EPISODE 28: Elizabeth (Garrett) Esthay- “Finding a normal life after losing feet and hands at age 18”
"Finding a Normal Life After Losing My Feet & Hands at 18" with Elizabeth (Garrett) Esthay
Imagine yourself at age 18, a freshman in college, your whole life in front of you and suddenly you are struck with an illness out of nowhere and it soon takes both of your feet and parts of your hands with it. This was and is the reality for our guest today, Elizabeth Esthay. All of us find ourselves with various challenges dumped into our lives, but hers was particularly acute. How will I walk again? How can I live a normal life? Will I ever get married now? Will I be able to have kids? These are the questions that gripped her as she waited in the hospital for 4.5 months praying for a miracle. How we can and will respond to traumatic events like this is impossible to know, but listening to how others deal with them can be incredibly helpful and inspiring. Elizabeth’s story is not one she’d wish on anyone; however, in an incredible form of redemption, it set her up beautifully for her career as a trauma counselor.
I was truly blown away by my conversation with Elizabeth. What a badass. What an inspiration. What an incredible person. It’s funny how listening to her story and her overcoming makes so many of the challenges we deal with on a daily basis seem so miniscule. I hope her story gives you a bit more courage and perspective to face the challenges that we all know we one day will face.