Jenni Urivez
“Yeah, let's go. We got stuff to do!”
I grew up in the beautiful area of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, spending my free time as a child swimming and fishing in the lakes around Saginaw. I’ve been through a lot in my life, but I survived and I’m loving life as a busy mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
“Don't ever put boundaries or limitations. Because then you're not going to be able to do what you really wanted to do.”
Jenni Urivez
Rewind to 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. An immediate double mastectomy, followed three years later by kidney failure and consequently, eleven blood clots. Unable to fix my body’s blood clotting issue, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was facing leg amputation, which left me with two choices. Either spend the rest of my life wheelchair-bound or learn to walk again. I chose the second option.
I told my prosthetist to ‘give me a leg…I’m gonna walk!’ My prosthetist provided all the tools and training I needed and soon I was back to being mobile, back to work at my physical job, and clocking up millions of steps with my Össur Power Leg.
"This Össur Power Leg is my final graduation present. It’s awesome. It reads my body and my movements. It doesn’t let me fall. And if I were to have a fall, I know it will pick me up. It’s amazing.”
Taking on challenges
I’m never one to take the easy option, I like to challenge myself every day. Even tasks like loading and unloading the washing machine in a different stance, just to make my leg perform differently, just to see what I can do.
“I’m always trying more and more. That’s me. Been a competitive person my whole life.”
Something broke, but it’s fixable
Through all my personal challenges, I thrive on inspiring others. A friend from work was facing leg amputation through infection. Though scared and apprehensive, my friend gained the strength and courage to go through with the amputation because she saw through me everything that was possible with a prosthetic leg.
And that’s always been my attitude to life. Something broke, but it’s fixable. And you can get back to your everyday life.
“With this Össur Power leg, I zip! Don't ever put boundaries or limitations on yourself. Because then you're not going to be able to do what you really wanted to do. Sometimes I walk for miles and I don't even know it.”
Name: Jenni Urivez
Occupation: Laundry Service
Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
- I like to walk. I walk a lot. I go out walking to stay healthy and just, you know, see the surroundings and breathe the air.
- I do very physical and fast paced work. I like it like that. I could never do a slow job ever. So I'm constantly walking.