Drop the Skirt

How My Disability Became My Superpower

By: Amy Rivera

Narrated by: Alexa Ercolano

2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist.

Born with a rare, incurable genetic disorder that doctors misdiagnosed until her 30s, Amy’s right leg swelled until it was 200 percent bigger than her left leg. Her peers bullied her for having an “elephant leg,” and she learned to hide her disability by wearing skirts. In an attempt to recreate her identity as a teenager, she competed in the Miss Junior American Coed Pageant, and—to her shock—she won, only to become known as “the beauty queen with the big leg”. She went on to become a nurse, a wife, and a mother, but felt depressed, isolated, and in pain for years as her leg swelled.

When Amy realized her calling in life was to help other disabled people, she realized she needed to help herself first. After finally receiving her lymphedema diagnosis, two surgeries, a divorce, many stressful dealings with health insurance companies, and ultimately changing her diet and exercise, Amy overcame the worst known severity of lymphedema and now manages it with minimal maintenance. She established a non-profit to support sufferers of lymphedema and became a voice for those with disabilities. This is the story of how Amy transformed her disability and dropped the skirt.

©2021 Amy Rivera (P)2023 Amy Rivera

Needed

Thank you for giving hope. This story is exactly what I needed to only have been diagnosed at 54. Thank you!!!

Brought me to tears!

As someone with primary lymphedema I appreciate Amy sharing her journey and how she overcame her hardships! Since being diagnosed when I was 29 I’ve had to learn to love my self and my body again. It’s nice to know I’m not alone. Thank you for sharing Amy! ❤️