From One Small Moment to Something More
One of the first moments I remember documenting on LinkedIn was a simple one.
Pulling a car door closed from the inside.
Using my prosthetic.
Before that, I had to reach across my body with my right hand to pull the door shut. It was something I had adapted to over time, without thinking much about it.
Until I didn’t have to anymore.
That moment, small as it might seem, stuck with me.
Because it wasn’t just about closing a door. It was about independence in a way that felt immediate and real.
Around that same time, I had started sharing these moments as part of a mental health awareness effort.
At the beginning, it was just that.
Documenting the experience honestly.
What it felt like to learn something new.
What it felt like when things worked, and when they didn’t.
I didn’t know where it would lead, or if anyone would connect with it.
But people did.
What I’ve found is that when you share the parts of an experience that aren’t always visible, people pay attention.
Conversations started happening.
Not just reactions, but real conversations.
With people in the prosthetics space.
With others using assistive technology.
With people who were simply curious and wanted to understand.
And with that came something I didn’t expect. Opportunities.
Opportunities to connect.
To offer perspective based on lived experience.
To be part of conversations where these technologies are being shaped and improved.
Not as a spokesperson.
Not as a marketer.
But as someone living it.
That distinction matters to me.
Because this was never about promoting a product. It was about showing what the experience actually looks like.
The part after the demo.
The part where you’re figuring out how to do something without thinking about it.
The part where progress is quiet, but meaningful.
One of those moments happened recently while bringing in groceries.
I had bags in my prosthetic hand and was texting with my right at the same time.
It didn’t feel like a “moment” while it was happening. It just felt normal.
And that’s what made it one.
Because not long ago, that would have taken planning. Or it wouldn’t have happened at all.
There’s also been a shift internally.
What started as awareness turned into openness.
A willingness to share more.
A realization that there’s value in documenting things as they happen.
Not after they’re polished.
Not after they’re figured out.
But while they’re still unfolding.
Looking ahead, I don’t have this fully mapped out.
But I know I want to keep going.
To keep documenting the real experience.
To contribute to more human-centered technology.
To stay grounded in the perspective that started all of this.
Just one person, learning in real time.
If you’ve been following along, thank you.
If you’re new here, you’re welcome to be part of it.
This is still just the beginning.
