About Me

PFFD is short for Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency and is also known as Congenital Femoral Deficiency. It’s a rare congenital birth defect that effects the femur and can vary in severity. Sometimes (like mine) the hip joint and other muscles and bones will be undeveloped.

In 1969 (gulp!) when I was born treatment options were limited to amputation and a prosthetic leg. At 9 months old my knee was fused and the foot was removed to produce a stable stump so that an above-knee prosthesis can be fitted. My hip was reconstructed and a rod was placed for stability. I learned how to walk on a full leg prosthesis at 18 months.

Six months in Shriner's Hospital Los Angeles

I remember this time so vividly. At 5 years old I was in Shriner’s hospital for many months before and after my next surgery. The rod was removed from my hip and I came home in a body cast. I went to Kindergarten in the hospital and I was so shy.

I was in a large room with other children and we had to stay in our hospital beds. My twin sister wasn’t allowed to come up to visit me so I had to wave to her on the playground through the window from my hospital room.

I can remember the taste of the oatmeal. It was gummy. The smell of Ivory dish soap takes me back to that time. It must have been what they used for soap.

There was a very sweet girl who was a bit older than me. Her name was also Teresa and she would braid my long hair.

I met the 1974 Los Angeles Rams

The 1974 Rams football team came and visited us one day. I was coloring a gumball machine and these huge football players were gathered around my hospital bed signing each gumball on the coloring sheet. That was cool!

I was back home when the body cast came off and we were using my crutches for london bridges. Once my cast came off the surgical area on my hip burst open. I remember sitting in the bath tub in a pool of blood and on the surgical table insisting they put me back in a cast.

Once I was fully grown it was recommended I have a revision to my stump. It would have helped with the alignment of my prosthesis because my stump is just a tad bit longer than my knee. I was a stubborn teenager and was afraid to have another surgery.

In hindsight, I should have done it so that my knees were more even.

I can do anything you can do

We were an active family; camping, fishing, water skiing, horseback riding, you name it! If my sisters were doing it, I was doing it.

My Dad was awesome at engineering modifications so that I could participate in everything.

I always felt this urge to prove that I could do anything and be “normal” just like everyone else. I learned how to ignore pain I felt in my body so that I could keep up with what everyone else was doing.

In 1997 alongside my sister I finished the Honolulu Marathon. We walked it and I think it took us 8 hours but we did it! What an incredible experience that was!

Suddenly I was in excruciating pain

In my early 30’s I started experiencing back pain for the first time during my second pregnancy. I brought home my beautiful baby girl and went back to work but the pain didn’t go away. I went on what I thought was a temporary leave from work to try and get better.

Little did I know it would take 15 years to start to feel better.

15 years of frustration and chronic sciatica pain

Medical doctors told me it was terrible arthritis and “overuse” from wearing a prosthetic leg for 30 years.

Pain management doctors said, “you have a right to quality of life” and gave me pain meds and injections.

Pharmacists treated me like a drug seeker. It was demoralizing and humiliating to walk into the pharmacy every month.

Physical therapists measured me and told me the laundry list of ways my body was “dysfunctional” and made a plan to “fix me” which made the pain worse.

Alternative healing methods that took a whole body approach helped but weren’t covered by insurance and were very costly.

Don’t get me wrong! I believe in western medicine and have so much respect for medical professionals. But I had a lot to learn about my body and its unique needs and this was up to me if I ever wanted to feel better.

What did I learn?

I started to realize if I ever wanted to get off horrible meds and stop the cycle of endless doctor appointments I would have to take matters into my own hands. I would have to advocate for my own health and change the way I viewed pain management and health care.

I was looking for a diagnosis and a cure. I didn’t need a cure.  I needed to learn how to take care of my body and its unique needs.

I searched for experts who were teaching holistic “whole body” techniques and dedicated time to learning and paying attention to what helped and what didn’t.

I had to redefine what pain management meant for me and my body. Instead of managing the pain I learned to manage my self care and began to feel less pain.

The advice that changed my life

It was a massage therapist who said, “start a journal and write everything down. When you are having a good day look back at what you were doing and you will see a pattern.”

She was right! I could see a pattern and started learning what helped and what didn’t. It was so empowering!

So my best advice to you, start a journal! Grab a notebook and start writing down your day or download an app on your phone that will hold notes. You will look back and start learning what works (or doesn’t) for your body.

I am Bionic Woman was born

As I learned more self care tools and techniques that helped, I wanted to teach others.

I trained as a group fitness instructor and got certified through Revelation Wellness. For a couple of years my friend and I led a free group, the SCV Sole Sisters and we met on the Santa Clarita paseos and walked and talked. It was then I realized how much I had learned from my own pain and healing journey and wanted to keep sharing and helping others.

How I found The MELT Method

Early in my healing journey, The Melt Method was being taught through the local Santa Clarita Parks and Recreation. I am so glad I signed up and went! During the very first class I quickly realized this was something different.

Finally! MELT was something I could do AT HOME to support my body’s natural healing ability that did not cause more pain.

I began using essential oils to support my body

As an amputee I wanted to support my aging body with something more natural and “stumbled upon” essential oils many years ago trying to help my daughter.  I experienced how much they were helping her, so why not me too?

Once again, I found something I could do AT HOME to support my body’s natural healing ability.

The more they helped me and my family the more curious I became about how they work and why. I became a Certified Essential Oil Specialist and am passionate about teaching others what I have learned.

If you are in pain or dealing with a health issue

Don’t give up! Stay open to learning about your body and what helps and what doesn’t. Sometimes, we have to block out what the “experts” tell us we should feel and just “know what we feel.”

The journey hasn't been easy and I will never grow a leg and be out of pain. I have to take care of myself every day.  But, now I get to take all that I have learned and share it with others.