We get a lot of requests for amputation stories, so today we’ve got one, but be warned, this one is pretty intense.
While I don’t know the reasons behind it, Tegumai_B decided to remove his lower left leg. Typically the types of amputation we see on ModBlog are small digit removals, which are done at home. However with the loss of a large potion of a limb, Tegumai_B needed the help of doctors. Of course, going up to a doctor and asking them to remove your limb probably won’t work, so Tegumai_B used his own method of getting his leg amputated.
To start with, he spent most of a day with his foot surrounded by dry ice. To see what happened next, you’ll have to keep on reading.
Once he removed his foot from the dry ice, it was off to the hospital where he had his foot examined by a doctor.
Sitting in an examination room. My foot is the color and texture of frozen chicken. The red bit looks nasty, but doesn’t hurt.
After being admitted, his foot began to swell up.
Skin of the entire frozen area has filled with fluid. It’s like wearing a rubber glove full of water. Still doesn’t hurt.
You can see how his toes have already started to turn black. At this point, surgery is the only option as leaving his foot intact could potentially kill him. The next step of course is the surgery.
Back in the ward. Two drains in, which were removed the next day.
5 weeks after the stitches were removed, here’s how the leg looked.
5 weeks post-op. No issues or infections then or now. All done.
It’s now been 5 years since the amputation, and Tegumai_B is happy with the results.
Just a photo of my stump, for ‘proof of identity’ purposes. Amazing how many ‘amputees’ are out there with the same photos 😉 About 5 years post-op.
To see more of his incredible journey, check out the amputation gallery on BME.
Comments
380 responses to “Frozen extremes”
if you are interested in voluntary self-amputation you could read the book “Limbo” by Bernard Wolfe.
it was written in the 50s and is about a post-apocalyptic society where Zen and Body Optimization are the ideals.
Basically the story goes that they’ve developed these nuclear powered super precision limbs that can replace your human limbs and make the average person a superman, and people flock to get their limbs sawed off and replaced.
other people just get their limbs sawed off so they can become what are referred to as “basket cases,” and sit in a basket all day legless and armless, just meditating, which is thought of as the final solution to human aggressiveness.
there’s a conflict in the book between these two motivations, but yeah everyone’s just getting their limbs chopped off.
it actually kind of reminded me of the effect of the internet.
if you are interested in voluntary self-amputation you could read the book “Limbo” by Bernard Wolfe.
it was written in the 50s and is about a post-apocalyptic society where Zen and Body Optimization are the ideals.
Basically the story goes that they’ve developed these nuclear powered super precision limbs that can replace your human limbs and make the average person a superman, and people flock to get their limbs sawed off and replaced.
other people just get their limbs sawed off so they can become what are referred to as “basket cases,” and sit in a basket all day legless and armless, just meditating, which is thought of as the final solution to human aggressiveness.
there’s a conflict in the book between these two motivations, but yeah everyone’s just getting their limbs chopped off.
it actually kind of reminded me of the effect of the internet.
I know this is an old post… But I’ve always had a very strong fear of losing a limb, so I find amputation stories pretty fascinating. I am glad that tegumaib shared his reasons for wanting the amputation. I Think everyone should be able to modify their bodies in whatever way they want. It’s all in the perception, yeah, I can’t imagine cutting off a viable limb, but I also can’t imagine damaging my skin through scarification, or really doing any hard mod. Should anyone here be judging anyone else’s “state of mind” because really, it is purely subjective.
As far as the insurance issue goes, people participate in risky behavior all the time, a lot of which ends in huge insurance payouts. No one would dare tell an obese person that their over eating is unethical, and that they need to pay oop for all their medical expenses directly relating to being obese.
Anyway, I can’t imagine doing something like this, but more power to him for doing something that makes him feel happy and complete!
I know this is an old post… But I’ve always had a very strong fear of losing a limb, so I find amputation stories pretty fascinating. I am glad that tegumaib shared his reasons for wanting the amputation. I Think everyone should be able to modify their bodies in whatever way they want. It’s all in the perception, yeah, I can’t imagine cutting off a viable limb, but I also can’t imagine damaging my skin through scarification, or really doing any hard mod. Should anyone here be judging anyone else’s “state of mind” because really, it is purely subjective.
As far as the insurance issue goes, people participate in risky behavior all the time, a lot of which ends in huge insurance payouts. No one would dare tell an obese person that their over eating is unethical, and that they need to pay oop for all their medical expenses directly relating to being obese.
