You Can’t Ask That: May 19

Tonight on You Can’t Ask That eight amputees all have remarkable stories to share about perception and embracing a new version of themselves – the challenges they’ve faced and what they’ve gained through their limb loss.

The You Can’t Ask That format confronts prejudice and discrimination and offers real insight into the lives of everyday Australians.

Korina Valentine is a young mum of two, who one day assumed she was sick with the common flu, but her condition quickly deteriorated, and she found herself in hospital battling Sepsis. “I was heavily sedated. My husband had to make those awful decisions for me. He had to sign the consent … I woke up and it was done.”

Korina woke up with no arms or feet – a quadruple amputee.

Amputation can have many common causes, including cancer, vascular disease, trauma injuries, infection, birth deficiencies and Diabetes. More than 8,000 lower limb amputations are performed each year in Australia, according to Limbs For Life. That’s about one every hour.

Lovable larrikin Brendan Clark, a mechanic from Coonamble, recounts how he was attacked by two pig hunting dogs that jumped off a ute while he was working and ripped one of his arms off.

“Think of the worst thing you can imagine, and then times it by 10 … the worst part was having the tongue lick over the raw flesh. Having that rough tongue grind up raw meat and licking the blood. And then hearing the bones crunch.”

The life-changing events that led to the eight people in this episode becoming amputees are all incredibly different; however, they share many similar experiences. From being stared at in the street, to strangers calling them an inspiration.

The people in this episode all have remarkable stories to share about perception and embracing a new version of themselves – the challenges faced and what they’ve gained through their limb loss.

Production credits: You Can’t Ask That is an ABC Production. Series Director and Producer: Kirk Docker, Series Producer: Josh Schmidt, Executive Producer: Frances O’Riordan and Head of Entertainment: Nicholas Hayden.

9pm tonight on ABC.