Refusing to accept your limitations keeps you stuck. So while disabilities change people's lives in big ways, being in denial about them isn't helping anyone. However, commitment, creativity, and a willingness to do things differently can dramatically reduce the impact a disability has on someone. Including their dating life. Bored Panda has compiled a list of funny Tinder bios by people who lost their limbs bot not their sense of humor, proving that acceptance isn't giving in. Rather, self-empowerment.
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Limb loss is actually more common than many people realize. One in 190 Americans is currently living with the loss of a limb. However, it is projected that this number will more than double by the year 2050. The main causes of losing a limb are vascular disease (54%) including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease, trauma (45%), and cancer (less than 2%).
But Royal Marine Colour Sergeant Lee 'Frank' Spencer (who lost his right leg two years ago while helping to save the life of a motorist on the central reservation of the M3 in Surrey) says there's life beyond injury. "Since losing my leg, life is worse in many ways," he told The Telegraph. "I now have difficulty in doing many simple tasks. But I prefer to concentrate on all the ways it's got better and all the amazing things I've done since my injury."
Since then, Lee has undergone extensive rehab and completed spectacular physical feats. Rowing the Atlantic with the Row2Recovery crew is one of them. "Before my accident, my love for watching football was only equalled by my lack of skill playing it – to the extent that, as a bipedal centre forward, I managed to bag a mighty two goals in four seasons of matches on Hackney Marshes. Now, however, I can toe punt a ball with my prosthetic rather more accurately – and I've already bagged a brace for my local walking football team."
"Injury may force you into activities you may never have previously considered, uncovering latent natural talent."
But dating with a disability is quite hard to navigate. For example, Amin Lakhani, a 29-year-old dating coach from Seattle, told Huff Post his love life is less active than it used to be. "[It's] because I have a better sense of who I am and what I’m looking for. I filter more. I’m dating a few people at the moment."
"Online dating has been pretty tame for me, honestly," he said. "The worst part is just not getting a lot of matches, and then having a hard time believing that it’s because of anything other than my disability."
I'm having a right foot/leg amputation soon (sometime between now & October, hopefully), so I can definitely admire this young woman's confidence. I only hope mine works out as well as hers, as I'm not yet sure if my upper leg is strong enough to let me walk using a prosthesis (I have severe muscle-wasting & even the bones of my leg look like they're getting much weaker). I guess only time will tell, though. I'm hoping I really will get some kind of life back, but I'm still scared in case it all goes wrong. If only I had this woman's bravery... 😥
I can't promise i will all be ok, but I can promise that you'll be strong enough to face it. The BP community has your back. Sending hugs and prayers
Load More Replies...I lost half of my big toes (hereditary issue), and had 70 stitches in each one (five surgeries on my right one. I no longer get infections and my boots and shoes fit perfectly. I don't even think about them. You are SO VERY BRAVE and what I went through was NOTHING compared to what you have to deal with every single day. I can see you running and riding and doing anything you want! You are incredible!! :-)
She's wrong about her looks and personality. As far I can see she's a perfect 10/10 in both.
You seem to have done rather well so far, don't give up dating online, that special one could take time, so pretty !!!
To AspieGrl88, I understand that you are scared but remember you to can be as braver & as strong as this lovely lady just believe in yourselves & love the person you are.
(You could consider donating them (even though they might be sentimental ) to a third world country through Doctors Without Borders and give a worn torn child a decent looking leg. It's ok if you can't but it would be cool
They are custom fit to a person. If you wear a prosthetic leg that is the least bit wrong in its fit, not only is it painful from the start, you develop blisters, which can turn into ulcers and life threatening conditions, especially in a third world country where you can't run to the doctor with every issue.
Load More Replies...Too bad she hasn't given the older ones away to those who may need but can't afford it.
Too bad you don't know they are custom fit to a person. A bad fitting leg can cause more harm than good.
Load More Replies...NEVER seen someone with more toes! She's GOTTA use that as a selling point! ;-)
Amin also thinks that being upfront about your disability is definitely the right way to approach online dating. "I'm very explicit about it," he said. "One time a girl didn't know I had a disability until I showed up on the date, and she was really quiet throughout the night. I finally asked her about it and she told me she was surprised — my profile had only hinted at it, so from then on I always made it explicit. Now it’s in my main photo, and I talk about it, usually jokingly, but also seriously when there is room for it, like on OkCupid."
"People will respond to [your disability] based on how you present it. Trying to hide it or ignore it will just make people uncomfortable, because humans are naturally curious about anything that is unique."
I have a bone to pick (pun intended) with a select few of my fellow BPs. Why down vote whenever someone asks a question? If you don't know the answer, just read on. As my favorite school teacher said "There are no stupid questions, just asshats who are afraid to admit they don't know the answer."
Cannot beat people with a good sense of humour. Also reduces most of your own problems/personal concerns to itty bitty size....
It's like they say: "There's healing in humour". Also: "Laughter heals".
Load More Replies...I had to amputate my right eye 7 years ago (retinal detachment - severe chronic pain since then), and had to amputate a toe 9 months ago (cancer). I now have a t-shirt that says "mostly original parts)". My kids said that if I had amputated more of my leg and not just the toe, I would have been a perfect pirate. :)
I'm blind in my left eye, and have 2 different friends who are blind in their right eyes. I always joke that I'll steal their good eye in their sleep or something so I could have a full set lol. I lost my eye when I was a year and a half old. I tripped and fell while holding a small stick. Little kids instinct to put their hands in front of their face during a fall. That's a bit of how it happened. I was extremely lucky that the stick didn't break through the skull at the rear of my eye socket and pierce my brain, I'd have probably died.
I've had a tracheostomy done, when I was in critical care after they removed it. I said to the nurse, my stomach thinks my throat has been cut, oh wait it has She burst out laughing! I often take the mick out of myself. A guy I know, has a false leg in the summer he puts sun block on one leg and polish on the other lol
Very interesting, makes me think about life without a limb, must be positive although very difficult, my family have an awesome sense of humor, it helps tremendously, it's a bonus to have one !!!
I have a bone to pick (pun intended) with a select few of my fellow BPs. Why down vote whenever someone asks a question? If you don't know the answer, just read on. As my favorite school teacher said "There are no stupid questions, just asshats who are afraid to admit they don't know the answer."
Cannot beat people with a good sense of humour. Also reduces most of your own problems/personal concerns to itty bitty size....
It's like they say: "There's healing in humour". Also: "Laughter heals".
Load More Replies...I had to amputate my right eye 7 years ago (retinal detachment - severe chronic pain since then), and had to amputate a toe 9 months ago (cancer). I now have a t-shirt that says "mostly original parts)". My kids said that if I had amputated more of my leg and not just the toe, I would have been a perfect pirate. :)
I'm blind in my left eye, and have 2 different friends who are blind in their right eyes. I always joke that I'll steal their good eye in their sleep or something so I could have a full set lol. I lost my eye when I was a year and a half old. I tripped and fell while holding a small stick. Little kids instinct to put their hands in front of their face during a fall. That's a bit of how it happened. I was extremely lucky that the stick didn't break through the skull at the rear of my eye socket and pierce my brain, I'd have probably died.
I've had a tracheostomy done, when I was in critical care after they removed it. I said to the nurse, my stomach thinks my throat has been cut, oh wait it has She burst out laughing! I often take the mick out of myself. A guy I know, has a false leg in the summer he puts sun block on one leg and polish on the other lol
Very interesting, makes me think about life without a limb, must be positive although very difficult, my family have an awesome sense of humor, it helps tremendously, it's a bonus to have one !!!