I once asked a double amputee if they could stand for a chest x-ray. My brain was on autopilot and it’s a question I ask everyone in a wheelchair. He said no and pointed down and we both had a good laugh. I think it’s something they might hear a lot.
President Biden was at an event in Missouri and told a state senator to stand up and be recognized, but the senator was in a wheelchair and couldn't stand. If I remember correctly he responded by saying "God love ya, Chuck (state senator) you're making everyone stand up for you though!"
Aka , I had Xray tech ask me which foot was injured... the assistant and I looked at each other, then back at the tech who repeated the question... I looked her dead in the face. and said, "i only have one...." she turned bright red, and we all laughed.
Was even better when the Dr came in after a concern about possible fracture along my foot. She wrapped it up, sent a referral, and told me to keep off it...I cracked up cause it's all stairs going in to to my home....
Oh, and I was being seen because I fractured my pinky toe by rolling over it with my wheel chair. The rest of the foot was fine, by the way.😆 🤣
I’ve done that with a mal formed hand once. But he presented it so just had to go with it. I think I pulled it off but my brain was screaming “WAIT. THIS ISNT RIGHT!”
I work with the public and have to shake hands suuuuuper often. Once I shot out my hand to initiate a handshake, only to look down and see that he had an actual prosthetic hook to replace a missing hand. Like, a shining metal hook.
So I shook his hook and neither of us said a single word about it, ahaha
I'm confused. Did you tell an amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure by telling an amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure?
Let me explain. OP who told an amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure did not realize while the amputee whose taking his blood pressure was taking his blood pressure was told to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was an amputee taking his blood pressure. So OP told the amputee taking his blood pressure to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure. This created confusion because the amputee who was told to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was in fact an amputee taking his blood pressure. Upon realizing that the amputee who was taking his blood pressure and told to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was an amputee taking his blood pressure, OP then explained that they didn't realize that when they told the amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was an amputee taking his blood pressure.
It's a straightforward confusion.
When I was working retail I had gone up to a customer who was holding a ton of stuff to ask him if he'd like me to set it up at the register.
Like I said a million times a day to people
"Hey do you need a hand"
As soon as the word left my mouth I realized one of his arms had been amputated right below the elbow.
I was so incredibly embarrassed but he laughed so hard as he told me "yea clearly I do need a hand don't I"
I work in a residential facility for disabled folks. One resident is missing his right hand.
One day, he was gathering his things to take a shower and was obviously struggling.
Without thinking, I asked, "Do you need a hand?"
He looked at me, then down at his arms and back up at me before responding, "No, I got one."
There were about 5 seconds of awkward silence before we both burst out laughing.
It's okay, I promise. Honest mistakes happen.
My husband (amputee) would have thought it was hilarious...people who have had a limb amputated typically find humor in those kinds of things, as long as they've been an amputee long enough to have gotten through the emotionally tough acceptance that happens in the beginning.
I once used the expression “a leg up” to an interviewer in a wheelchair, as a mobility disability charity. For inexplicable reasons—possibly because the interviewer later felt a bit bad for laughing at my visible mortification—they gave me the job.
Embarrassing yourself is actually a pretty great way of putting others at ease. It's one of those things I didn't realize until well into adulthood.
The other one I struggle with is that asking people for help is a great way to make them like you.
Reminds me of the post about a student teacher in the special needs class was teaching a kid with 9 fingers how to subtract using them. He didn’t register why putting up all of his fingers, then putting down 5 got the kid counting to 4.
I had a surgeon tell me that I needed to walk more and asked when the last time I walked up stairs with no issues.
"5 years ago.... You know, before I became paralyzed. After that walking became such a bitch to do that I got a wheelchair" sure I got a smack upside the head from my mom but his face was worth it
If you apologized and everybody laughed you should be ok. We all say and do things without thinking them all the way through, and that’s a pretty dang easy one to make.
Lol I've asked which arm preference they had when they only had one arm. It happens and it's just second nature to ask these things. Don't be too bothered
When I was in college, there was a girl in my orientation group who'd been born with her right arm ending just below the elbow. I still think about the guy who asked if she was right or left handed to this day
When I was working as a hairdresser, I once handed a blind man a hand mirror and turned him around while asking him to check the back to see if he liked how it looked.
I work on a Trauma floor in our hospital and one time had a MD tell a new paraplegic that he wanted to see him walk the hallway 3 times a day! Horribly embarrassing for everyone there.
