Comments on: Plan C http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm Talking about Body Integrity Identity Disorder - Just another disability! Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:59:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Sean http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18234 Sean Sat, 30 May 2009 10:00:22 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18234 @Chloe, that's good. I think it helps being validated. It's a bit like the parking permit and the prescription for the chair. I also think it's important to have done enough work on yourself to understand yourself well enough and be sure such a thing would be the right action for you. I'm happy for you. @Chloe, that’s good. I think it helps being validated. It’s a bit like the parking permit and the prescription for the chair. I also think it’s important to have done enough work on yourself to understand yourself well enough and be sure such a thing would be the right action for you. I’m happy for you.

]]> By: Chloe http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18233 Chloe Sat, 30 May 2009 06:53:16 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18233 I saw my psychotherapist this evening. I felt that I needed to bring up Plan C. I was nervous about it. After discussing the issue in a general way, I asked him straight out "If I found a willing surgeon, would you be prepared to write a letter stating that I am a suitable candidate for left femoral nerve transection?" Without hesitating, he said yes! "YES", he said! I'm sure he saw the emotion in my face. I thanked him and gave him a big hug. Then he went on to say that I should have autonomy over my own body, and that he would support me for *anything* that I needed. Wow! WOW!!! Friggin awesome! Yes, I know that this doesn't actually get me anywhere, but it fuels HOPE. I am one happy girl tonight. :o) I saw my psychotherapist this evening. I felt that I needed to bring up Plan C. I was nervous about it. After discussing the issue in a general way, I asked him straight out “If I found a willing surgeon, would you be prepared to write a letter stating that I am a suitable candidate for left femoral nerve transection?” Without hesitating, he said yes! “YES”, he said!

I’m sure he saw the emotion in my face. I thanked him and gave him a big hug. Then he went on to say that I should have autonomy over my own body, and that he would support me for *anything* that I needed. Wow! WOW!!! Friggin awesome!

Yes, I know that this doesn’t actually get me anywhere, but it fuels HOPE.

I am one happy girl tonight. :o)

]]> By: Ana http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18019 Ana Wed, 06 May 2009 08:42:36 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18019 Enjoyed your writing Chloe- Can understand where you're coming from totally- but, personally, I think I'm more allied with Phil's perspective. I have thought about 'alternatives' to DAK amputation, but although I reckon I'd cope if they happened accidentally, I can't think of any that would really help my BIID. Although a wheelchair might sometimes be a necessity if I achieved my 'goal', it isn't a big part of the plan, and use of one doesn't alleviate my BIID. A single amputation- though undoubtedly a means to an end- would probably make me feel worse, as would a below knee. It just doesn't 'fit' the mindset.... I wish I *could* come up with a suitable compromise- it would make things a lot more realistic!! Enjoyed your writing Chloe-
Can understand where you’re coming from totally- but, personally, I think I’m more allied with Phil’s perspective. I have thought about ‘alternatives’ to DAK amputation, but although I reckon I’d cope if they happened accidentally, I can’t think of any that would really help my BIID. Although a wheelchair might sometimes be a necessity if I achieved my ‘goal’, it isn’t a big part of the plan, and use of one doesn’t alleviate my BIID. A single amputation- though undoubtedly a means to an end- would probably make me feel worse, as would a below knee. It just doesn’t ‘fit’ the mindset….
I wish I *could* come up with a suitable compromise- it would make things a lot more realistic!!

]]> By: Chloe http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18016 Chloe Tue, 05 May 2009 18:18:45 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18016 I'm curious about you "all or nothingers". How does wheeling fit in with that? For me it is a 20% partial solution, which is certainly better than nothing but clearly falls short of all. I would have thought if one was all or nothing, one would not want to wheel at all until one was actually paraplegic (or whatever it is for you). I’m curious about you “all or nothingers”. How does wheeling fit in with that? For me it is a 20% partial solution, which is certainly better than nothing but clearly falls short of all. I would have thought if one was all or nothing, one would not want to wheel at all until one was actually paraplegic (or whatever it is for you).

]]> By: Chloe http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18015 Chloe Tue, 05 May 2009 13:40:49 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18015 @Stumpy. May I ask how you acquired your paralysis? @Stumpy. May I ask how you acquired your paralysis?

