🦾 Rediscovering My Body: Healing Beyond the Hospital

When I was released from the hospital, no one truly prepared me for the future.

And I don’t think it was out of neglect—it’s that no one has really taken the time to design a long-term plan for amputees. Yes, I was set up with physical therapy (PT), connected with my prosthesis team, and had regular occupational therapy (OT) while in the hospital. And honestly—I met some amazing people along the way. People who helped me relearn the basics: how to sit up, how to transfer, how to dress. Small victories that meant everything.

But it still wasn’t enough to prepare me for the lifetime of struggles that came after.

The truth is, even the internet wasn’t much help. And let me tell you: the unevenness of my body is no joke. My gait, my posture, my back pain, my hips—it all took a toll. The weight gain didn’t help either. That just made it worse.

Eventually, I had enough. I decided to take the matter out of my hands and place it in God’s.

A New Door Opened

Fast forward to just a few months ago. My best friend was raving about her chiropractor—a faith-based practice that was working tiny miracles in her body. At the time, I had tried everything I could think of: massages, needle therapy, even pain creams. Nothing was giving me the results I needed.

So I said, Why not? Let’s give it a shot.

And wow. From the very first visit, I felt something shift. The level of care, the hands-on support, the spiritual environment—it felt like more than just a medical office. It felt like healing.

But after a few weeks, my progress plateaued. That’s when my chiropractor, a woman of deep faith, had an idea:

MAT—Muscle Activation Therapy.

I had never even heard of that. But I was intrigued.

She explained that many of my muscles had shut down due to trauma, uneven strain, and lack of use. MAT helps "wake them up" so my other muscles stop working overtime to compensate. That imbalance is what leads to injury and chronic pain. No wonder I always felt like I couldn’t stand up straight.

What Is Muscle Activation Therapy?

Muscle Activation Therapy (MAT) is a unique and highly personalized approach that identifies and corrects muscular imbalances in the body. Instead of simply stretching or massaging sore areas, MAT looks at what muscles aren’t working properly—the ones that have essentially "fallen asleep" due to trauma, overuse, or inactivity.

Practitioners use specific techniques to test and activate those dormant muscles so the body can function as a stronger, more unified system. For amputees, this therapy can help reduce pain, restore posture, and improve balance by distributing muscle use more evenly.

For someone like me—with altered weight distribution and asymmetry—MAT has been a game-changer.

Prayer, Peace, and Possibility

She prayed over my body before we began. A simple, sincere prayer. And something about it unlocked a peace inside me. I can’t explain it, but in that moment, I started to believe that I could walk again without pain. That my physical goals weren’t just dreams. That they were possible.

It made me wonder: why aren’t we talking about this in the amputee community?

Why isn’t Muscle Activation Therapy part of the recovery conversation?

Breaking the Mold for Amputee Care

Let’s be honest—we’ve all seen the commercials. The athletic amputee sprinting in Nike gear, looking unstoppable. And while I celebrate her, her resources look nothing like the average amputee’s. Unless you’re joining the Paralympics, you’re often stuck with basic prosthetics and limited support.

There’s no handbook on what comes next. No one’s saying, “Hey, here’s how to realign your spine after limb loss,” or “Here’s how to strengthen your core again.”

So I’ve decided I’m going to be the one who finds out.

God has placed me on a mission: to uncover these hidden therapies, resources, and holistic care methods—and bring them to light for amputees like me. People who want to live fully. People who believe their healing can go beyond surviving to actually thriving.

I finally see where He’s taking me. And I’m walking in that purpose—one awakened muscle at a time.

If you're an amputee—or love someone who is—let this be a reminder: Your journey isn’t over just because you were discharged. You deserve more than basic. You deserve to heal.

And healing is possible. With God, with care, and with the right tools—it’s more than possible. It’s your future.

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV)
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”