Anyway, I can’t imagine doing something like this, but more power to him for doing something that makes him feel happy and complete!
I know this is an old post… But I’ve always had a very strong fear of losing a limb, so I find amputation stories pretty fascinating. I am glad that tegumaib shared his reasons for wanting the amputation. I Think everyone should be able to modify their bodies in whatever way they want. It’s all in the perception, yeah, I can’t imagine cutting off a viable limb, but I also can’t imagine damaging my skin through scarification, or really doing any hard mod. Should anyone here be judging anyone else’s “state of mind” because really, it is purely subjective.
As far as the insurance issue goes, people participate in risky behavior all the time, a lot of which ends in huge insurance payouts. No one would dare tell an obese person that their over eating is unethical, and that they need to pay oop for all their medical expenses directly relating to being obese.
Anyway, I can’t imagine doing something like this, but more power to him for doing something that makes him feel happy and complete!
I know this is an old post… But I’ve always had a very strong fear of losing a limb, so I find amputation stories pretty fascinating. I am glad that tegumaib shared his reasons for wanting the amputation. I Think everyone should be able to modify their bodies in whatever way they want. It’s all in the perception, yeah, I can’t imagine cutting off a viable limb, but I also can’t imagine damaging my skin through scarification, or really doing any hard mod. Should anyone here be judging anyone else’s “state of mind” because really, it is purely subjective.
As far as the insurance issue goes, people participate in risky behavior all the time, a lot of which ends in huge insurance payouts. No one would dare tell an obese person that their over eating is unethical, and that they need to pay oop for all their medical expenses directly relating to being obese.
Anyway, I can’t imagine doing something like this, but more power to him for doing something that makes him feel happy and complete!
I’m appalled at some of the ignorant bullshit being spewed here. I know this comes up with every amputation story, but Geez, people, get a fucking clue.
Like Tegumai I forced amputation of my lower leg (mine is the right side). After living with one leg for over ten years I can absolutely tell you that my life is better this way. I can cite more than a dozen people I know who would say the same.
The need to become an amputee, while different for every person with BIID, can encompass every facet of our lives. Yes, it can include sexual desire, but it may also be based on body image, identifying with amputees, the desireability of being “bionic”, and many others.
There are many arguments (most refuted by others) that I would not mind so much if they were presented as questions for discussion instead of arrogant pronouncements. I find nothing so tedious on this site as the knee-jerk “you’re sick and you need professional help”. Lighten up, Francis.
Point of fact: THERE. IS. NO. VIABLE THERAPY FOR BIID, short of amputation. NONE. Like many others, I wasted years and thousands of dollars in therapy and probably tens of thousands of anguished hours to no point. I still needed to be an amputee.
Now I’m an amputee and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. To the person invoking non-voluntary amputees wanting to punch me in the throat, I would counter that I have amputee friends who know my story and (to varying degrees) accept it. The prevailing opinion is “I have no dog in this fight”. I doubt this is representative of most non-vol amputees, but it is significant, nonetheless.
I have one BIID friend with an above-knee amputation whose mother-in-law was herself a BK amp. She knew he was lying about how he lost his leg so he finally told her the truth. Her response was “Oh, is that all.” She was only mad that he didn’t feel he could tell her the truth.
Finally, I would offer the parallel of the MTF person who transitions. Should a soldier returning from Iraq/Afghan who got his balls and/or dick blown off (and there are over 1800 of them so far) go and punch her in the throat? The point is that they are not comparable, just as my voluntary amputation is not comparable to my friend losing his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed thoughtful, earnest questions and comments. To all the usual sanctimonious, hypocritical hand-wringers and hankie-wavers, all y’all can go fuck yourselves. I’m so sick of playing the game of “who is the least mainstream freak we can throw overboard so all the rest of us freaks can be more acceptable”. Fuck that fucking shit.
I’m appalled at some of the ignorant bullshit being spewed here. I know this comes up with every amputation story, but Geez, people, get a fucking clue.
Like Tegumai I forced amputation of my lower leg (mine is the right side). After living with one leg for over ten years I can absolutely tell you that my life is better this way. I can cite more than a dozen people I know who would say the same.
The need to become an amputee, while different for every person with BIID, can encompass every facet of our lives. Yes, it can include sexual desire, but it may also be based on body image, identifying with amputees, the desireability of being “bionic”, and many others.
