In 2023, the bottom half of my right leg was amputated. The cause was a combination of infection and previously undiagnosed diabetes. This happens to lots of people, and I hope these posts may help others.These posts appear in reverse chronological order, so go to the first story https://jamesobrien.id.au/2023/07/hes-conscious/ and take it from there.
Stepping onto the stage in Sydney last week to host the inaugural ABC Inclusive Awards was a moment of profound personal reflection and joy. Because these awards are an internal … Read the rest “My journey to the ABC Inclusive Awards”
Heading down to grab a coffee at work today, a man stepped into the lift behind me and immediately asked, “What happened to your leg?” I could see genuine concern … Read the rest “What happened to your leg?”
I’ve been a little bit sick the last few days. Fatigue associated with my amputation has been a big issue, and I have needed to balance my days with brief … Read the rest “Finding my balance when the battery runs low”
When I first started this journey as an amputee, almost three years ago, I had a very simple, perhaps naive, mental image of how it would go. I thought I … Read the rest “Why One Leg Isn’t Enough”
Yesterday at the Darwin Waterfront, a young staff member asked me a simple question that caught me off guard: “Do you need a wheelchair to get in?”. To my own … Read the rest “Embracing the chair”
“I’m glad I don’t have to use the Tube every day,” I told my Australian friend who has lived in London for almost exactly ten years.
The night before, she … Read the rest “Minding the Gap: Independence and the Invisible Disability”