Myriam: "I was amputated straight away"

Myriam lost her leg during bombing raids in Syria. She received first aid before being directly transferred to Jordan. HI provided her with a prosthesis and rehabilitation sessions, and she is now able to walk again.

Myriam who wears a prosthesis is sitting in her living room in Jordan.

Myriam sitting in her living room in Jordan. | © Oriane van den Broeck / HI

Myriam, 62 years old, lives in Jordan with six members of her family. In Syria, she found herself caught up in a bombing raid. She explains what happened next:

"I was amputated straight away. They bandaged me up and sent me to Jordan. I then had an operation to shape my leg for fitting with a prosthesis."

She also lost her 18-year old son: "I mourn his death every single day".

Myriam has had to adapt her daily life to her new circumstances. She suffers from back pain which is a common complaint for amputees. The pain reduces her scope of activity and also has a psychological impact.

"I would love to be able to do more at home. Like the cooking, the cleaning, and the shopping. But my daughter-in-law takes care of everything. I think this is what is most difficult to get used to.

"I spend most of my time sitting down. We also had to move into a different apartment because the toilets were not adapted."

Outside of the house, Myriam's biggest challenge is getting hold of the medicine she needs to treat her different health issues. The family cannot afford to buy them all.

The organisation provides some of her treatments free of charge, but the family has to travel to Ramtha to get them, a town located several kilometres away, near the Syrian border.

Myriam has been fitted by HI with her fifth prosthesis. © Oriane van den Broeck / HI

Humanity & Inclusion provided Myriam with a prosthesis and rehabilitation sessions to learn to walk again. The teams keep a close eye on her and call regularly to check that everything is ok with her new prosthesis.

"I have made lots of progress and can walk short distances. The foot of my prosthesis actually wears down with use. When that happens I can call HI who will come and replace it. I don't walk very much, so my prosthesis can easily last a year."

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Date published: 14/11/18

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