I'm not what happened to me, I'm what I chose to become

Today is Limb Loss day.

I’m not sure if everyone knows my story but I'll give you the short version. When I was two and a half I had meningitis and, as a result, I am now a quadruple amputee. 

Meningitis Now has helped me get through the difficult times while growing up. 

Not long after my amputations, the physios wanted me to get up and walking in my new legs. As I didn’t have much core balance I got back into horse riding to help build it up again. Meningitis Now kindly funded my riding lessons, and now, with my core strength, I am able to walk in my hi-tech C-Legs everyday around university. 

So, I’ve been asked to do this blog and as part of it I'd love to give young people like myself some ‘words of wisdom’ (or something along those lines). So here it is. Pretty much guys, I am not what happened to me, I am what I chose to become. 

In other words, don’t let anything hold you back. There are no limits, trust me. I’ve done everything, from cliff jumping to kayaking, and representing my school. I know some people say that the sky is the limit but it's really not because there are footprints on the moon. 

What really inspired me to keep up with horse riding is just the whole thrill of it. You're sitting on a five-ton animal that has a mind of its own, has it's own language and yet still understands us. Like, come on, how cool is that!? 

Now I am competing with the horses in Para-Equestrian Dressage for Ireland, living at university in Hartpury studying... well, more horses, and I'm competing at the largest Equine Centre in the UK!

I'll wrap this up with one last message (that I have stuck on my door so I see it everyday): ‘Go ahead, tell me I can't do it because I will show you, over and over again, that I can’. So yeah, that’s it from me, now I'll leave you guys to it. 

Have a nice day. 

Over and out!

Louise