When was the last time you looked at an amputee and felt sorry for them? How many times have we come across incidents where they couldn't get a regular job just because of their disability irrespective of the fact that they might be perfect fitment for it.
Meet Carol Jagtiani, who pursued her studies and became a lawyer after a train accident which resulted in amputating her leg. Moreover, she has recently delivered a motivational talk where she inspired hundreds to strive for their passion irrespective of challenges that life throws at them.
"My life changed completely when I was in the last year of law school. I was boarding a train when I slipped and fell under. My foot got stuck in the wheel and I got dragged for a few meters until my leg got cut off and I fell on the parallel tracks. I don’t remember much after that because I passed out from the pain.
I was told later that I had suffered a major head injury and the best team of doctors had been called for my case. If it hadn’t been for them, I would have been just another name in the list of train accident victims. I remember waking up after my brain surgery, oblivious to my situation. I vaguely remember being told about my head surgery– I didn’t react much, I guess it didn’t register. But when they told me that my leg needed to be amputated, I started panicking so much, they had to give me morphine to calm me down.
When I woke up the next time, I had only one leg. I couldn’t process my new reality– I broke down and kept yelling that they should have just let me die. It was heart-wrenching for my family to see me like that, but I couldn’t think beyond my disability. My friends and parents started showing me inspiring motivational talks to help me cope up with my situation. I was drawn towards the videos and it never failed to inspire me, oblivious to the fact that in the near future I would be delivering one.
I started to wear my artificial leg and go out and decided not to let the comments of others put me down. That's when I started to work in my brother's event company, I was nearing clients, travelling and that's when I realised that my identity is who I chose to be and not my disability.
My identity was what I chose to be, and not my disability. My friends and family had invested a lot of time and effort in me, and I promised to not let them down. I refused to wallow in pain anymore. So I picked myself up and decided to make the best of my second chance at life.
She proudly stands by the word- amputee by accident, living by choice.