Amp U T Chat is for amputees
| VOLUME 2 # 4 | FEBRUARY 6, 1996 |
IN THIS ISSUE
First, thanks to ya'll for your get well wishes. We appreciate your good thoughts, and hope for a fast recovery with no relapses.
Welcome to all the new members of our mailing list. We hope you enjoy what you find here and hope the information is of help to you, someone you care for, someone you love.
Tomorrow, February 7th, I (Joyce) will be traveling to Frankfort, our state capitol; weather permitting, health be d___d. This "expedition" is part of the Area Extension Council Leadership Development Program (Joyce and John are alumni of the program.) The Kentucky Legislative Trip includes attendance in committee meeting of the Legislative Research Commission, a visit to the Governor's office, Senate and House Chambers, time to visit with our personal representatives/legislators, and Policy Development Specialist (fancy new name for Lobbyist.) Perhaps I'll even get to see the Lt. Governor, who in a previous "life" was a physician attending John regarding his hand amputation--that WILL be interesting! (There's history there that I will share at another time, but I would comment that to Lt. Governor Henry's credit, he was involved in an insurance increase moratorium; bravo!)
I have two missions on this trip:
R.A.B., I am taking copies of the two faxes you sent regarding Medicare/insurance and independent prosthetists (one of these letters was printed in a past issue of AMP U T CHAT newsletter). Though that letter was addressed to federal representation, and from a different state, the letter is well written and the information should find application regardless of state.
Also, in a folder under my arm, I am carrying information from the Kentucky State Vocation Rehabilitation Program concerning funding. The program receives funds from both Federal and State resources. I plan to bring the program and its need for continued AND increased resources to the legislators' attention. (Last year over 4,000 "severely handicapped" citizens were able to return to work as a result of Vo-ReHab services--approximate 13 from my county. Note: Kentucky has 120 counties.) I know what their work load is and what their budget is; let me tell you, the amount to be distributed to number served, is ridiculous. :( One could hardly pay for 2 prosthesis on the amount they have in resources, which gains "Carol" my awe and respect.
To bring this to the State Legislative Session is not as futile as it may seem. They do have contacts with the Federal Government and are more likely to get an "audience" with the right people than I am. So, I do what I can.
(This legislative session is also suppose to repeal the much debated Health Care Provider Tax.)
If anything noteworthy occurs, I'll let you know.
I'm taking a little "license" here; since I am not monetarily gaining from this, I'm only reprinting part of the article, and I didn't have time to contact the publisher, I'm going to share something interesting with you.
Native Kentuckian, Tim Farmer, is the NEW host of Kentucky Afield, a sporting program on our state Public Television. This program has been on KET since 1953, "and is the oldest continuously run outdoor television show in the country."
Tim Farmer is NOT an amputee, he has his arm, though it is paralyzed. So why am I including this here? Well, I hope it will be obvious, but in case it is not.... Yes, you can "number to me the differences," but I ask that you open up and realize the similarities.
...And I hereby credit the source, Kentucky Living magazine, January 1996, by Mike Lynch.
But his "never-say-never" outlook got its toughest test literally by accident one week before his scheduled wedding date eleven years ago. After a couple of semesters of college, he had joined the Marines, hoping to finish college later on the G.I. Bill. While on leave to get his marriage license, he had a motorcycle accident in which his right arm was pinned between the cycle and a guardrail and badly injured. The lower arm and hand were paralyzed. His marriage had to wait three months, but Farmer says there beside the guardrail he chose not to postpone his life.
"At that moment, I looked at this arm and I knew that my life was going to be different forever," he says matter-of-factly. "I decided never to look back, and I didn't. I just took it at that point right there and decided to work around it."
"Everything was a challenge all of a sudden. I'm not saying I have a better attitude that anyone else, but I took everything as a challenge, and that way, things were exciting. Anything I tried to do I had to learn how to do differently. I've always been looking for a challenge, and there it was."
