THE STORY of Bonnie Denis ("Her argument for amputation," Health/Science, June 16) struck a chord with me.
Five years ago, my right foot and lower leg were severely injured in a motorcycle accident. After two operations to "save" the leg, my surgeon said, "You don't want to save this leg; it will never be right. You'll have years of surgeries, become addicted to painkillers, you'll get divorced, and it will ruin your life. Take my advice, have it amputated and get a prosthesis, and you'll have your life back in a few months."
He went on to explain that all of his training went against such advice, because surgeons are taught to save limbs, and that an amputation is viewed as a failure.
I decided to have the leg amputated. My surgeon was right - I did get my life back.
Modern prostheses are a far cry from Long John Silver's peg leg. Today I play tennis, ski, dance, do basically everything I want to do. These are things I couldn't do with a deformed, chronically painful leg.
I have heard a number of sad stories of other accident victims who tried to avoid amputation, only to finally elect to go that way after years of suffering and unsatisfactory surgical outcomes.
The decision to amputate is terribly difficult. But I've never regretted my choice.
Dr. DONALD G. ROSS
North Andover
