs RIGHT AWAY and if you question, ANYTHING, you get in to your doctor ASAP and have your "bumps" checked out. Do not trust the dr when he/she says "oh, it should be ok"....it was NOT "ok" for me. Cancer does not wait for you to decide when it will fit in with "your schedule". I could have very easily died from the kind of cancer I had....for some reason I did not. PLEASE go get this checked out by another dr if you're questioning it at all. I wish you well.

I'm 5months postop and I'm riden my motorcycle or was till it got to cold out lol.my amputation was about quality of life,in the end I wanted my life back.sure there's pain but it's not the same as before and it gets less and less each day.That and I'm stubborn as hell:)Good luck .

Well here goes. I am 42 years old and had a major trauma to my left ankle last Feb. Sustained a Pylon fracture to ankle, fib, and tib. Basically the X-Ray looked like a grenade had gone off in my ankle. Two plates, 24 Titanium screws and 7 surgeries in that time frame. Numerous bouts with infection and setbacks. The ankle started to collapse the minute I started bearing weight on it and the pain was so horrible I had to take 125 mgs. of Oxycotin and 12 Vicodens a day just to be able to bear all this torture.

We tried to save the ankle and it was an accident, but the docotrs inevitably left the decision to me. Pain and miser the rest of my life, and never ever being able to walk again, or amputation and a shot at living a VERY normal life.

I chose the amputation and had my lower left leg removed on Oct. 26th. Almost 7 weeks to the day and I was casted for my first temporary leg, and with the flo-tech systam I have I can walk with a cane for short periods that get longer each day. I will get the new leg in two weeks that means a total of 9 weeks and I will be starting to live again with no pain and able to take care of myself. I am off of the pain killers and I have no antibiotics in my system.

The decision lies in what kind of quality of life you will have. In my case it was a no brainer. Why be a miserable pain freak and never ever be happy or take a small amount of me away and live a great life.

Your surgeon sounds to me like he is stuck in the middle ages. With the advancements in prosthetics, and good orthotist to get you set with a good leg, you could do everything you want to do and more. I would personally talk to another doctor and seriously think about it. I was on my feet the next day, and went home from the hospital in three days feeling better than I had in months.


In no way am I agreeing or disagreeing with anything that your physicians say. But in the end, you have to know what you are capable of putting up with for the rest of YOUR life, not their satisfaction. Research, research, research. I came here before my decision and it made it so much easier.

well mine is easy...a friend shot me with 16gaug..lol.

I have some sort of weird blood type that clots very easily. We were told it runs in families. We only know of one other person in our family with the same type. I will be on cumindin forever because of it. The blood type is V Lyden 5 with an RH factor...

I hear ya Shotgun!!!! but did your friend (((Choose))) what gauge to shoot you with ???? Just a little food for thought:)

well.donspassi..if it would have been any other gauge..i would have my leg right now..yes he did the cheep ass could have spent 25 more bucks for a 12 gauge..lol.lol