There are many arguments (most refuted by others) that I would not mind so much if they were presented as questions for discussion instead of arrogant pronouncements. I find nothing so tedious on this site as the knee-jerk “you’re sick and you need professional help”. Lighten up, Francis.
Point of fact: THERE. IS. NO. VIABLE THERAPY FOR BIID, short of amputation. NONE. Like many others, I wasted years and thousands of dollars in therapy and probably tens of thousands of anguished hours to no point. I still needed to be an amputee.
Now I’m an amputee and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. To the person invoking non-voluntary amputees wanting to punch me in the throat, I would counter that I have amputee friends who know my story and (to varying degrees) accept it. The prevailing opinion is “I have no dog in this fight”. I doubt this is representative of most non-vol amputees, but it is significant, nonetheless.
I have one BIID friend with an above-knee amputation whose mother-in-law was herself a BK amp. She knew he was lying about how he lost his leg so he finally told her the truth. Her response was “Oh, is that all.” She was only mad that he didn’t feel he could tell her the truth.
Finally, I would offer the parallel of the MTF person who transitions. Should a soldier returning from Iraq/Afghan who got his balls and/or dick blown off (and there are over 1800 of them so far) go and punch her in the throat? The point is that they are not comparable, just as my voluntary amputation is not comparable to my friend losing his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed thoughtful, earnest questions and comments. To all the usual sanctimonious, hypocritical hand-wringers and hankie-wavers, all y’all can go fuck yourselves. I’m so sick of playing the game of “who is the least mainstream freak we can throw overboard so all the rest of us freaks can be more acceptable”. Fuck that fucking shit.
I’m appalled at some of the ignorant bullshit being spewed here. I know this comes up with every amputation story, but Geez, people, get a fucking clue.
Like Tegumai I forced amputation of my lower leg (mine is the right side). After living with one leg for over ten years I can absolutely tell you that my life is better this way. I can cite more than a dozen people I know who would say the same.
The need to become an amputee, while different for every person with BIID, can encompass every facet of our lives. Yes, it can include sexual desire, but it may also be based on body image, identifying with amputees, the desireability of being “bionic”, and many others.
There are many arguments (most refuted by others) that I would not mind so much if they were presented as questions for discussion instead of arrogant pronouncements. I find nothing so tedious on this site as the knee-jerk “you’re sick and you need professional help”. Lighten up, Francis.
Point of fact: THERE. IS. NO. VIABLE THERAPY FOR BIID, short of amputation. NONE. Like many others, I wasted years and thousands of dollars in therapy and probably tens of thousands of anguished hours to no point. I still needed to be an amputee.
Now I’m an amputee and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. To the person invoking non-voluntary amputees wanting to punch me in the throat, I would counter that I have amputee friends who know my story and (to varying degrees) accept it. The prevailing opinion is “I have no dog in this fight”. I doubt this is representative of most non-vol amputees, but it is significant, nonetheless.
I have one BIID friend with an above-knee amputation whose mother-in-law was herself a BK amp. She knew he was lying about how he lost his leg so he finally told her the truth. Her response was “Oh, is that all.” She was only mad that he didn’t feel he could tell her the truth.
Finally, I would offer the parallel of the MTF person who transitions. Should a soldier returning from Iraq/Afghan who got his balls and/or dick blown off (and there are over 1800 of them so far) go and punch her in the throat? The point is that they are not comparable, just as my voluntary amputation is not comparable to my friend losing his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed thoughtful, earnest questions and comments. To all the usual sanctimonious, hypocritical hand-wringers and hankie-wavers, all y’all can go fuck yourselves. I’m so sick of playing the game of “who is the least mainstream freak we can throw overboard so all the rest of us freaks can be more acceptable”. Fuck that fucking shit.
I’m appalled at some of the ignorant bullshit being spewed here. I know this comes up with every amputation story, but Geez, people, get a fucking clue.
Like Tegumai I forced amputation of my lower leg (mine is the right side). After living with one leg for over ten years I can absolutely tell you that my life is better this way. I can cite more than a dozen people I know who would say the same.
The need to become an amputee, while different for every person with BIID, can encompass every facet of our lives. Yes, it can include sexual desire, but it may also be based on body image, identifying with amputees, the desireability of being “bionic”, and many others.
There are many arguments (most refuted by others) that I would not mind so much if they were presented as questions for discussion instead of arrogant pronouncements. I find nothing so tedious on this site as the knee-jerk “you’re sick and you need professional help”. Lighten up, Francis.