]]> By: Sean http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18013 Sean Tue, 05 May 2009 03:58:40 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18013 @Phil, yeah, makes loads of sense. Agree with @Cath, need it all or nougth @Phil, yeah, makes loads of sense. Agree with @Cath, need it all or nougth

]]> By: Cath http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18011 Cath Tue, 05 May 2009 00:33:13 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18011 I think I am with you, Phil, on this one. Nothing but the whole deal comes even close. I think I am with you, Phil, on this one. Nothing but the whole deal comes even close.

]]> By: Phil http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18010 Phil Mon, 04 May 2009 23:35:06 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18010 I tend to think that I prefer enjoying my 100 % able-bodiedness to 70 % impairment. I think I would feel stuck somewhere in between - disabled, but not in my real body. And it would just further fuel my BIID desire, while with all four limbs I have times where I am nearly BIID free and can enjoy my body to the fullest, nothing reminds me of it then, and I can do everything that my body allows easily and without additional planning and effor. Maybe I don't want to make a compromise? Or I just still hope for a way without surgery. I have had times where I could live with BIID and my body and enjoy life a lot. I would prefer to find out how to extend these periods. (By the way, my desire is to get two very short thigh stumps. I have often thought about having "only" one leg off or both below knee or something else. Somebody who had the same desire for DAK amputation and managed to get rid of one leg said that it was not bad, but he still needed the other off. So in my interpretation he had an impairment both of his body and of his mind. I think I'd rather have an impairment only of one of these, soul or body.) I don't know if that makes sense, and it is just what I think right now... I tend to think that I prefer enjoying my 100 % able-bodiedness to 70 % impairment. I think I would feel stuck somewhere in between – disabled, but not in my real body. And it would just further fuel my BIID desire, while with all four limbs I have times where I am nearly BIID free and can enjoy my body to the fullest, nothing reminds me of it then, and I can do everything that my body allows easily and without additional planning and effor.

Maybe I don’t want to make a compromise? Or I just still hope for a way without surgery. I have had times where I could live with BIID and my body and enjoy life a lot. I would prefer to find out how to extend these periods.

(By the way, my desire is to get two very short thigh stumps. I have often thought about having “only” one leg off or both below knee or something else. Somebody who had the same desire for DAK amputation and managed to get rid of one leg said that it was not bad, but he still needed the other off. So in my interpretation he had an impairment both of his body and of his mind. I think I’d rather have an impairment only of one of these, soul or body.)

I don’t know if that makes sense, and it is just what I think right now…

]]> By: Beth http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18009 Beth Mon, 04 May 2009 20:06:23 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18009 This is a really interesting post. It's started me thinking about what is the minimum I would need to keep my BIID feelings at bay. I think that essentialy anything that allowed me to use a wheelchair legitimately for 90% of the time would be great for me. I agree with you though Chloe in that there certainly would be other inbetween options that would be better for me than being AB but not really quite enough. I'll be giving this more thought and trying to work out what might be more realistic to achieve than a spinal injury but nearly as satisfying. This is a really interesting post. It’s started me thinking about what is the minimum I would need to keep my BIID feelings at bay. I think that essentialy anything that allowed me to use a wheelchair legitimately for 90% of the time would be great for me.

I agree with you though Chloe in that there certainly would be other inbetween options that would be better for me than being AB but not really quite enough. I’ll be giving this more thought and trying to work out what might be more realistic to achieve than a spinal injury but nearly as satisfying.

]]> By: Stumpy http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/chloes-thoughts/plan-c.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18008 Stumpy Mon, 04 May 2009 16:41:56 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2247#comment-18008 I can speak from personal experience. Acquiring paralysis lower than my goal has helped immensely! I still plan on going all the way but the urge to do so is nowhere near as strong now that I have paralysis. I need AFOs for anything more than walking short distances. I can still walk barefoot without braces, which is something I\'d like (need) to change. Just knowing that I need braces is a great feeling! I still feel the need to not be able to walk or even stand unaided, REQUIRING my chair when I\'m unbraced but I KNOW where I am now is better than being AB. I can speak from personal experience. Acquiring paralysis lower than my goal has helped immensely! I still plan on going all the way but the urge to do so is nowhere near as strong now that I have paralysis.
I need AFOs for anything more than walking short distances. I can still walk barefoot without braces, which is something I\’d like (need) to change. Just knowing that I need braces is a great feeling! I still feel the need to not be able to walk or even stand unaided, REQUIRING my chair when I\’m unbraced but I KNOW where I am now is better than being AB.

]]>