<img style="float: right;" src="https://opedge.com/Content/OldArticles/images/2008-06_08/8-1.jpg" hspace="4" vspace="4" /> "To be free is to have achieved your life," wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning Southern playwright Tennessee Williams. A self-proclaimed "old boy" with ties to the South himself, Wayne Renardson often quotes Williams in his slightly posh-American accent that is occasionally ruffled by a deliberate Southern drawl. Of the year following Renardson's transtibial amputation, he simply states, "It was a period of adjustment, as Tennessee Williams would say." Renardson's achievements and various interests are linked by expressions of personal freedom. His passion for learning, literature, writing, and playing improvisational jazz are emblematic of this sentiment. Even as doctors were preparing him for amputation and a limitation-laden future after his right leg was crushed in a motorcycle accident, Renardson planned to continue his education and active lifestyle. Though his doctor told him there was no available literature on the topic of amputation, Renardson searched for information that could help him anticipate his future. "I understood that you can name any topic and surely someone has written on it," he says. "The doctor thought I was too ignorant to understand the literature, which was a big mistake." Renardson lost his leg on a return visit to the small town of Winter Haven, Florida, where he once lived, a place where the lack of amputee-related knowledge was staggering at the time. "I hadn't known anyone who had this happen to them," he says. "There was no Internet, no one with whom you could exchange information or knowledge." The accident happened in 1969, while Renardson was studying literature at Florida State University, Tallahassee. "I was a fairly young man when this occurred," he says. "At 27 years old you simply don't just end your life. So I was very motivated to get back to my life, get back to what I was doing, which meant finishing school." His love of literature and writing flourished during a 23-year period when he served as a paramedic for the Nashville Fire Department, Nashville, Tennessee. "I had the freedom at one time to write about what interests me," Renardson says. "I wrote a lot about the digital world; the ability to communicate with many and varied people using the universal language of codes was fascinating. I have run my mouth about amputations for a long time, too." The position allowed spare time for reading and writing until, Renardson says, Nashville grew. "I did all that writing while I was at work," he says, referring to more than 50 published articles on topics ranging from smoking cessation to Morse code to jazz. "The job became very busy, and the hours were crazy. You reach a point in life when you don't want to work all night." Now retired, Renardson jokes that he's a "housewife." "I like to cook and clean" he says. "My wife [Fay, an art historian at Vanderbilt University, Nashville] likes her house clean and her meals ready when she gets home!" All joking aside, he adds, "It is possible after 20 some years of marriage that it is still a privilege to be in her company." Renardson says he is very proud of his wife, his family, and the honor of being the first person in his family to earn a college degree. If Renardson's name is familiar among the O&P community, it is for his service as the Amputee Listserv (AMP-L) owner and moderator. A forum for adult amputees since 1995, the listserv has offered opportunities for amputees to commiserate, seek advice, and share their experiences with one another, in addition to grand-scale services such as involvement with the relief efforts in hurricane Katrina-stricken areas. In the mid-1990s, there was an existing listserv for parents of child amputees (I-CAN), hosted by the University of Pittsburgh, but little existed for adult amputees. Renardson and 13 others filled this void by creating AMP-L. Originally hosted by the University of Pittsburgh, it moved to the University of Washington in 1998. As the moderator, Renardson has the ability to subscribe people and filter out spam. With more than 300 subscribers who steer the topics, conversations veer toward technical rather than emotional issues. The predominant topic among the chiefly American male members is equipment-related: discussions on sockets, liners, or feet, and adaptive gear such as driving or running devices. "We exchange ideas, ask questions, and share our expertise," says Renardson. "Friendships are developed through the list, and sometimes behind-the-scenes meetings take place." After the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina, many amputees found themselves without proper care or even missing a prosthetic limb. AMP-L made a notable contribution in mobilizing the efforts of the O&P community, along with OANDP-L, a listserv for O&P professionals hosted by the University of Florida, Gainesville. Professionals within the field offered their services, products, and supplies in response to a request Renardson made on the site asking everyone to unite their efforts. The offers ranged from feet to post-mastectomy bras to counseling services. "It was one of my proudest accomplishments," says Renardson. "There was an amazing response from prosthetists [and other professionals] all over the country who were willing to offer assistance. I compiled a list of those people and made it available for those looking for aid. It was one of the best moments in terms of [AMP-L] being a useful device for helping people." At age 65, Renardson still enjoys the freedom of riding a motorcycle though he says, "The thrill is not what it once was." He again paraphrases Williams, "People sometimes like to do what they used to do long after they stop being able to do it." His love of jazz music is another expression of freedom. The acoustic bassist for a band that plays hotel lounges across Nashville, Renardson says he plays every day and is still learning. "I like the freedom and lack of restriction on creativity," he says. "Rather than reading prescribed notes, you simply play what you feel and make it up on the spot. Jazz is true freedom of expression; its great music that has lasted a long time." Renardson captures a common desire of amputees trying to understand their limitations while maintaining their independence. Whether learning about the latest technology in prosthetics that will enable them to run or ride a bike again or explore new activities, many want to know how, despite their limb loss, they can live free. "I hear from a lot of people [on AMP-L] who are facing amputation themselves or know someone who is and they want to know, 'What can I expect?"' he says. "This is a difficult question to answer because it depends on the person's mindset, will-power, and spirit. The most useless thing I can imagine is a pity-party or a 'woe-is-me' attitude. It simply is not the end of the world and it won't change your life as much as you think. You can still do a great many things and have a full life." <i> To subscribe to the AMP-L go to <a href="https://opedge.com/3130">http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/amp-l/</a></i> <i>Sherry Metzger, MS, is an anatomy and physiology professor and freelance writer. She is based in Westminster, Colorado, and can be reached <script type="text/javascript">linkEmail('atsherry','opedge.com');</script>.</i>
