impatient

[Duncan Love]

Kevin
I know exactly what you mean by how motivating it is to see others achieve so much. It certainly gets me fired up to get out and do things.
A note of warning though - there is a differrence between being motivated and being driven. I was visited in hospital by a multiple goldmedalist paralympian who inspired me to believe that I can achieve what ever I put my mind to. However I will never forget the look in his eyes of being driven to, it seemed to me, achieve these things to prove that he was not inferior - he seemed to be a reflection of his achievements, rather than them being a reflection of who HE was. It was as if he had to continue to achieve so as to prove to himself and others that he was "complete". I'm not sure that I am able to communicate what I mean, but I remember saying to my Mum that I never want to be that driven. He almost had a hunted/haunted look, like the ghost of his limb tormented him each and every day. Prehaps he would have been that way even with his leg, who knows?
Anyway he did motivate me, not only to push my limit (I was out rock climbing while out on day trips from the rehab hospital), but also to be aware of the mental aspects of dealing with the loss.

Good to see  you are another smiling amputee who's getting on with life

Duncan


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kevin & Rhonda Wixom 
  To: Amputee Information Network 
  Sent: Tuesday, 11 November 2003 10:13
  Subject: Re: impatient


  Sorry all, one more comment.  I agree with Duncan - you can't ultimately judge yourself by someone else's standard.  Don't be "unhappy" because you can't do something that someone else thinks you should do.   But, I've seen so many people who were inspired to do more and achieve more themselves (and were ultimately happier) because they saw someone else doing something that they didn't think they could do.  That isn't something limited to amputees obviously.    

  I just participated in a "challenged athletes" triathlon and I saw many people with disabilities participating in swimming, biking, running events.   2 years ago I wasn't an amputee and would not have participated in this.  This year, I'm an AKA and I did the swimming portion.  Next year, the biking too.   If the others I saw hadn't pushed for what they wanted to do, I wouldn't be as motivated.  Yes, lots of discussion about losing hide, brusing, blisters, troubles with prosthetics, etc., etc.   Focus on your goal, the other stuff is just in the way.   

  Kevin

  Well, almost done.  Gotta share one more thing with you all:  One of the runners (who, by the way, completed all three Triathlon events) is a BKA and supposedly was in a race in Germany and passed two "abled bodied" runners in a race.  As he went by, one of them said to the other, ".. challenged athlete, my ass..".  (excuse the language, but that was the quote).   I thought it was great!  :) 



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