Before amputation, man creates bucket list for leg
Jul 12, 2014, 2:00 PM | Updated: 2:00 pm
Joe Pleban was only in his early 20s when he decided to undergo a voluntary amputation of his lower left leg.
Pleban, 23, suffered from “a rare ankle disease that resulted in benign tumors growing in his ankle,” ABC News reported. For a while, the tumors stopped, but arthritis took their place and Pleban couldn’t get around without crutches or a cane.
And then the tumors came back.
“We knew it was the logical decision,” Pleban said of his choice to have an amputation. “I’d be way more active on a prosthetic. On paper, amputation makes way more sense. Emotionally, it took a little longer to come around.”
To help him cope, Pleban created a “bucket list,” of sorts, for his soon-to-be-severed leg. From silly photos to skydiving to even a “non-permanent, permanent tattoo,” Pleban gave his appendage the best send-off ever.