Faceless Blog

Well, today was the big day, and it couldn’t have gone better!  We got there on time and were introduced to Harry, who would be doing the casting of my leg and building the actual prosthetic.  We spent what must have been close to two hours talking about care for the prosthetic, the kind of activities I’d be able to start up, the kinds I shouldn’t, etc.  The actual casting of Leeroy only took about a half hour or so.  They decided to go with a plaster cast, rather than use the laser, so I didn’t take a video.  (Somehow, watching plaster dry didn’t seem as interesting as a handheld laser would have.)  With all that out of the way, I can pass along some of the details of my new cyber-foot.

1)  The carbon fiber socket will be suction fit, meaning that it will slide on over the gel liner on my leg.  A one-way air valve near the bottom of the socket will allow air out, but not back in.  Combined with a second gel sleeve at the top of the socket which will prevent air from getting back in to the socket, this will hold the leg tightly in place without putting all the stress on the end of my leg.

2)  The foot will most likely also be carbon fiber and will probably have some sort of vertical shock absorption as well as allowing for some twisting, making every day activities a bit easier.

3)  I will be going back next Wednesday to be fitted for a brace on my left leg, then it’s off to PT.

So, in summary…I AM COMPLETELY EXCITED.  For two years now, I have been struggling and fighting to get back to “normal,” and I have never been closer than I am right now.  I’ll definitely be keeping you all updated as we go through this.  Talk to you later!

I met with the plastic surgeon that did the skin graft on my left foot yesterday, and he said that, with the inclusion of a brace for that leg, I’m now cleared to get fitted for my prosthetic foot and begin physical therapy!  

The process will start with me going in to Hanger (the prosthetic company that I’m working with), where they will make a plaster cast of Leeroy.  They also have a handheld laser scanner that they’ll be using to make a 3D computer model of him.  This information will be used to create a clear plastic “test socket.”  (The socket is the plastic shell that goes over the end of my leg.)  This clear socket will let the prosthetics guys determine whether or not it’s a good fit.  If everything is fitting correctly, they’ll make the final mold and give me my real socket within a week or two.  During this time, I’ll also be going through some intense in-patient physical therapy to get me back up on my feet and teach me how to use my new foot.

From what I was initially told, this in-patient PT usually only lasts around three weeks.  However, since it’s been such a long time since I’ve been on my feet, I wouldn’t be surprised if it took a week or two longer.  Even so, the next step in this long process is now underway.  I cannot wait to pick out my new foot.  I plan on keeping a video journal during my PT, which will go up here.  I also hope to record the measuring process and/or anything else related to this.  I find it interesting and I’m sure there are at least a couple people out there who might think the same.  

Later people! 

The other day, as I lay in my hospital bed, recovering from the amputation of my right foot (and about half of my calf), I was visited by the Prosthetics Guy(tm).  He was dropping by to give me a brace for my leg that would make sure my knee didn’t get drawn up, which generally (apparently) only happens to older patients.  He was also kind enough to explain what was going to happen in the coming months as it pertains to me and prosthetics.  We talked about the exercises and conditioning I’d have to do on my leg to get it ready to handle a prosthetic.  It makes sense really, that part of the leg is not used to carrying your weight, so it needs to be toughened up a bit.  The end of your leg also needs to be coaxed into the right shape for your shiny new prosthetic.  He answered several important questions of mine.  No, I would not be getting what I’d been calling a “mannequin foot.”  (one of those carved rubber feet that looks like you stole it off of a mannequin)  No, your foot won’t be one of those crazy J feet you see on professional disabled track and field runners.  Those feet, not surprisingly, are designed specifically for track and field, you can’t really walk around in them.  He went on to explain all of the options in covering your leg, camouflaging it so that people wouldn’t be able to tell you were wearing a prosthetic at all.  This is where I stopped him.  “This is going to sound a bit odd,” I said to him, “but I’m from a community of people who, shall we say, is less impressed by a ‘normal’ leg, and wants to see my prosthetic.”  He laughed, and said that he’s been surprised that more and more people have been saying that same thing.  He then went on to explain options of carbon fiber feet, brushed aluminum support rods, etc.  I’ll have no problem, it would seem, making this foot a part of me.  That’s when it struck me, only part of this was the desire to make a cool, cybernetic foot.  The rest of it was similar to my desire to decorate and customize my wheelchair.  You have to own it.  When you’re handed a condition like this, you can fold up into self-pity and depression, or you can turn around and make it a part of you, like it really is.  The truth is, I don’t want to hide my prosthetic.  My prosthetic will be a badge of honor that I won in a war against cancer that lasted over two years.  I want people to know that having a fake foot is nothing to be ashamed of, any more than being in a wheelchair is…or was (shortly).  Personally, I guarantee that my foot is going to rock.

Ok, I’ve obviously neglected this for a while…sorry about that.  As you may or may not know, I’ve been dealing with some health problems over the past two years.  I was diagnosed with (and beat) cancer in 2008.  I then went through physical rehab to learn how to use my shiny new wheelchair.  After that, I spent the rest of the time until now fighting the pressure wounds that I developed while I was in rehab.  The last of those horrible wounds will be gone tomorrow morning. 

During the third surgery that I went through last week, I had a skin graft put in place on the wound on my left foot.  The wound on the right heel; however, turned out to be much more serious.  The bone was infected and, in fact, they had removed over half of the heel bone before that surgery was over.  After it was done, the decision was made, between my doctors, my wife and myself to remove the foot.

The procedure is called a trans-tibial amputation, meaning that my right leg will end around the middle of the thigh.  From what I understand, the fact that I have feeling (and movement) down to my knee makes me a prime candidate for a prosthetic.  There will be a period of time where I’ll be toughening up my leg, getting it ready for the prosthetic, then, as soon as I get it, I’ll be starting therapy to teach me how to wear it, care for it and, most importantly, walk on it.

My goal is to be walking for Christmas.  It doesn’t have to be that far, but I just want to walk into my parents’ house again for the holidays.  Wish me luck.  I’ll post an update tomorrow after surgery.