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I was born without my left hand, otherwise known as being a congenital amputee below the elbow.
This is calledamniotic band syndrome,or ABS, and happens to about 1 in 15,000 babies.
I absolutely love my “stump,” as I now affectionately refer to my arm.
My sister and I loved to play games with our arms.
Courtesy Alexis Hillyard. Design by Bella Geraci.
Most often, Bebe was a superhero and my right hand was the bad guy, Biggie.
My sister was entertained for hours.
I grew up with an excellent sense of body awareness and pride because of my sister.
Courtesy Alexis Hillyard. Design by Bella Geraci.
As I got older and started exploring makeup, I experimented with painting my nails.
Nail polish is just another fun thing to use in my unique way.
Orly polishes are also neat because they have a grippy handle on the cap.
Then I gently place it back against my knee and swap out my fingers for my stump.
Just like someone with two hands, practice is key.
My first attempts were very, shall we say,colorful.
I ended up with painted nailsandfingers, but now my skills rival the average amateur.
Read the rest ofThe Beauty of Accessibility.
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