Amputee Surfer -

by **Loz59er** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 4:27 am

G'day ya'll,
After a while of not surfing, due to physical difficulties, ie: it started with needing a complete left shoulder reconstruction, I am now the proud owner of a missing right arm , :yearght:

….. I had it amputated in may 2018 after losing my index finger, the middle finger, then an arterial bypass which didn't take, so off came the right arm to stop the increasing and incessant pain which was incredibly agonising.
As a longboard rider, I am eager to get back out into the ocean again, now that the bone infection which I caught from shitty old Wollongong hospital has cleared and I am now on the mend, even had my first swim at my local beach the other day, the first since April last year 2017 !... I am interested to find out among the longboarding community if there are many if any other one armed suffers ? .. not interested in Bethany as she rides a short board .. How is the paddling ? I was right handed by the way, now trying to learn again after 58 years how to do lefty style now .. grrrrrrr ,,, any videos etc on the net showing mal riding one armed ? I cant get my steamer on and off one armed yet, so I am waiting for warmer waters down here on the south coast of NSW Australia … and go in just the boardy's .. maybe a rashy dunno yet, also will be trying my first at local reef break/s as it is an easier paddle out option with less trying to punch through the white stuff.... not looking forward to that ! .. currently have a 9ft6" with a 10 footer that needs major repairs I cannot afford to do at this time, I got ripped off with that 10 footer .. my stupidity …. So, any ideas on the paddle and take off ? ideally would like to watch someone else with the same disability to see how they do it, as far as the swimming went, water bloody cold but felt like heaven even though I was only wearing the speedos .. the left arm through the water could really feel the resistance , when I swung the right stumpy arm,

, it was funny how fast and little resistance there was , ! …it went through the water , I can still tread and wash my arms ab out sufficiently to stay afloat, body surf felt weird , though manageable, I can still take off and surge through on the boogie, as I mainly use the flippers for that, but I realy, realy want to get back on the mal, and one day get that bloody 10footer fixed …
anyway, keep your toes on the nose, on this wave of life you lot,
regards from Oz
Loz59er …..

by **Tudeo** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:07 am

Very sorry to hear of your misfortune. Is a motorised surfboard maybe an idea?

by **waikikikichan** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:23 am

Loz59er wrote:not interested in Bethany as she rides a short board .. How is the paddling ?

Even Bethany utilized a longboard to help her get back into the waves. Paddling is paddling on a shortboard or longboard. BUT the Pop Up is different as you can not prop up / push off your toes on a shortboard, but you can on a longboard.
Just like her set up, I would put a hand strap on the deck to help you control the board paddling through waves and assist on the Pop Up.

: Screenshot 2018-08-16 at 2.21.12 PM.png (46.43 KiB) Viewed 809 times

SURFCO makes the SURFCO EZ PLUG PADDLE BOARD FLAT CARRY HANDLE, that would work well on hard boards. There's other types for sponge/softboards.

as for resources, look up:
Amp Surf https://ampsurf.org/
Access surf https://www.accessurf.org/
Wounded Warriors Surf for images.

by **jaffa1949** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:59 am

Loz, I hear you, mate think about a kneeboard with a pull up handle.
Not a long board true, but you can get barrelled easily and lots more overhead waves
There is the adaptive surfing association that and if you look further even a magazine.
So longboarding is not out of the question
Full respect for your plans to return, great to scare grommets with shark stories, or doom at Oilies or Shallows.
Please stay on the forum and share your progress.
I'm returning from cancer so i welcome other waterborne recoveries as encouragement.

Remember Auntie Jack so we know you'll be back :lol:

by **Loz59er** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:37 am

Hey All, big thanks for the replies and the encouragement !, and Jaffa m8, didn't think of trying the knee board again, had a few goes many many moons ago, and did enjoy it, so another arrow to the quiver I reckon , and how can anyone forget Aunty J ? lol, I have the enjoyous memory of going to a couple of tv audiences in the aunty studios at gore hill, as well as being at Aunty J and the Gong in bloody concert … what a time we had ,,, and already having me bloody arm already ripped of : ) I am on my way back lol ... > waikikikichan < thank you for the tips AND the links bro, appreciated it, >tudeo< .. this looks interesting , thanks m8, wander if the buttons can go on the left side as I am now a lefty ! … I wander if I should start going goofy as well ? been practicing skipping stones and throwing cricket and base balls left handed .. pretty sad sight indeed … I must say,a very embarrassing look ..LOL .. I suppose it is learning like a little kid all over again .. doh .. definite a strap will help I think , hard to turtle roll one handed , though I tend to get the nose in a head lock and pull it under nose first, gives me greater control when dealing with decent size white water, I also hope the prosthetic/s will have changeable end bits , still haven't progressed that far yet as still healing ,.. thanks again ALL, this is a great site glad I found it ..
and always hang ten on the wave of life … keep ya toes on the nose
regards
Loz59er