I remember being at the pool this summer and Callie taking off her prosthetic.
She doesn’t swim in it (obviously) and I heard the mom next to me on the chair mutter under her breath “Geez a little warning would be nice.”
As if seeing Callie’s leg without the prosthetic on was triggering for her and her kids.
The thing is…..we will never give a trigger warning for Callie’s residual limb.
Ever.
Trigger warnings are for things that are traumatic, abusive, and painful in experience. Extremely hard things that people have been through.
Not a bit of discomfort or uneasiness because YOU aren’t used to being around bodies that look different than your own.
Callie’s limb is not traumatic or scary–it’s simply different, unique, and unlike what you might be used to seeing in your world.
We will always encourage Callie to bravely be herself–regardless of anyone else’s comfort level. Their reactions are evidence that there is some internal work that needs to be done…highlighting things that need to be explored, immersed in, introduced to and things to be healed. Parts of them that they need to dig into, learn, ask questions, and do some work on.
And that’s on them.
Not on Callie.
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