Bethany Hamilton Research Paper

Bethany Hamilton: Shark Attack In 2003, Bethany Hamilton was attacked by a shark while surfing (Zee 7). An amputation was performed on her arm, which in turn, helped save her life (O’Shel 21). Since the attack, Bethany has regained her life and has inspired many others to continue fighting through their own struggles. When an amputation is performed, many people choose to have a prosthetic limb. An amputation is a procedure that surgically removes all or part of a limb on the body. People who have had amputations usually use a prosthetic, which is an artificial body part, to replace that part of the body which has been removed (Spoor and Lackey). There are almost two-million people in the United States that have had amputations done (Castillo). In addition to people that have had amputations, some can experience symptoms such as having phantom sensations, pain, tingling, itching, or numbness (Haggerty and Sherk). Bethany Hamilton loved the water …show more content…
While recovering, Bethany spent one week in the hospital (Sandler 20). When she finally got to go home, she realized she could not do many of the easy things she used to be able to do. Tying her shoes, getting dressed, and even peeling an orange were difficult tasks for her (22). She could not go on living her life not being able to do everyday things. One thing that people thought might help her physically and emotionally was a prosthetic for her arm. Hanger Prosthetics made Bethany a brand new prosthetic, but Bethany did not want to use one. She said that the only real use for it was wearing it under shirts and sweatshirts in public. Other than that, she said it had no functionality and it just hung there. One of the main reasons why Bethany did not use a prosthetic was because she became comfortable with her new body, and she did not want another arm. Bethany said, “Now I’m so used to life with only one arm, and I don’t feel like I need another one!” (Spoor and