I am an above-knee. amputee. At the end of March, 2003, I retired as a flight attendant/purser with United Airlines after almost 36 1/2 years of flying duties. My career with United was almost aborted on March 24, 1976, on a layover in Las Vegas when the motor cycle on which I was riding as a passenger was involved in a very serious accident that left me in Sunrise hospital with a most difficult decision to make - to lose my life or to lose my leg. After consultations with the surgeon at the hospital and on the telephone with my husband in the emergency room, I consented to the amputation of my right leg above the knee, It was after three surgeries later, and five and a half weeks, that I was released from the hospital to return to as normal a life as possible as an amputee.
My thoughts in the hospital would often drift to returning to my airline career and the possibility of continuing my life as a flight attendant; and at the same time I wondered if I would ever get back to playing tennis and paddle tennis as well as participating in other sporting events.
As soon as I was fitted with a prosthesis, I stepped back on to the tennis courts (and that was within three months of my surgery), and I immediately started to prepare myself for flying duties again by perfecting my walk, and by building up my confidence with proper balance and a good gait. Part of these preparations included carrying trays of the finest crystal and china from room to room and climbing in and out of car windows as I might have to do in an airline evacuation.
Finally, the big moment arrived! I went to theİinflight services manager at United and asked for my original job back...up in the air, I told him, rather than a desk job as had originally been suggested. The airline acceded to my request but emphasized that I would need to get the approvalİfrom the Federal Aviation Administration by passing a series of emergency tests, one on one for about three days with the FAAİas well as with the airline.
Upon the successful conclusion of these tests, I was ready to fly again - and fourteen months after my amputation, I was once again a member of the flight attendant crew on board a DC-10 coast to coast flight!
In addition to flying a regular schedule on intercontinental flights and later on flights to London and Central and South America, I was once again playing competitive tennis and paddle tennis and swimming as often as possible for recreation and exercise. I also learned to ski with my handicap in competition and just for the fun of skiing.
The years that have passed since the accident have brought with them periods of frustration and of excitement: there have been both peaks and valleys, "phantom" pains and friction sores. At the same time, happily there have been significant advancements and improvements in prosthetics - both in function and cosmetics. As I look back upon those years, I am both pleased and proud that I have been able to overcome the many setbacks to become the only person with my particular disability to fly as a flight attendant on a major airline.
Our plans may change unexpectedly, but we must look at what we have and not be distracted by what is missing. I have come a long way since that awful night in Las Vegas, and I intend to keep challenging myself. I want people to realize that there is a reason to live, not just exist, after an amputation. Even with one leg, I can still get a kick out of life!
Elaine Naismith
Editors Note: Reach Out would
like to thank Elaine for that very emotional and uplifting article. She
is proof that just because we have a disABILITY we can still do anything
we set our mind to. The object is to focus on our ABILITIES and not to
dwell on our disABILITIES. A kudos goes out to United Airlines for believing
in Elaine and not abandoning her. More businesses need to take that approach.
Reach Out wishes Elaine and her husband well in their endeavors.
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