In 2017 Kayla Inman slid on ice while leaving her workplace, and this event changed the course of her life. That slide caused her to feel constant pain in her foot, a pain that doctors failed to diagnose until December 2020, when she discovered she was developing complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). After numerous consultations with medical experts and many conversations with her family, Kayla came to terms with the fact that the only solution to her pain and inability to walk was amputation.
On Sept. 30, 2021, orthopedic surgeon David Hahn successfully amputated Kayla’s leg below the knee. When she awoke from her anesthesia- induced nap, she quickly shot upright in her hospital bed to look at where her right leg once was. She would need to learn how to walk again with the prosthetic, but she was overcome with joy that, finally, the pain was gone.
Since then, Kayla has moved forward in amazing ways. She has given a TEXx Talk and also founded an amputee support group in Grand Junction, Colorado. We talk about all of this and more in this episode of the We’re not Stumped podcast.
Links:
Kayla Inman TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhOQMW2sMlk
Grand Valley Amputee Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107576273319053/
Kayla Inman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehappyamputee/
#amputee #amputeelife #amputeestrong #amputees #amputeeswholift #amputeefitness #amputeeathlete #amputeelifestyle #amputeecoalition #amputeepride #amputeeman #amputeesofinstagram #amputeerunner #amputeewarrior #amputeewoman #belowkneeamputee #amputeestyle #legamputee #amputeemotivation #amputeeswag #amputeehumor #armamputee #amputeesrock #amputeeandproud #amputeesdoitbetter #bkamputee #amputeesport #amputeeleg #amputeeyoga
Want to be considered as a guest? Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/contact-amputee-podcast/
Want to learn more about our host Mike Bolland? See his website https://mikebolland.com/
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
What happens when lived experience meets entrepreneurship? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Owen Kent, an entrepreneur living with muscular dystrophy who is reshaping the future of assistive technology. After facing limited access to effective rehabilitation tools, Owen co-founded a company to develop a simple, home-based exoskeleton designed to make recovery more accessible. From customer discovery and design thinking to universal design principles, Owen shares how building technology for underserved communities requires more than innovation — it requires empathy.
In this powerful episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike sits down with Lindsay Hicks to share her courageous decision to choose amputation at age 22 — and the emotional and physical challenges that followed. Lindsay opens up about navigating identity after limb loss, the support of her parents, and the mindset that helped her move forward. She shares how setting a goal to walk unassisted by Christmas gave her focus during recovery and how resilience continues to shape her life today. The conversation also explores her prosthetic journey, serious medical complications including liver failure and infection, and the determination that helped her regain mobility after two years on crutches.
What if surgery and virtual reality could dramatically reduce phantom limb pain? On this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Dr. Glenn Gaston, orthopedic hand and upper-extremity surgeon, to explore groundbreaking innovations in amputee care — including the Starfish Procedure and a virtual reality treatment for phantom limb pain. Dr. Gaston shares how a life-changing patient experience led him to build a dedicated amputee clinic and push beyond century-old methods of care He also shares his journey into amputee care, the inspiration behind his innovations, and why collaboration between surgeons, prosthetists, therapists, and mental health professionals is shaping the future of limb loss recovery.




Leave A Comment