Point of fact: THERE. IS. NO. VIABLE THERAPY FOR BIID, short of amputation. NONE. Like many others, I wasted years and thousands of dollars in therapy and probably tens of thousands of anguished hours to no point. I still needed to be an amputee.
Now I’m an amputee and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. To the person invoking non-voluntary amputees wanting to punch me in the throat, I would counter that I have amputee friends who know my story and (to varying degrees) accept it. The prevailing opinion is “I have no dog in this fight”. I doubt this is representative of most non-vol amputees, but it is significant, nonetheless.
I have one BIID friend with an above-knee amputation whose mother-in-law was herself a BK amp. She knew he was lying about how he lost his leg so he finally told her the truth. Her response was “Oh, is that all.” She was only mad that he didn’t feel he could tell her the truth.
Finally, I would offer the parallel of the MTF person who transitions. Should a soldier returning from Iraq/Afghan who got his balls and/or dick blown off (and there are over 1800 of them so far) go and punch her in the throat? The point is that they are not comparable, just as my voluntary amputation is not comparable to my friend losing his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed thoughtful, earnest questions and comments. To all the usual sanctimonious, hypocritical hand-wringers and hankie-wavers, all y’all can go fuck yourselves. I’m so sick of playing the game of “who is the least mainstream freak we can throw overboard so all the rest of us freaks can be more acceptable”. Fuck that fucking shit.
Whoever said something along the lines of, ‘Why should piercing and tattoo studios have expensive autoclaves when hospitals in poor communities need them?’
My reply, ‘Why should people getting modified be put at risk of infection, like it’s not a ‘worthy’ use of resources.
Also, I was born with a slightly ‘crooked’ pinkie finger and I had the one on the other hand surgically modified to match.(After an accidentaq injury)
I’m totally happy with my hands now.
Whoever said something along the lines of, ‘Why should piercing and tattoo studios have expensive autoclaves when hospitals in poor communities need them?’
My reply, ‘Why should people getting modified be put at risk of infection, like it’s not a ‘worthy’ use of resources.
Also, I was born with a slightly ‘crooked’ pinkie finger and I had the one on the other hand surgically modified to match.(After an accidentaq injury)
I’m totally happy with my hands now.
Whoever said something along the lines of, ‘Why should piercing and tattoo studios have expensive autoclaves when hospitals in poor communities need them?’
My reply, ‘Why should people getting modified be put at risk of infection, like it’s not a ‘worthy’ use of resources.
Also, I was born with a slightly ‘crooked’ pinkie finger and I had the one on the other hand surgically modified to match.(After an accidentaq injury)
I’m totally happy with my hands now.
Whoever said something along the lines of, ‘Why should piercing and tattoo studios have expensive autoclaves when hospitals in poor communities need them?’
My reply, ‘Why should people getting modified be put at risk of infection, like it’s not a ‘worthy’ use of resources.
Also, I was born with a slightly ‘crooked’ pinkie finger and I had the one on the other hand surgically modified to match.(After an accidentaq injury)
I’m totally happy with my hands now.
Gotta try this
Gotta try this
Gotta try this
Gotta try this
It’s disappointing that so many of these comments are so reactionary and closed minded.
First, as far as mental illness goes, there is a condition that can cause people to want to become an amputee, as well as fetishes that can play a part. However, in essence this is still just a body mod, at the extreme end of the scale that includes piercings, tattoos, scarification, implants, bifurcation etc. My desire to have my leg amputated comes from there primarily, it is a step towards becoming my ideal vision of myself and I daydream about it the same way I daydream about other more accepted body mods. I do have a strong attraction to amputees, however many devotees have no desire to become amputees themselves in the same way most straight men would not want to become women.
Secondly, the concern about insurance and the NHS. I don’t know about insurance but the NHS covers people for self harm, suicide attempts, and injuries/illness caused by high risk behaviour (cancer caused by smoking, injuries from extreme sports or drunk driving, etc). The NHS will also cover breast enlargements if you can sit through counselling claiming your flat chest is giving you depression. But the people taking advantage are the minuscule number of voluntary amputees? We all pay for the NHS through our taxes and we all pay for people’s choices we might not agree with. That’s just how the system works, suck it up.
