Woman feels more confident than ever after major body change

Just a few months ago, Charlotte’s body looked completely different. Now she is opening up about what sparked her desire to change it forever.

The woman has opened up about her body transformation journey.

For most of her life, Charlotte Bellsmith has known nothing but pain.

The 28-year-old was born with a condition called born tarsal coalition, which is an abnormal connection of two or more bones in the foot.

The Melbourne local used to wake up each morning in agony, with the feeling of “blunt knives” constantly stabbing the bottom of her foot.

Her pain intensified as time went on and her mental heath took a dive as she tried to cope with being in excruciating agony “every second of every day”.

Charlotte’s relentless suffering reached a point where she decided to do what most of us could never dream of.

She begged doctors to amputate her leg.

“It was excruciating, I had to plan my life around pain,” she told news.com.au.

Charlotte loves her life more than ever before with her new body. Picture: Supplied

“Even laying in bed at night, sleep never came easy and it didn’t last long. If the blanket fell on my foot the wrong way, I’d wake up and scream in pain.

“I’ve had other surgeries, but nothing ever helped and often just made things worse. I’d suffered for so long and I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to live like that.

“I asked my surgeon about amputation in 2018, but at the time he said it wasn’t an option. But I was so desperate.

“After years of failed remedies, I finally got my wish.

“It was the easiest decision I’d ever made.”

Charlotte voluntarily had her leg amputated below the knee in April 2022.

While most might feel nervous about undergoing a life-changing operation, Charlotte knew in her heart it was what she wanted to do.

“I was so excited to go in for the amputation,” she recalled.

“I knew one way or another my circumstances would finally change.

“Leading up to the surgery my partner, who is a tattoo artist, drew an executioner on the foot that was being amputated and my brother drew a cut here line around my calf.

“Waking up from the amputation was surreal, the first thing I did was look down to confirm the foot was really gone.

“I was swept with a rush of relief that it really was, they had really amputated my foot. I reached down and felt the end of my stump. which was wrapped in a thick dressing.

“I was so happy that it was finally gone and that I had a chance of not being in pain anymore.”

Charlotte says her life is better than ever, and she no longer suffers with severe, chronic pain.

She feels more confident in her body and is able to go work out at the gym.

This ignited her passion for fitness, and she is now pursuing a career in the industry.

Charlotte says most people in her life have been very supportive. Picture: Supplied

There have been some strangers who made cruel comments about her body. Picture: Supplied

“I have been off all pain medication for around 8 months,” she said.

“I can honestly say that I love my body more now than I did when I had two feet.

“I am very comfortable with my residual limb and am so much more confident now than I have ever been.

“I am genuinely happy now, I have a job as a coach at a gym where I feel supported and I am studying a Bachelor of Sports and Exercise science at Deakin.

“I am also a netball coach and working towards getting back on the court as a player. I never thought that would be possible when I had two feet.

“My partner and I have our first holiday booked for September.

“I am looking forward to life now.”

Charlotte added that while she does sometimes get cruel comments from strangers, the people closest to her have been very supportive.

“Sometimes I do get comments from people when out in public,” she said.

Her partner tattooed some funny ink onto her leg before it was amputated. Picture: Supplied

“However the positive comments outweigh the negative. I find children are often curious about why my leg looks the way it does.

“I really prefer it when parents encourage their kids to politely ask me, and then I can explain and educate them in a fun way.

“But I do still get some parents who think I will scare their children if I take my leg off.”

She also explained why people should never judge someone’s abilities by how they look on the outside.

“While my disability is visible now, I am more able than I was when I had two feet,” she explained.

“I used to barely be able to walk up a small set of stairs without having to hold onto the rails. But now I can almost jog up a flight of stairs.

“You shouldn’t make assumptions about someone’s abilities by their appearance.

“I can do anything I sent my mind to, and so can anyone else living with a limb difference.”

She has opened up about her journey.

Charlotte recently attended Melbourne’s Ossur mobility clinic, where she worked with lead physiotherapists and Paralympians. At the clinic, amputees of all ages and abilities can improve their mobility with the aid of the Ossur’s innovative prosthetic and orthopaedic technologies.

“My time at the Ossur mobility clinic was priceless,” she recalled.

“I had the opportunity to learn from so many amazing people, not only the Ossur staff and champions but from the other athletes who attended as well.

“It was done in such a way that no matter where you were in your journey with limb difference you were able to get involved and give everything a go.

“It is something I would encourage absolutely everyone living with limb difference to attend.”