He asked his parents to bring him a model airplane in the hospital so he could start working around the new challenge immediately. He knew doing the things he loved would be much more difficult.
"I got out of the hospital and wondered to myself, 'Now how am I going to fly fish? How in the world am I going to fly fish?'"
He found a way. Using an automatic reel, he learned to strip the line out with his teeth, cast the lure and return the line with the reel's automatic action. He eventually taught himself to shoot a rifle against his right shoulder. When he saw friend learning to bow hunt, he decided to master that activity, too.
Tying the bow to his feet didn't work (especially if he wanted to hunt from a deer stand), so he sunk his teeth into this challenge, too, by attaching a leather tab to the bow string, grasping the tab in his teeth and drawing it back.
"I must have shot a hundred times a night," he remembers. "My lips were bleeding from pulling back. But when I jump into something, I really jump into it. Within a month, I was touching arrows, which is what you want to do from twenty yards. I showed my buddies and they said, 'you're ready to hunt.'"
..."They're also seeing me meeting challenges," he says [of the viewing audience]. "Like, for example, I had to catch that walleye with my teeth. I had to reel it in with my teeth. They've seen me shot the bow with my teeth, and everytime I do something like that...I think they enjoy that part of it, because it's different. I'm not shy about it because it's a challenge."
...This same guy who acknowledges rarely going into any pursuit only halfway became interested in competitive archery through a Frankfort friend...."[his] next challenge is to try...water skiing."
January 28, 1996
John & Joyce,
I appreciated your tip for upper extremities this month. I have been without my right hand for about 25 years. My left shoulder is in really bad shape from being overused all these years. I recently got a head set for in my office and it has helped tremendously. However, I've been looking for a cordless headset for home & haven't had any luck. Was wondering if you or any of the readers of your newsletter have found one that works well. Being a full-time working mom, I don't have the time to sit down for a phone conversation at home. I always use the cordless so I can get a million other things done while I'm talking on the phone, but it hurts my shoulder a lot to hold the unit between my shoulder & my ear.
I also appreciated the letter from the prosthetist to the congresswoman. I'm stuck with an HMO and have nothing but problems everytime I get a new prosthesis! I've gone to the _______ Insurance Board in the past to get help. Also, since I have my insurance thru work..., the Human Resources department at work has been able to influence the insurance company as well. Where there's a will, there's a way! I just get tired of constantly having to fight for what's right tho.
P.
(Editor Note: Here's some info for you so in the meanwhile:
We checked in the Radio Shack 1995 catalog (page # 20 top left corner) and they make a unit that is cordless. The model is ET474 part # 43-569 is a cordless headset that lists for $139.99--which means, that you can probably find a non-Radio Shack unit for less. Also, just saw one in a DAMARK catalog for $179 plus S&H.)
****
REQUEST: I've been thinking on something, and eventually I will write something about "courage,"--no, not COURAGE the magazine, "courage" the attribute.
My VERY fat "FUNK & WAGNALL'S" says:
While this is a nice concise description, I happen to think there's much more to courage. I bet that there are some of you with ideas on that of your own. We invite you to send email and share your thoughts? Depending on how many of you send mail I may include all or selected or excerpts from email for a future newsletter.
--Joyce
THE ADVICE (DISCLAIMER)
Please be sure to read the information at this link at least once.
Long BE amputees may want to consider having their socket made to fit, using slightly larger socks in order to absorb perspiration, and to help cushion the residual limb while carrying things on the forearm. (This is for BODY POWERED USERS ONLY. Always discuss this with your prosthetist first.)
Regarding liners tearing:
My experience in talking to people with lining tears is that:
If in doubt, contact the manufacturer of the liner, and have the prostethist demonstrate the difference between "rolling" and "milking."
Have a hint, tip, or suggestion? Please email us and we will consider it for use in the newsletter or chat room.
"Talk low, talk slow, and don't say too much."
--John Wayne (Advice on Acting)
© Copyright February 6, 1996 J. Meyer All Rights Reserved