(Oh, You Sweet, Naive Little Popsicle…)

Ah yes, summer. The season of sunshine, sweat, and silently begging the Mother Nature to chill out so we don’t roast like a hotdog that rolled off the grill directly onto the hot, hot coals.

Now, imagine this: you’re wearing what amounts to a silicone thermos strapped to your limb. Add in a liner liner (yes, that is a real thing) to help suck up excess moisture, a socket that traps heat like a sad, clingy ex, and a rotation of prosthetic socks in tons of different plys (’cause I’m fancy). Welcome to my summer!

Yes, It’s Hot. Yes, I’m Sweating.

You think you’re hot in shorts? Try layering three prosthetic socks inside a limb-hugging sleeve that DOES NOT breathe. And yes, the leg squeaks when it gets swampy. Sometimes it sounds like I’m farting with every step. (I’m not. Probably.)

Sock Changes: The Summer Edition

I’ve been an amputee a relatively short time, so my stump still changes sizes throughout the day. Yes, really. And because the carbon fiber socket does NOT shrink, I get to carry around a collection of prosthetic socks like I’m running the world’s least exciting merch booth. I start off with a fit check (see what I did there?), but by noon, the fit is off. By 2 p.m., I’m half-sitting in a corner trying to do a quick sock swap like I’m doing some underground leg deal.

Sock swaps aren’t just logistical — they used to come with a side of public performance anxiety. Or at least, they used to.

Yes, You Can Look

Once upon a time, I’d find the darkest, most hidden corner of a building to quietly take off my leg and adjust. I didn’t want to bother people with the reality of life with a prosthetic. Heaven forbid I make someone uncomfortable with my visible humanity.

But now? I don’t care. Stare. Gawk. Ask questions. Take a picture. I’ll pose. I’ve earned the right to publicly pull off a limb and slap on another sock like I’m doing quick changes backstage at a Broadway show (‘I am not throwing away my…sock!”). I’m not just adjusting a prosthesis—I’m serving content. Just remember to tag me. Then like and follow.

My mantras: I am interesting. I am cool. I am unique. Well, as unique as one of the approximately 30 million other prosthetic users around the world (give or take, depending on your source and how loose your definition of “unique” is). We’re basically a club of inconveniently fabulous cyborgs, and yes, we get sweaty sometimes. Well, most of the time.

We adapt. We improvise. And, trust me, there’s a method to the summer madness.

Note: I don’t use baby powder—too messy, and it seems to mess with my suction. Instead, I stick with wipes, airflow, and strategic breaks. Yay—I can survive summer without turning myself into a powdered donut.

Summer Survival Tips from a Sweaty Cyborg

Everything Everywhere All at Once…in My Bag
Extra socks, wipes, and anything to prevent your limb from turning into a slip-n-slide? Always have them nearby.

Let the Leg Breathe, Whydon’tcha?
Removing it for a few isn’t surrender—it’s self-care with a socket.

Own the Squeak
Fart noises happen. Blame the shoes. Or the dude in front of you.

So, To Answer Your Question…

Yes. It’s hot.
Yes. I sweat.
Yes. My purse is basically a sock drawer.
And yes—I’m still cool. (Literally? No. Figuratively? ABSOFRIGGINLUTELY!)