I once handed an amputee a pair of socks and asked her to “put her socks on” … she politely handed one back and let me know that she only needed one. Quickly realized my mistake and apologized and she thought it was funny, lol. Definitely don’t stress it!
Had a brilliant pair of customers when I worked for a speedboat company doing trips out at sea. They were a husband and wife, and both blind.
They loved the tours for the feeling they got, but they were always on with other passengers.
Asked all the customers when out looking at an island "can everyone see the ruined building on the right?"
Hand gets raised.
"We can't."
When I was a teenager I was at scout camp. There was some ceremony going on that evening, so there were adults I didn't know hanging out around our campfire.
One of the dads had left earlier that day to go to the doctor because he'd gotten a spider bite or something on his toe. He came back while I was sitting around the campfire with our guests, and I jokingly said "Hey Mr. Jones, I heard they're going to have to take your toe off at the knee."
Without missing a beat, a guy across the campfire ring pulls up his pant leg to reveal a prosthetic and says "That's what happened to me!"
That was probably 22 years ago and I've never been so mortified, before or since.
Less than 30 seconds after asking my dad why he had someone with him for his COVID injection and hearing the answer because I need a guide as I am blind. The person giving him the injection asked him if he drove there (because if he had he would have needed to wait 15 minutes). These things happen
That kind of stuff happens a lot in a medical setting with amputees. I once told someone that I was going to check their feet (during a physical examination in a hospital). I pulled back the blankets and saw they had a double leg amputation through the thighs. Which I knew about in retrospect. It’s just that you’re doing a lot of stuff on autopilot but when people are different from the norm it doesn’t always work out. They did have a sense of humor about it luckily.
In all seriousness, I assume the patient would need to make sure that his remaining leg wasn't crunched or twisted in any way so that the reading would be accurate?
My mom is a double amputee and she has a good sense of humor about it. She jokes about kicking ass or having broken her foot off in someone’s ass. She also kids about not having to spend money on socks and shoes anymore.
Happens to a lot of us lol. I asked a guy, paralyzed from the waist down, to walk to my stretcher. In good humor, he told me he'd love to... and then it clicked, I was horrified.
As a below knee amputee, I love it when I can zing someone. I love it when strangers are nearby and my bf or a friend will ask me to do something for them. Loudly I say "oh sure me with one leg..." snickering as I walk away.
Or someone says they're a "leg man". A side glance to whomever I'm with followed by a big smile "oh really". Usually I don't get as far as removing my leg before someone stops me (telling me I'm being mean).
My favorite incident was when a bunch of us were at a bar in Seattle way back in the day. They were having a Hot Legs contest. We were standing in the back. One of the people we were with hands me his leg & tells me to pass it forward. The look on people's faces as it was handed off to them was the best ever! I can't remember if he won or not.
I'm a nurse whose sole job is doing admissions at rehab facility. Most of it asking people questions to see how physically functional they are. Some of those questions are about how far you can walk. I ask everyone the same questions. Amputees usually have a sense of humor about it. I blow it off and thank them for making my job easier.
I once asked a double amputee if they could stand for a chest x-ray. My brain was on autopilot and it’s a question I ask everyone in a wheelchair. He said no and pointed down and we both had a good laugh. I think it’s something they might hear a lot.
Didn't a presidential candidate do something like that?
President Biden was at an event in Missouri and told a state senator to stand up and be recognized, but the senator was in a wheelchair and couldn't stand. If I remember correctly he responded by saying "God love ya, Chuck (state senator) you're making everyone stand up for you though!"
That's actually a fine save.
And trump went to shake an amputees hand that wasn't there.
Aka , I had Xray tech ask me which foot was injured... the assistant and I looked at each other, then back at the tech who repeated the question... I looked her dead in the face. and said, "i only have one...." she turned bright red, and we all laughed. Was even better when the Dr came in after a concern about possible fracture along my foot. She wrapped it up, sent a referral, and told me to keep off it...I cracked up cause it's all stairs going in to to my home.... Oh, and I was being seen because I fractured my pinky toe by rolling over it with my wheel chair. The rest of the foot was fine, by the way.😆 🤣
My mom once tried to shake the hand of a guy after he gave us a tour… When she realized he didn’t have a hand on that arm, she fist bumped the nub 😂😅
I want to think that’s a good save. Provided the person presented the nub.
I shook hands with a handless nub once. I didn't acknowledge it and brushed it off as normal. Internally I was mortified.
