Yeah I agree with you. It's a fine line!

. I refer to myself as the "One-Legged Preacher." All we can do is the best we can with what we've got. Count your blessings for the many things that you CAN DO and others will see and appreciate those things. God Bless You, preacherdave

I have never gotten a joke about it. Ever. Most folks stare. For kids I'll take my stump outta the socket and act like I'm directing music with it. They bust out laughing. I'm a cop, so I'm thick skinned. I make more light of my amputation that they do. I have embraced my injury. I wear my prosthesis with pride. I love saying "what do I know, I don't have a leg to stand on" and folks bust out laughing. If someone crosses the line you can always say "there is no honor in getting your a#% whipped by an amputee".

I totally agree with bustedup. Humor is an important tool for us to get through life's challenges. Sharing our sense of humor with others helps them feel more comfortable around us. And that means we're less likely to end up isolated. So laugh away, if you can. And try to appreciate the importance of other people being able to laugh around us.

Yeah, i use the "I don't have a leg to stand on," too. And, I'll take off my leg, slam it on the floor, and say, "well, that's where I put my foot down!"
I also velcroed googly eyes on the front of my leg, like it has eyes. I need to paint a nose and mouth below them.

I think it's 'easier' having one leg, versus one arm. Perhaps that's just me. There are way more jokes for legs. :P

I tell all of the guys that helps me unload my truck that I am best one legged truck driver that they know. Or if they don't behave themselves I will take my leg off and bet them over the head with it.

I am an above the knee amputee at work(I work full time for the county as a truck driver) Most of the guys do not know my actual name they refer to me as skippy,capt morgan ,gippy none of it bothers me as i am a VERY sarcastic person an get my digs in regularly.I just had all my teeth pulled(all 12 of them) an now my new nic-name is PEARL I am loveing it

I got used to people making fun of me when I was much younger. Now at the age of 45 and having chronic back pain, it doesn't bother me much. I have bigger issues to deal with than just not having any arms. I make jokes about my 'disability' just to show people it doesn't bother me. Because my real disability, if the word even has anything going for it anymore, is my chronic back pain. I never saw myself as disabled, it was always other people telling me I was. I am just greatful I am able to use my feet like people use their hands.

oh no that is so sad. i'm so sorry. i guess i am lucky have never been made fun of yet. come to think of it usually i am the one who is making the jokes.
i live in a very small community very sheltered everyone knows who i am and how it came about that i lost my leg.
what gets me is when i encounter strangers - the starring.

Jokes dont bother me until someone wants to make it their priority for the day.A couple are fine but I dont appreciate someone Im spending the day with trying to come up with a new one every 5 minutes or more than one friend seeing who can outdo the other with them,. I am an above knee amputee of yhe left leg.My brother is an amputee of his left hand.When we go out together it draws stares so we w3ill start crackin jokes about each other to ease other peoples tension and to show that we have a sense of humor about it. We have introduced ourselves as Michigans premier "Gator Guides". Told waitresses that we run a shark viewing service in Florida. Or my favorite " I get a better deal on socks than he does on gloves!" KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR PEOPLE , ITS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF.

I don't have a problem with it in fact I sometimes/most of the time have way to much fun with my amputation ,right leg above the knee,life is way to short to get up set.To begin with most people get uncomfortable.because they have a hard time understanding it when dealing with somebody missing a limb.At my work it took a long time before they knew my real first name they called me skippy,captain morgan,hop along ect.On a different note when I returned to work with out my knee trying to get into a dump truck I threw my crutches into the truck an started to climb into the truck all the while there where 10 guys standing around not real close an not very far away if i had started to fall I would not have reached the ground they all gave me my space but where there if something happened.

I'm the one that usually makes the joke. Although I am only missing the 1st 3 toes on my left foot, I have chronic pain that only increases the more I stand/walk. I just tell people my dream of ballerina is now shot! =)

Well,Becky, I think someone said here somewhere in here that they would much rather lose a leg than an arm. I agree. I don't think jokes or stupid questions are cool at all. My friends call me "stumpy" or something equally goofy. I don't mind them but I don't like rude questions and comments from people I don't know. I think I have an advantage on you....I'm an old greybeard biker, not an attractive young woman :). If an inappropriate question by someone I've never seen b4 I usually stare until the leave. Just the other day there was a child somewhere around 5yo. He was trying really hard not to look. I walked over and asked his mom if I could talk to him. We sat down on a bench and talked. I answered all of his young questions and gave him some good advice and we parted ways. I'm retired and don't always get back to people in a timely manner. When they ask me what took me so long, I tell them that I've been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kickin' contest..
Hang in there

I am still having a hard time with people been so cruel with their remarks, I have nothing below my navel anymore and only one prosthetic arm, with the other just a bump on the shoulder. I am in a wheelchair and the remarks make me want to go back to my cellar and stay. I have tried to let the remarks slide off my back with adults. With the kids it is kind of fun. I just don't have the stories for them yet. So we don't go out that much.