A Minnesota woman recently went viral after documenting her journey to a long-awaited foot amputation.
28-year-old Sierra Diller from Kasson, Minnesota, decided that she wanted to share with the world her journey to address years of chronic pain through an amputation procedure. Her before and after video documenting her experience has already been viewed more than 5 million times. You can see the video below on TikTok.
@hopalong.sierra And just like that. It’s gone!!! Amputee Day 1! Handling recover like a champ! #fypシ #fyp #foot #footbreakup #pain #endchronicpain #amputee #amputation #preamputation
The decision to move forward with a foot amputation isn’t something that Diller took lightly. She had been dealing with foot discomfort most of her life ever since her fourth grade teacher pointed out that she was walking with a limp. She was later diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumor known as a hemangioma. She underwent surgery two years later, but the full tumor could not be removed. Trauma from the surgery and her recovery process, as well as the fact that the tumor eventually doubled in size, meant that Diller was dealing with near-constant discomfort.
“My bones in my foot shifted around the tumor so I was able to walk. But the tumor itself (which is made of tons of extra blood vessels) would fill with blood the second it wasn’t being compressed,” Diller told People magazine in an interview. “It was very uncomfortable.”
Further treatments to dissolve the tumor proved unsuccessful, and the foot discomfort continued to make her high school and college life difficult. She noted in an earlier TikTok that the discomfort would sometimes cause her to miss class. After more failed injections and a failed tumor removal procedure, Diller began considering more drastic options. She wanted to stop living in pain and take back control of her life, so after careful consultation with her care team, she opted for an amputation.
She documented much of the lead up to surgery on her TikTok page, and even has some videos up after the procedure showing her working to get used to life without her foot. Head on over and take a look at her inspirational page!
We’ve worked with a number of amputees during our time as an orthopedic surgeon, and we believe that it’s important that people try to frame the loss of a foot or a leg with the right mindset. Don’t see it as losing a leg, see it as you regaining control over your body and your health. If you’ve gotten to the point where an amputation is in play, you’re likely dealing with some significant health risks or symptoms, and an amputation can help you overcome these challenges. Many amputees find more freedom and become more active after they’ve recovered from surgery, and that begins with the right mindset. It’s wonderful to see that Sierra has adopted that mindset and is willing to share her journey and experience with others. We wish her all the best going forward!