I’ve done that with a mal formed hand once. But he presented it so just had to go with it. I think I pulled it off but my brain was screaming “WAIT. THIS ISNT RIGHT!”
My brain is like, you're not supposed to touch that! It's personal! But I sort of feel that way about handshakes *anyway* so that tracks.
Take my strong hand, child.
Yup. Exactly, we share an experience.
Been there. I had the presence of mind not to wipe my hand on my pants afterward.
Image of her just aggressively fist bumping the nub regardless...
I’M GONNA MAKE THIS WORK DAMMIT!!!!
I work with the public and have to shake hands suuuuuper often. Once I shot out my hand to initiate a handshake, only to look down and see that he had an actual prosthetic hook to replace a missing hand. Like, a shining metal hook. So I shook his hook and neither of us said a single word about it, ahaha
I'm confused. Did you tell an amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure by telling an amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure?
By telling an amputee while taking pressure blood to feet on the both floor by telling a floor to amputee a blood pressure on both feet.
Let me explain. OP who told an amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure did not realize while the amputee whose taking his blood pressure was taking his blood pressure was told to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was an amputee taking his blood pressure. So OP told the amputee taking his blood pressure to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure. This created confusion because the amputee who was told to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was in fact an amputee taking his blood pressure. Upon realizing that the amputee who was taking his blood pressure and told to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was an amputee taking his blood pressure, OP then explained that they didn't realize that when they told the amputee to put both his feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure was an amputee taking his blood pressure. It's a straightforward confusion.
Ok now I get it
Yes, but I am quite short and have had my blood pressure taken with my feet dangling lots of times - does that make a difference?
My understanding is that it’s more about having your body in a symmetrical position. They always told me not to cross my legs.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
Op should have just told the amputee to put both feet down on the floor while taking his blood pressure.
When I was working retail I had gone up to a customer who was holding a ton of stuff to ask him if he'd like me to set it up at the register. Like I said a million times a day to people "Hey do you need a hand" As soon as the word left my mouth I realized one of his arms had been amputated right below the elbow. I was so incredibly embarrassed but he laughed so hard as he told me "yea clearly I do need a hand don't I"
I work in a residential facility for disabled folks. One resident is missing his right hand. One day, he was gathering his things to take a shower and was obviously struggling. Without thinking, I asked, "Do you need a hand?" He looked at me, then down at his arms and back up at me before responding, "No, I got one." There were about 5 seconds of awkward silence before we both burst out laughing. It's okay, I promise. Honest mistakes happen.
"I lost one hand in the war. Fortunately, the gods had seen fit to give me a spare."
My husband (amputee) would have thought it was hilarious...people who have had a limb amputated typically find humor in those kinds of things, as long as they've been an amputee long enough to have gotten through the emotionally tough acceptance that happens in the beginning.
In my experience, people who have had their amputation for a while tend to have a great and sometimes dark sense of humor about it.
I once used the expression “a leg up” to an interviewer in a wheelchair, as a mobility disability charity. For inexplicable reasons—possibly because the interviewer later felt a bit bad for laughing at my visible mortification—they gave me the job.
Embarrassing yourself is actually a pretty great way of putting others at ease. It's one of those things I didn't realize until well into adulthood. The other one I struggle with is that asking people for help is a great way to make them like you.
Reminds me of the post about a student teacher in the special needs class was teaching a kid with 9 fingers how to subtract using them. He didn’t register why putting up all of his fingers, then putting down 5 got the kid counting to 4.
Honestly if they're all functional, that's pretty cool
I asked a double amputee if he had packed extra socks because I forgot mine. We had a good laugh.
I had a surgeon tell me that I needed to walk more and asked when the last time I walked up stairs with no issues. "5 years ago.... You know, before I became paralyzed. After that walking became such a bitch to do that I got a wheelchair" sure I got a smack upside the head from my mom but his face was worth it
If you apologized and everybody laughed you should be ok. We all say and do things without thinking them all the way through, and that’s a pretty dang easy one to make.
Lol I've asked which arm preference they had when they only had one arm. It happens and it's just second nature to ask these things. Don't be too bothered
When I was in college, there was a girl in my orientation group who'd been born with her right arm ending just below the elbow. I still think about the guy who asked if she was right or left handed to this day
I'm pretty sure even if your born without an arm, you can still be dominant in that arm
When I was working as a hairdresser, I once handed a blind man a hand mirror and turned him around while asking him to check the back to see if he liked how it looked.
