JENNINGS Amanda

Classification
KL3 (ICF, 23 Sep 2020)

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency (canoe.org.au, 17 May 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (canoe.org.au, 17 May 2016)

Impairment Details
In April 2012 she underwent surgery to amputate her right leg below the knee. She made the decision to remove the limb as a result of living in constant pain after injuring her knee 20 years earlier. Her injury had been aggravated by a condition that affected her central nervous system. (canoe.org.au, 17 May 2016; heraldsun.com.au, 20 Apr 2016; au.news.yahoo.com, 13 May 2014; Facebook page, 01 Aug 2020)

General
OVERCOMING DEPRESSION
After sustaining her knee injury at age 17 and losing almost all use in her lower right leg she was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome, a condition that affected her central nervous system. She struggled mentally to deal with the discomfort and even contemplated suicide before making the decision to have her leg amputated. "During that period, I became addicted to prescription drugs, and with anxiety and depression I found it difficult to leave my house. It was difficult and frustrating to watch my family and friends move forward with their lives. I was falling into a black hole. I felt like a burden to the people around me and that they deserved better. [It felt like] if I wasn't around, they could have moved on with their lives. The decision [to amputate] was probably the only option I had left, and it gave me my life back. I was able to live again, and not just exist. It has been a big learning curve and I've had to become quite adaptable." (vis.org.au, 06 Mar 2020)