Final point, the concern about BMI covering something this dangerous. The fact is, people who want this badly enough will do it. I have been considering options for my amputation since childhood. Coverage of both successful and failed attempts will ultimately be what keeps me safe (or at least, safer) when i finally do it – and there is no if. What do you think would happen if no one talked about this, the desire wouldn’t go away, people like me would just experiment blind.
It’s disappointing that so many of these comments are so reactionary and closed minded.
First, as far as mental illness goes, there is a condition that can cause people to want to become an amputee, as well as fetishes that can play a part. However, in essence this is still just a body mod, at the extreme end of the scale that includes piercings, tattoos, scarification, implants, bifurcation etc. My desire to have my leg amputated comes from there primarily, it is a step towards becoming my ideal vision of myself and I daydream about it the same way I daydream about other more accepted body mods. I do have a strong attraction to amputees, however many devotees have no desire to become amputees themselves in the same way most straight men would not want to become women.
Secondly, the concern about insurance and the NHS. I don’t know about insurance but the NHS covers people for self harm, suicide attempts, and injuries/illness caused by high risk behaviour (cancer caused by smoking, injuries from extreme sports or drunk driving, etc). The NHS will also cover breast enlargements if you can sit through counselling claiming your flat chest is giving you depression. But the people taking advantage are the minuscule number of voluntary amputees? We all pay for the NHS through our taxes and we all pay for people’s choices we might not agree with. That’s just how the system works, suck it up.
Final point, the concern about BMI covering something this dangerous. The fact is, people who want this badly enough will do it. I have been considering options for my amputation since childhood. Coverage of both successful and failed attempts will ultimately be what keeps me safe (or at least, safer) when i finally do it – and there is no if. What do you think would happen if no one talked about this, the desire wouldn’t go away, people like me would just experiment blind.
It’s disappointing that so many of these comments are so reactionary and closed minded.
First, as far as mental illness goes, there is a condition that can cause people to want to become an amputee, as well as fetishes that can play a part. However, in essence this is still just a body mod, at the extreme end of the scale that includes piercings, tattoos, scarification, implants, bifurcation etc. My desire to have my leg amputated comes from there primarily, it is a step towards becoming my ideal vision of myself and I daydream about it the same way I daydream about other more accepted body mods. I do have a strong attraction to amputees, however many devotees have no desire to become amputees themselves in the same way most straight men would not want to become women.
Secondly, the concern about insurance and the NHS. I don’t know about insurance but the NHS covers people for self harm, suicide attempts, and injuries/illness caused by high risk behaviour (cancer caused by smoking, injuries from extreme sports or drunk driving, etc). The NHS will also cover breast enlargements if you can sit through counselling claiming your flat chest is giving you depression. But the people taking advantage are the minuscule number of voluntary amputees? We all pay for the NHS through our taxes and we all pay for people’s choices we might not agree with. That’s just how the system works, suck it up.
Final point, the concern about BMI covering something this dangerous. The fact is, people who want this badly enough will do it. I have been considering options for my amputation since childhood. Coverage of both successful and failed attempts will ultimately be what keeps me safe (or at least, safer) when i finally do it – and there is no if. What do you think would happen if no one talked about this, the desire wouldn’t go away, people like me would just experiment blind.
It’s disappointing that so many of these comments are so reactionary and closed minded.
First, as far as mental illness goes, there is a condition that can cause people to want to become an amputee, as well as fetishes that can play a part. However, in essence this is still just a body mod, at the extreme end of the scale that includes piercings, tattoos, scarification, implants, bifurcation etc. My desire to have my leg amputated comes from there primarily, it is a step towards becoming my ideal vision of myself and I daydream about it the same way I daydream about other more accepted body mods. I do have a strong attraction to amputees, however many devotees have no desire to become amputees themselves in the same way most straight men would not want to become women.
Secondly, the concern about insurance and the NHS. I don’t know about insurance but the NHS covers people for self harm, suicide attempts, and injuries/illness caused by high risk behaviour (cancer caused by smoking, injuries from extreme sports or drunk driving, etc). The NHS will also cover breast enlargements if you can sit through counselling claiming your flat chest is giving you depression. But the people taking advantage are the minuscule number of voluntary amputees? We all pay for the NHS through our taxes and we all pay for people’s choices we might not agree with. That’s just how the system works, suck it up.
