DOTHAN, Ala. – A Slocomb woman was in a life threatening accident in February where she lost a left limb. Over the last two months Kelli McAllister has had to adjust her life as a new amputee.
However, she will not allow her wheelchair to define who she is. She tells News 4 she is not a handicap, she just does some things differently.
When McAllister was asked if she ever believed anything like this would happen to her she responded with, “Oh absolutely not, I mean I was, I am in the prime of my life.”
McAllister describes February 11, 2021 as a harrowing day.
“I was lucky to have my husband nearby who is a paramedic firefighter, he knew exactly what to do,” McAllister said.
The most important part the day of McAllister’s accident, is a voice.
“I don’t generally wear a belt with the clothes that I was wearing that day, but there was this small voice that said, ‘Go get your belt and put it on,’” McAllister said.
Three hours later was when she really needed that belt.
“In that moment I was very calm,” McAllister said. “I knew exactly what needed to be done.”
The belt was used as a tourniquet that potentially saved her life.
“I’ve never before February 11th had that God moment, but I have no doubt in my mind that that was God that morning,” McAllister said.
After spending 17 days at UAB hospital and seven surgeries later, McAllister came home to her new reality.
“It’s frustrating sometimes,” McAllister said. “I’m the cook in the house and cooking is much more difficult. It takes way longer than I would like and I don’t do it nearly as much because it is such a difficult task, you know I need salt which is in the cabinet and so I have to roll over there, lock my chair, standup, reach up, get down, unlock my chair, scoot back over to where I was.”
But her determination remains.
“There is nothing I can’t do, I just got to figure out how to do it,” McAllister said.
McAllister is a nurse practitioner at Flower Hospital. Over the last 17 years she has spent her time in the Wiregrass caring for others.
“And the fact that I have to rely on other people at this point has been very difficult for me because that’s not in my makeup,” McAllister said.
She now has a new vision.
“We’ve just had to laugh about it because there’s no reason to cry at this point, I can’t change it, I have to learn and figure out what God’s plan is,,” McAllister said.
But she is still adjusting,
“I have a two-story house and I need to be able to get up to my sewing and crafting room which is on the second floor,” McAllister said.
McAllister says she is learning along the way.
“Even though I can do something, if someone wants to do it for me I’m having to slowly learn, let them do it, other people want to help, and that’s hard for me because I want to be able to do it myself,” McAllister said.
McAllister is not allowed to discuss the accident itself due to potential litigation.
On May 1st McAllister will have a pork loin and rib sale as a fundraiser in Slocomb to raise money for a prosthesis. It will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Friend Bank parking lot. Tickets needs to be purchased before hand by calling 334-701-5355. Payments can be made through Venmo, Cash App, PayPal or can be paid when picking up bought items.
McAllister said it is important they know who wants one and how many ahead of time so they ensure they have enough. She said they will not be cooking a bunch a head of time to sell the day of without knowing it will be picked up.
