Courtesy Photo | (Photo courtesy Capt. Stefanie Faull) One month after her amputation, Capt. Stefanie...... read more read more
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FALLS CHURCH, Va.- Sometimes, a sense of humor and a positive attitude can be the best medicine, especially when you realize there is no way to make up a story like this. Captain Stefanie Faull’s terrible fall on June 30, 2020, changed her life forever. “I was in Physical Therapy school, and ironically, it happened the night before our foot and ankle exam,” she laughed.
It’s no laughing matter how Captain Faull ended up at the Joint Base San Antonio Soldier Recovery Unit. “I went to the SRU with an elective amputation of my right leg below the knee. It was a result of a freak accident that dislocated my foot and broke a bunch of bones. I had a few surgeries, and it wasn’t getting me back to where I wanted to be in my life.”
Faull said the limb salvaging stage she was in the first few years wasn’t working, and she knew she needed to make a tough decision. She began calculating potential issues like could she go out to dinner? Everyday chores? What about sports, which were hugely important to her? “I had issues in cycling and swimming, and the only thing I could do was row. It was more like a one-legged row. In the first two years, however, I did over 2 million meters,” she said confidently.
She said her parents were supportive, and her mother came to stay with her for several months to help. “My mom had to admit after my amputation, I looked like myself again. I was mentally struggling for a few years before the amputation. My mom needed to see me like my old self again. It is such a weird concept, but I always tell people that if you are getting to a point where you are seriously considering it, it is probably not elective amputation for that person. It’s a necessity.”
She stresses that she did not make this decision lightly. Her other big concern was the future of her career as a physical therapist in the Army. She made it clear to her support team at the SRU and at the Center for the Intrepid that she wanted to return to duty. “I had an incredible prosthetist at the Center for the Intrepid, John Ferguson. He recently just passed, but he was an incredible support. He was able to help me through physical therapy school, and in August of last year, it was a month of threes for me: Promotion, Graduation, and Amputation!”
Faull is returning to duty and is, in fact, about to PCS to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for her next assignment as an Army physical therapist. “I think a lot of folks, and particularly amputees, think it’s wild that I want to stay in the Army. Well, I think the best place to be as a PT and as an amputee is the Army – it makes sense to me to be able to treat patients. Sure, having only one and 2/3rds of a leg is a bummer, but it doesn't have to be the end of your life.”
She says she’s come to appreciate the entire day of a patient in physical therapy and will focus on treating the whole Soldier and not just on the biomechanics or structural limitations. “As PTs, we see someone for one hour of their day for therapy. We can’t see them for the other 23 hours of the day, when they may be in pain, so I can truly relate to that now with my situation.”
Thankful for her time in the SRU, Faull says she is doing very well today and wants to be an example of why the SRU is there for every Soldier in need. She encourages embracing the SRU as the best way to succeed. “You get out what you put into it. It’s easy when you feel down to withdraw but try to find help within the SRU because the staff and cadre are there to help you in any way you need. Get your social support network and be open and honest with them. There are people who will be there for you in the hard times.”
She's proud of her progress and is moving forward with a positive attitude and a little humor, looking ahead to however long her Army career lasts. “If I’m gonna leave the Army, I’m going to do it on my terms, not because my foot didn’t feel like cooperating with me.”
| Date Taken: | 11.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2024 10:51 |
| Story ID: | 484955 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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