Final point, the concern about BMI covering something this dangerous. The fact is, people who want this badly enough will do it. I have been considering options for my amputation since childhood. Coverage of both successful and failed attempts will ultimately be what keeps me safe (or at least, safer) when i finally do it – and there is no if. What do you think would happen if no one talked about this, the desire wouldn’t go away, people like me would just experiment blind.
this was done out of selfishness. if i was a person that legitimitly had to have a leg etc. removed, i would take a gun and shoot him just because of his ignorance. how many people out there would love to have their limbs back? what is it….he saw the sympathy and help that amputees get and wanted the same thing? hope i never run into someone like that because i would just punch them in the face.
this was done out of selfishness. if i was a person that legitimitly had to have a leg etc. removed, i would take a gun and shoot him just because of his ignorance. how many people out there would love to have their limbs back? what is it….he saw the sympathy and help that amputees get and wanted the same thing? hope i never run into someone like that because i would just punch them in the face.
this was done out of selfishness. if i was a person that legitimitly had to have a leg etc. removed, i would take a gun and shoot him just because of his ignorance. how many people out there would love to have their limbs back? what is it….he saw the sympathy and help that amputees get and wanted the same thing? hope i never run into someone like that because i would just punch them in the face.
this was done out of selfishness. if i was a person that legitimitly had to have a leg etc. removed, i would take a gun and shoot him just because of his ignorance. how many people out there would love to have their limbs back? what is it….he saw the sympathy and help that amputees get and wanted the same thing? hope i never run into someone like that because i would just punch them in the face.
And my mother, who due to various medical issues has been stuck with hundreds of needles and biopsy punches and had to be tattooed as part of radiotherapy, struggles to understand why I’d pay people to do similar things to me for aesthetics. I used to have a shaved head and encountered a very small number of people who thought it was offensive that I’d do that from choice when some women lose their hair to chemotherapy. Is cosmetic surgery inherently offensive to people who have needed reconstructive plastic surgery? If we police what people do to their bodies by those standards we will be left with few options for body modification at all. The fact that BIID is a known disorder that causes people to need to become amputees – yes, need, often to the point of physical pain – which many psychiatrists recommend be treated by amputation of a physically healthy body part means that this is more a case of medical ethics not being up to date with recommended treatment plans than it is ‘selfishness’.
And my mother, who due to various medical issues has been stuck with hundreds of needles and biopsy punches and had to be tattooed as part of radiotherapy, struggles to understand why I’d pay people to do similar things to me for aesthetics. I used to have a shaved head and encountered a very small number of people who thought it was offensive that I’d do that from choice when some women lose their hair to chemotherapy. Is cosmetic surgery inherently offensive to people who have needed reconstructive plastic surgery? If we police what people do to their bodies by those standards we will be left with few options for body modification at all. The fact that BIID is a known disorder that causes people to need to become amputees – yes, need, often to the point of physical pain – which many psychiatrists recommend be treated by amputation of a physically healthy body part means that this is more a case of medical ethics not being up to date with recommended treatment plans than it is ‘selfishness’.
And my mother, who due to various medical issues has been stuck with hundreds of needles and biopsy punches and had to be tattooed as part of radiotherapy, struggles to understand why I’d pay people to do similar things to me for aesthetics. I used to have a shaved head and encountered a very small number of people who thought it was offensive that I’d do that from choice when some women lose their hair to chemotherapy. Is cosmetic surgery inherently offensive to people who have needed reconstructive plastic surgery? If we police what people do to their bodies by those standards we will be left with few options for body modification at all. The fact that BIID is a known disorder that causes people to need to become amputees – yes, need, often to the point of physical pain – which many psychiatrists recommend be treated by amputation of a physically healthy body part means that this is more a case of medical ethics not being up to date with recommended treatment plans than it is ‘selfishness’.
And my mother, who due to various medical issues has been stuck with hundreds of needles and biopsy punches and had to be tattooed as part of radiotherapy, struggles to understand why I’d pay people to do similar things to me for aesthetics. I used to have a shaved head and encountered a very small number of people who thought it was offensive that I’d do that from choice when some women lose their hair to chemotherapy. Is cosmetic surgery inherently offensive to people who have needed reconstructive plastic surgery? If we police what people do to their bodies by those standards we will be left with few options for body modification at all. The fact that BIID is a known disorder that causes people to need to become amputees – yes, need, often to the point of physical pain – which many psychiatrists recommend be treated by amputation of a physically healthy body part means that this is more a case of medical ethics not being up to date with recommended treatment plans than it is ‘selfishness’.