Double Take!

     Most of us will admit we work hard in life by eating right and dieting to get that perfect body just so when  we walk in the room everyone notices you!  Don't lie! We have all wanted that reaction of turning heads and getting that double take.  People think they must get a second look, and think Wow!.  Ha, well I have never had that perfect body it has always been work! I guess the saying goes, be careful what you wish for... Man I just turn heads all the time now! Being an amputee, I could break down and cry and run to my mom, crying mooooom their staring at me! Im a FREAAAK!!! But I just laugh and find it quite entertaining to be honest. I have always been a people watcher instead of a bird watcher...people are just fascinating beings in how they react. The mall is the best place to watch people if you want to know, ha! 
 
    Anyway, I guess one of the first times I gained my "creeper callus", its what I like to call those who stare a hole in my arm, ;) was when I was still in hospital rehabilitation.  It was the first time I got to walk downstairs.  This older women looked at my arm..then looked back a little longer and then my nephew said that lady keeps staring at your arm.  I looked again as she was staring as she rounded the corner, as if my arm was on fire. I laughed and told him I should have raised the sleeve of my tee and growled real loud, as if it was alive!  We all laughed.  I knew then that I was going to have people stare and I had a choice..I could hide and be ashamed..or I could make the best of it and look on the bright side. Children are different, they can be either really brutal or super sweet when they discover my arm is missing! I have a little niece who is seven and you never know what she is going to say but I guarantee she will be honest!  But although sometimes children can hurt your feelings, like sometimes what even my niece may say, without meaning it, it is important they express themselves. They just don't understand and she is just used to the old me.

  For some reason older women have the hardest time dealing with it. The other day I was in physical therapy and as I was working out this lady, in her early 60s, came up to me and just looked..looked away...looked and finally said aww what happened.  I told her I lost my arm in a car wreck.  She would not make eye contact with me at all.  She just said awww a car wreck... I said,  yup a car wreck.  She just kept awkwardly staring at my arm, and I was trying really hard not to laugh!  Finally, her therapist came and got her!  Wow!  I thought.  Today I was sitting in the waiting room waiting for my name to be called to go work out at therapy and a lady in her late 60s walked by me and I got the biggest double take!  Then, she looks back and doesn't look at me or say anything to me, she just stands in front of me looking at my arm... shaking her head... making some OWWEEE! sound!  Its not like she can go anywhere after she does that because we are in a waiting room. So she sits across from me, and stares down so much my arm was sore before the workout. haha!  Man, I was sitting there playing a game trying not to crack up.  Over in my mind, I am dying to have my arm jump out at her or something to get her attention.  Instead, I just have to excuse people and realize its not everyday they see a beautiful girl.. I mean a armless girl like me. So I just have to settle with my wild imagination and laughter inside....

    You got to love people in how they react, whether it is good or bad.  The most important part is how we respond back, that is what can make your day go from a good day to a bad day. We shouldn't let people affect us in a negative way.  When I walk into a room and see people do a double, triple, or even a full on creeper stare I think of my choices.  I could freak out, run to the bathroom and cry or leave and go home because I think people are staring at my arm or should I say lack o arm! ha.  I just try and tell myself mannnn, girl look at all these double takes!  All that working out and that new outfit looks good!  Ha ha, its very hard to do, but try and change the perspective!  Its okay to boost your own ego if no one does it for you!  Times like these is when that encouraging support is a must!  And lastly, I'm not answering for amputees; just me.  Listen people, if you want to know what happened to my arm just come up to me and ask. Don't just sit there and stare or it just might bite ya! ha! jk maybe... ;)