The List

*** Unfortunately the list is pretty much on hold because of severe pain in my leg caused by a combination of bone spurs and neuromas. I’ll do what I can for now and will resume my push as soon as I can use my prosthesis again! ***

Upon having my leg amputated I was told that there were a lot of things that I would not be able to do within a year of my amputation. I was also told that it took a lot of people a year to start walking without a cane. That was in May, when I first received my prosthesis. I officially stopped using a cane in the middle of June and decided that I would like to see what else I could accomplish within a year of my amputation. With this in mind, I created a list of 10 challenging things I want to accomplish with the goal of writing a book to encourage others not to give up in the face of adversity or amputation. Losing a leg is far from losing your life. Completing each of these activities within one year of my surgery reinforces this fact. If you can do all of this in the first year, think of what you can do with the rest of your life!

1) Learn to surf
2) Ride a horse around the track at Churchill Downs
3) Throw out the opening pitch at a Major League Baseball game
4) Play Augusta National Golf Course
5) Throw the football with Matt Ryan
6) Go rock climbing
7) Break 90 on the golf course
8) Learn to dance
9) Go snow skiing
10) Go spear fishing

My amputation was February 24, 2011. I had one more round of chemo after my amputation, which ended on March 31. I received my prosthesis on May 5th. I stopped using a cane on June 24. I made the list on July 21.

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#7: I broke 90 on the golf course on August 6th, 2011.

#10: Spear fishing in the Bahamas completed June 20, 2012.

#6: I went rock climbing in December of 2012.