鎵剧殑涓嶅?鏄撳晩,鏈熷緟缁欏垎

　　AmyPurdy:Livingbeyondlimits

　　FILMEDMAY2011•POSTEDNOV2011•TEDxOrangeCoast

　　Website

　　-Ifyourlifewereabookandyouweretheauthor,howwouldyouwantyourstoryto

　　go?That'sthequestionthatchangedmylifeforever.GrowingupinahotLas

　　Vegasdesert,allIwantedwastobefree.Iwoulddaydreamabouttravelingaworld,

　　livinginaplacewhereitsnowed,andIwouldpictureallofthestoriesthatIwouldgo

　　ontotell.Attheageof19,thedayafterIgraduatedhighschool,Imovedtoaplace

　　whereitsnowed,andIbecameamassagetherapist.WiththisjoballIneededwere

　　myhandsandmymassagetablebymyside,andIcouldgoanywhere.Forthefirst

　　timeinmylife,Ifeltfree,independentandcompletelyincontrolofmylife.Thatis,

　　untilmylifetookadetour.

　　-Iwenthomefromworkearlyoneday,withwhatIthoughtwastheflu.Andless

　　than24hourslater,Iwasinahospital,onmysupport,withlessthana2%chanceof

　　living.Itwasn'tuntildayslater,asIlayinacoma,thatthedoctorsdiagnosedmewith

　　bacterialmeningitis,avaccine-preventablebloodinfection.Overthecourseoftwo

　　andahalfmonths,Ilostmyspleen,mykidneys,thehearinginmyleftear,andboth

　　ofmylegsbelowtheknee.

　　-Whenmyparentswheeledmeoutofthehospital,IfeltlikeI'vebeenpiecedback

　　togetherlikeapatchworkdoll.IthoughttheworstwasoveruntilweekslaterwhenI

　　sawmynewlegsforthefirsttime,becausetheywerebulkyblocksofmetal,with

　　pipesboltedtogetherfortheankles,andtheyellowrubberfootwiththeraisedrubber

　　linefromthetoetotheankletolooklikeavein.Ididn'tknowwhattoexpect,butI

　　wasn'texpectingthat.Withmymombymysideandtearsstreamingdownour

　　faces,Istrappedonthesechunkylegs,andIstoodup.Theyweresopainfulandso

　　confiningthatallIcouldthinkwashowamIevergoingtotraveltheworldinthese

　　things?HowwasIevergoingtolivethelifefullofadventureandstoriesasIalways

　　wanted,andhowwasIgoingtosnowboardagain?

　　-ThatdayIwenthome,Icrawledintobed,andthisiswhatmylifewaslikeforthe

　　nextfewmonths.Mepassedout,escapingfromrealitywithmylegsrestingbymy

　　side.Iwasabsolutely,physically,andemotionallybroken.(Sob.)ButIknewthatin

　　ordertomoveforwardIhadtoletgooftheoldAmyandlearntoembracethenew

　　Amy.Andthat'swhenitdawnedonmethatIdidn'thavetobe5'5"anymore.I

　　couldbeastallasIwanted.OrasshortasIwanted,dependingonwhoIwas

　　dating.AndifIsnowboardedagain,myfeetaren'tgoingtogetcold.Andbestofall,

　　Ithought,Icanmakemyfeetthesizeofalltheshoesthatareonthesalesrack.

　　AndIdid.Sotherewerebenefitshere.ItwasthismomentthatIaskedmyselfthat

　　life-definingquestion:IfmylifewereabookandIweretheauthor,howwouldIwant

　　thestorytogo?AndIbegantodaydream.IdaydreamedlikeIdidasalittlegirl.

　　AndIimaginedmyselfwalkinggracefully,helpingotherpeoplethroughmydream,

　　andsnowboardingagain.AndIdidn'tjustseemyselfcarvingdownamountainof

　　powder,Icouldactuallyfeelit,Ico