Getting a bionic knee for my new leg! Hurray!!

[Pamster]

I am so excited!! I AM getting the C-Leg!!!!!!!!! Just saw my new prosthetist this week and he thinks its the BEST knee unit for my level of amputation, and that it will make me totally independent! So many things to share, where to start??? We clicked right off the bat....He's a really nice man and I am so very excited about it all. They write OFF the 20% Medicare doesn't cover!!!!

We did some tests with a new way to anchor the leg in place so I don't NEED a HUGE socket to walk...I have a new silicone sleeve that I will roll over my stump, and once it's on I will thread a velcro laynard THROUGH the actual Prosthesis and velcro it to myself and use a backbrace style waist belt (big with lots of velcro) and then I should be good to go! He's gonna cast me the 20th and THREE days later should have my first new set up ready! The C-Leg comes later, it's after we finalize HOW we're going to attach it to my stump.

So the tests we did were using this old sleeve he had in the shop that was too short for one of his other amputee clients and he cut it shorter to work for me in this test, it already had a laynard on it connected by a D hook on the bottom of it, and he rolled it over my stump and then had me stand using a walker so I wouldn't fall when he TUGGED ON it with all his might, and it stayed PUT!!!! THIS was so unexpected for me! I was like WOW!!!! IT WORKED!!!! We tried it from a sitting position and he pulled me off my chair because again IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!

So IF this CAN support a limb it will WORK for me! If not we have many other tricks in the bag of tricks to try, so I am NOT worried, one of them is BOUND to WORK!!!! WOOOOOO!!!! We talked about other knees and he told me he really thought the C-leg would work for me better because of my high level of amputation, that it would give me the stance control and kick out I really need to NOT have to use my poor back and hip muscles so much.

GONE are the days of taking it easy from day one and building up tolerance!!!! HE said that I should be able to don the leg in three weeks, and from DAY ONE WEAR IT ALL DARN DAY!!!!!!!!! THAT is INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!! GONE are the days of having to wait MONTHS for things to be right, he's got people in the shop and works there himself and told me I would be up and walking on the C-leg probably within like two months MAX and Probably a LOT sooner!!!! WOOOO HOOOOEY!!!! I am hardly able to contain myself! I am SO excited!!!! SO many good things I learned today, I feel like a sponge soaking it all up!

I know you're all just as excited for me as I am about this, so when I get the casting done I will let you all know how it goes. For now I hav eto toss in a pizza for kiddo and start some chili for dinner! Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement! I am so happy to finally BE DOING SOMETHING POSITVE for myself to get OUT of the wheelchair! Here are some pics of my old leg and the 'casting' session for it back in 2000:

So the first test run will have these OLD components, to test if this liner suction suspension system WILL work out for me or not. I will take a lot of pics have no fear. I posted most of this in the autism forum but I know many of you who knows me don't post there so you probably didn't see this yet. I am SO THRILLED I just HAD to share it with you!

[tic chick]

woohoo.bmp PAMSTER!

this is really such great news! almost like someone being miraculously cured of an illness! i know this isn't the end of your probs, but, it is such a MAJOR burden off your shoulders!

the world is gonna open up to you girl, especially if any of those spammers catch a glimpse of that slightly risque photo there, too !

pam. i am really so happy for you and i wish you all the best on this new turn in your journeybig smiley teeth.jpg .

(((((HUGS))))),
jeannie

[Pamster]

Thanks jeannie! I am so THRILLED it's ALL I can THINK about! Is how life is going to change, I hope we got it right with this silicone liner setup. I'll know in two weeks! Thanks for sharing in my joy!

[Pamster]

WOW!!! I barely made it through the standing marathon that IS a casting session. I stood maybe about fifteen minutes, ten for the setup getting things ready and five actually holding my hip still and waiting for the material to set. It was grueling work to stand still and hold my stump and hip still, but the cast came out awesome! Gone are the days of paster casting. It's awesome stuff, looked like regular knit material that was treated with something that got a little warm and was pretty immobile after five minutes!

We talked at length about the set up he's going with, he wants to see me walk and sit with the new socket he's whipping together now. Man I am so excited, I just know this set up is going to work. He's using a locking mechanism instead of a laynard and velcro system to start with, hoping it will be easier for me. It's also going to NOT use the hip joint first, but just the knee and the old pylons we had from the old leg which will as I thought, become my spare leg! He's so cool and has wicked mad skills, I can't wait to see what he fashions up for me for Friday's marathon appt where I will walk for a long stretch as we finese the socket and tweak it so it works well.

AWESOME appt today overall! Just HAD to share my excitement! No photos yet, but hopefully I will once I have the Cleg knee unit, my camera is full and I need to buy batteries for it so I can make get things ready for that upcoming appt, which I have yet to make. We need to see how this setup works for me before committing to the c-leg and getting the hip joint, there's a good chance I may NOT need the Helix hip joint.

[tic chick]

PAM!!!

i'm so happy to hear about the progress on your new leg!

although i don't understand all the technical jargon, there is no mistaking your happiness!

i want to see you dressed in shorts and a cowboy hat, like the guy on the c-leg website!

it is very awesome!

((((hugs))))
jeannie

[Pamster]

That I CAN do jeannie! I can borrow my son's ten gallon black cowboy hat! LOL!! I am SO happy it's not funny, I just cannot wait to get walking and hope it happens Friday for me so that I can walk with just a cane. Not sure how long I need to use the spare leg before we order the C-Leg knee but I am sure it won't be longer then two weeks MAX so that means I will have it by Thanksgiving as I figured. It's so exciting!!!

[Pamster]

WOW!!! I am so excited, I think it's gonna definitely take some time to get used to, but I think this liner socket with the powerbelt is a SUCCESS!!! I am tired from the appt, I went up and down the parallel bars about ten times...I am really happy with it, I can totally see this working for me. I didn't get this 'saftey knee' to bend even once because it's set to be HARD to trigger but what's important is the socket. I finally MANAGED to get the liner on!!! NO Easy feat when you got a big ole' belly in the way and NOT a lot of stump to work with.

It's kinda painful right now, I have a part, the meatball part where it's feeling too squished in the socket, he said that he can make a new socket and puf it out there a little bit or it might just GO AWAY on it's own, he held a torch up to it and moved that area as much as he could to make ore room for me and the pain level dropped from a 7 down to a 3. THe liner has a pin on it and that goes INTO The socket itself and then it locks in place, I think I got the hang of making this set up work after only a few times of trying...

He said that I walk as good as some of his AKA clients with 6-8 inch long STUMPS! THAT made me feel good, he's a great guy, mad mad skills, gotta give him credit for it, it's amazing what he does...I am gonna end now, but just know I am making REAL progress with this system and can see it working perfectly as possible with a c-leg soon!

[tic chick]

pam,

thanks for your updates!

i agree, this doctor seems to love his work and it shows in how far he will help people to walk! his willingness to try different things to reach this goal is to be commended!

you have a winner there, pam, and pretty soon you are going to be reaping the benefits from that!

((((HUGS)))),
jeannie

[Pamster]

Thanks jeannie! I think so too! I am really glad that I went in to see about a new leg finally. I should have done it a year ago! LOL! More updating to come, next appt is Tuesday.

ETA: This is how the socket is held in place, it's called a powerbelt:



This is a pic of a similar silicone sleeve to the one I wear:

[tic chick]

PAM!

what's happening with the leg?

i hope things are going ahead okay, but i feel kind of hinky since you haven't posted in awhile .

jeannie