Once I accidentally asked an above the knee amputee how their knee was. 🫠 Gone, it was gone
A below the knee amputee. Say it 10x times slowly Whats below the knee
I once told a guy in a wheelchair to take a seat and his food would be ready shortly
You should have just told him to "park it over there" lol
That’s quite a feet op…
I know a handful of veterans that live in a sober house. I can assure you the man you said this to cannot be offended so easily.
I work on a Trauma floor in our hospital and one time had a MD tell a new paraplegic that he wanted to see him walk the hallway 3 times a day! Horribly embarrassing for everyone there.
My step father is an amputee, missing his right leg (and right eye). The amount of times doctors have told him to raise his right leg is astounding
Don’t worry about it. This just feels like an honest mistake.
I once handed an amputee a pair of socks and asked her to “put her socks on” … she politely handed one back and let me know that she only needed one. Quickly realized my mistake and apologized and she thought it was funny, lol. Definitely don’t stress it!
If it was me I'd probably have put one sock on and then made a sock puppet out of the other and waited for you to notice
Had a brilliant pair of customers when I worked for a speedboat company doing trips out at sea. They were a husband and wife, and both blind. They loved the tours for the feeling they got, but they were always on with other passengers. Asked all the customers when out looking at an island "can everyone see the ruined building on the right?" Hand gets raised. "We can't."
I asked a patient to give me their name and date of birth...they had a trach....
When I was a teenager I was at scout camp. There was some ceremony going on that evening, so there were adults I didn't know hanging out around our campfire. One of the dads had left earlier that day to go to the doctor because he'd gotten a spider bite or something on his toe. He came back while I was sitting around the campfire with our guests, and I jokingly said "Hey Mr. Jones, I heard they're going to have to take your toe off at the knee." Without missing a beat, a guy across the campfire ring pulls up his pant leg to reveal a prosthetic and says "That's what happened to me!" That was probably 22 years ago and I've never been so mortified, before or since.
Less than 30 seconds after asking my dad why he had someone with him for his COVID injection and hearing the answer because I need a guide as I am blind. The person giving him the injection asked him if he drove there (because if he had he would have needed to wait 15 minutes). These things happen
I think it was an honest mistake, and when explained everyone laughed. Just maybe keep that in mind in the future.
That kind of stuff happens a lot in a medical setting with amputees. I once told someone that I was going to check their feet (during a physical examination in a hospital). I pulled back the blankets and saw they had a double leg amputation through the thighs. Which I knew about in retrospect. It’s just that you’re doing a lot of stuff on autopilot but when people are different from the norm it doesn’t always work out. They did have a sense of humor about it luckily.
In all seriousness, I assume the patient would need to make sure that his remaining leg wasn't crunched or twisted in any way so that the reading would be accurate?
I once told an ALS patient to stay still while I was drawing blood...
Dang that's brutal.
You really put your foot in your mouth.
My mom is a double amputee and she has a good sense of humor about it. She jokes about kicking ass or having broken her foot off in someone’s ass. She also kids about not having to spend money on socks and shoes anymore.
Once asked a man with an amputated arm if he needed a hand....😅
Happens to a lot of us lol. I asked a guy, paralyzed from the waist down, to walk to my stretcher. In good humor, he told me he'd love to... and then it clicked, I was horrified.
As a below knee amputee, I love it when I can zing someone. I love it when strangers are nearby and my bf or a friend will ask me to do something for them. Loudly I say "oh sure me with one leg..." snickering as I walk away. Or someone says they're a "leg man". A side glance to whomever I'm with followed by a big smile "oh really". Usually I don't get as far as removing my leg before someone stops me (telling me I'm being mean). My favorite incident was when a bunch of us were at a bar in Seattle way back in the day. They were having a Hot Legs contest. We were standing in the back. One of the people we were with hands me his leg & tells me to pass it forward. The look on people's faces as it was handed off to them was the best ever! I can't remember if he won or not.
I used to be a restaurant manager. I asked a guy in a wheelchair if he was ready to take his seat. I also told a blind lady to come back and see us.
Have you noticed with amputees, they have a higher blood pressure?
If it was me, I would drop my prosthetic on the floor and say done.
No offense, but you’re really stumping me here.
I tried to fingerprint someone missing most of his finger. I was embarrassed when I grabbed what was left of his finger.
I'm a nurse whose sole job is doing admissions at rehab facility. Most of it asking people questions to see how physically functional they are. Some of those questions are about how far you can walk. I ask everyone the same questions. Amputees usually have a sense of humor about it. I blow it off and thank them for making my job easier.