A funny thing happened on the limbhackers forum [fiction]

SmartFella

I’m about twice your age and lost my legs when I was 21. I was one of the guinea pigs for early-model Enduros. The original application was for military amputees, essentially to get us back in condition to fight. Commercial applications came later. The idea of voluntarily severing your limbs to get them upgraded is absolutely insane to me. But then again, I was around in the early days, when things didn’t run as smoothly. I once lost power on a combat mission and was stranded in the desert, and when my team came back to get me I was so heavy I couldn’t be moved. I couldn’t fly on commercial planes because I weighed as much as a lawnmower. Now I have two custom Enduro Gamba Lux, paid for by the military, but to be honest, my days of performing superhuman feats are well behind me. I would be happier with the old, “organic” pair and without decades of inconvenience.

Advice from an old ex-military hippie: Stay Human. :^)

BurnMatrix2020

Wow, thank you for your advice. Glad you survived man, that sounds scary.

BelladonnaOfMadness

I did a voluntary a&u about three years ago. One leg, one arm, considering a second leg. I did one each, essentially to try it out, but if I could go back and do it all again I would have just done both legs first. Having one crazy overpowered arm is fun: I can lift insane amounts of weight, pick things straight out of the oven, play guitar, yadda yadda. Legs are different, though. I have one leg that could do an ultramarathon and one that can’t walk up four flights of stairs without the muscles getting tired. When you get just one leg done they put ballast blocks in the upgrade so that the weight is the same, but my meat leg still feels heavier, lol. It is just all-around less capable.

To me the health and quality of life benefits of limb upgrading were a no-brainer. Recovery from the amputation was annoying but so worth it once I got my upgrades 🦾

BurnMatrix2020

Wow. Exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I was considering starting out with one arm but maybe I’ll go legs first.

BelladonnaOfMadness

Do it!! You won’t regret it.

Versimeter

Amputee here, lost one leg and one arm in a car accident. Initial leg was below the knee, but I got the rest removed three years ago so I could get a full-limb upgrade. So, I’m kind of both. It’s weird to say it, but I love my limbs now. They’re special, even though I wasn’t born with them. They’ve become a part of me.