PegLegs and Me

I am not really a writer. I am an ex-diesel mechanic - a practical person by nature. I am a hands-on guy. Well, less so since becoming a double-amputee with more health challenges than can be counted on one hand.  But still, I help wherever I can to the best of my ability. To feel that I still have some worth I wash the dishes, floors and car. I vacuum our flat every day. I help Tanja with her amazing products by bottling, labeling and then cleaning up. Then I rest a while. I possess another very unique talent too.  According to behavioral observations it's called the "Taboo Fluency" Factor: The ability to generate a wide variety of swear words correlates positively with overall language ability and verbal IQ. Articulate speakers use swearing as a rhetorical tool to communicate with maximum effectiveness rather than a crutch for missing vocabulary.   In other words, I am a f***ng genius! Writing became a way for me to express my inner frustrations and release my restless ...

  Last weekend I found myself sitting in the warm winter sun, cutting my toenails. It was one of those ordinary moments that most people never think twice about. The kind of moment that comes and goes unnoticed. As I sat there soaking up the warmth, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. At this very moment there are wars raging somewhere in the world. Soldiers are fighting. Families are fleeing. Children are losing parents. At this very moment there are murders being committed, robberies taking place, drugs being sold, people being trafficked, women and children being abused, corruption flourishing, and countless other atrocities unfolding across the globe. The list is almost endless. Yet there I sat, quietly trimming my toenails in the sunshine. None of those horrors were touching me directly in that moment. Or were they? The truth is that while we may not experience every tragedy personally, we all live beneath the same troubled sky.  Most of us don't spend our days standing a...

  When I was still able to go for daily walks I met amazing people along the way, some of whom became good friends and continue to visit me on a regular basis. I want to share a thought with you about my island in the sun , but before I go there, I’d like to fill you in on the reason to create such a place. It was a visit from one of these friends, who after listening to me vent, suggested that I build myself an island – create my own safe and secure escape. A happy place that I can visit any time and as often as I want. I have undergone some serious changes in my life. Not only financially or physically, but my whole psyche has changed. It’s like I’ve taken on a whole new persona, a hunchback of Notre Dame, if you will. A hidden kind of monster that is trying to force its way out, against all odds, against my best efforts to contain it. And what a monster this is that even I fear him. Who knows what he is capable of? Tanja, being very perturbed by my mental (in)stability dec...

This is not going to be a lengthy piece. This is just me sharing something special with you. How often in life do you find something really worth saving, or sharing for that matter? Out of all the stuff we gather through the years, so much is often tossed out after some time because it has lost its significance or value.  Yesterday, it was Mother's Day here is South Africa and this year my birthday fell on the same day. Not that I care to be reminded that I'm getting older, but it's still nice to receive all those messages and calls and lovely birthday wishes from near and far.  For me, this birthday was pretty dreary. We live in the Western Cape and our winter arrived much earlier and with a vengeance. Strong winds, heavy rain and in certain places flooding and destruction. I don't mind rain, occasionally, but our winters are so unpleasant. Even after living here for more than 27 years, in this beautiful part of our country, it still gets to me.  However, it wasn't...

  Living alongside a double amputee has taught me that the greatest struggles are not always the ones people can see. When people see an amputee, they often notice the obvious first — the missing limbs, the prosthetics, the crutches, the wheelchair, the altered way of moving through the world. What they don’t always see are the battles that come with it. They don’t see the phantom pain that can come from a limb that is no longer there. They don’t see the discomfort of a residual limb, the long healing process, the skin irritation from prosthetics, the pressure sores, the balancing struggles, or the frustration of having to relearn things that once came naturally. They don’t see how much energy it can take just to do what others may consider ordinary. Getting dressed. Bathing. Walking. Turning. Climbing stairs. Sleeping comfortably. Even something as simple as moving from one room to another can require thought, patience, and effort. And then there is the emotional side — often...

  Someone asked me a question this week that stopped me in my tracks. “Do you have a Plan B?” It was asked kindly. Practically. Sensibly. But it didn’t land practically. It landed here — in that quiet place where fear lives. What will you do if Danie dies? What will you do if your small business doesn’t work out? What if everything you are holding together… simply unravels? I smiled at the time. Gave a reasonable answer. Something about taking life one day at a time. But later, alone, the question replayed in my mind. Do I have a Plan B? The truth is — my life already feels like Plan Q. Some days it feels like I’m doing a strange, disjointed dance. One step forward, two steps back. A sale here and there … followed by an unexpected expense. A moment of hope… followed by exhaustion. A burst of confidence… followed by doubt. It’s not a graceful waltz. It’s more like a dismal shuffle on uneven ground. And I find myself wondering: Is everyone’s life like this? Or is it ...

First of all, we'd like to wish you all the best year ahead. A new year has a way of arriving with expectations. Fresh starts. Big plans. Bold resolutions. “New year, new you,” they say — as if life politely resets itself at midnight. But for many of us, the new year doesn’t arrive with fireworks and clean slates. It arrives much the same way the old one left — carrying prosthetics, scars, chronic conditions, health challenges, mental fatigue, financial strain, and the quiet determination it takes just to keep going. And that’s okay. Because stepping into a new year as you are — not as you’re told you should be — is an act of courage in itself. Thank you for walking this road with us Before anything else, thank you. Thank you to every reader who has taken the time to read these words, share a post, send a message, or simply sit with a story that feels familiar. PegLegs and Me exists because you show up — not for perfection, not for polished answers, but for honesty and co...

  Seasonal Loneliness — When “Joyful Times” Make Depression Worse. Certain times of the year bring up emotions we’re not always prepared to handle. Christmas, New Year, birthdays, anniversaries — all the calendar moments that should feel warm and connected — can become incredibly painful for people who are isolated, grieving, financially stressed, or separated from family. For us, as a couple, all of these factors have been our experience for the last 4+ years. The pressure to be cheerful only makes it worse. Every advert, every social media post, every decorated shopping aisle screams togetherness . If your reality doesn’t look like that, the loneliness can feel suffocating. This type of seasonal depression is far more common than people admit. But for many this is not just a seasonal issue. Millions of people suffer with this debilitating condition. Depression has become one of the most common and misunderstood conditions of our time. We tend to label it as a “mental issue,”...

  SHARING THE LOVE Dearest Friends For those of you who have been following our Blog, we appreciate your support and love. You will also know by this time that we've suffered several blows these last few years and getting back up on our feet has proven to be a tremendously difficult task, despite our best efforts. We have always persevered under the pressure and given every ounce of our energy and time to change our circumstances. Laziness is not a board that can be hung around our necks! Having said that, our little business is still struggling to survive, and now, Danie's health has taken a nose-dive. Asking for help is a very humbling experience, but, as the saying goes: Desperate times call for desperate measures! I started this campaign as a means to help us get through this trying time, and humbly ask that you support us in any way you can, even if it's only to SHARE it with your family, friends and contacts.  Thank you in advance for taking the time to read, support ...