When I start off with a patient, I want to lead by example. It is really important to me that they believe in me. If they don't believe in me, we have a problem right from the beginning. But I also know that I have to prove myself. I like the patient to be inspired. But I think what happens — and I say this for a lot of my patients — is that I may push them a little, but then they realize that they can do something. So they come back and they say to me, "You know, I ran a quarter mile the other day, but now I want to run a half mile." Before you know it, a half mile quickly becomes a mile, which becomes 10 miles, which becomes a marathon. And all of these things make my job more difficult because these guys are pushing the limits. It is a tug of war, in a sense: You know they want to do better, and I want them to do better, so they push a little harder. It becomes a great cycle. It is really fun.

Can you really relate to their situation?
I had a dream once that I was an amputee. I was playing soccer — I was pretty good. Then I woke up. I wanted so badly to remember all of those feelings, but I was just out having fun playing soccer — I have no idea what it feels like. I try to listen — you simply have to listen to your patients. You want to get inside their heads, but it is hard because there are sides to it that you don't know.

My patients inspire me. Every day, I see these people doing amazing things. For some of them it is just getting up in the morning and having the courage to do what they do. I don't know if I would make it as an amputee. I would be scared. Seeing it on a daily basis, with all types of people, makes you really appreciate and love life.

How does it affect you emotionally?
I was with a patient a few weeks ago. He had just accomplished a big ocean swim, and we were out celebrating, just talking and having a great time. He told me a few days prior, he was at home and he was thinking about how much he missed his leg, his real leg. I am listening to him, thinking, here is a guy who just swam a mile and a half in the ocean in a race, yet he is still able to get right back to this very grounding experience. But a few days later, he is swimming in the ocean! It showed me that while, yes, he has come so far, everyone is still very sensitive, and stories like his keep me grounded to what is going on here.