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Walking with your New Prosthesis
by LadyAmp

I don't think I'll ever get over the feeling I got when I took my first step in five months! Wow!! For those five months I moved from place to place with my wheelchair or walker as my legs, and take it from me, it's not the same!

Yes, I know we learned how to walk when we were about a year old, but believe me, when it comes to learning it a second time, there's no 'taking it for granted'! After your amputation, you realize that walking will never be the same. And it isn't!

Not everyone gets a second chance to learn how to walk! And, not all amputees are able to walk again, but for those who can, and want to, I've made a list of Do's and Don'ts.

Do: Read as much as you can about the kind of prosthetics available to you. There are different kinds of amputation, so it only goes to show, there are different prosthetics for each. The Internet, your physician, even the Physical Therapist you saw in the hospital are great sources of information about Prosthetists. Use them! Be an informed LadyAmp!

Do: If you have private insurance, (ie: Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, etc.), call them to see what kind of coverage you have for prosthetics, so when you see your Prosthetist for the first time, he'll have an idea of what kind of leg or arm your insurance will cover. I was forunate in that for my very first prosthesis, they covered 100%.

Don't: Sit on your hands and let the decision be made for you! A 'well informed' amputee is a happily walking amputee!

Do: Ask your doctor (preferably the one who did your amputation) for a referral to a Certified Prosthetist. And yes, you read correctly! I said Certified! Anyone can hang a shingle calling themselves a prosthetist. But you can be sure if you ask for a Certified Prosthetist, you're going to get someone who has gone to school, has some experience with amputees and their needs, and you know if he comes from a recommendation of your doctor, part of the battle is done. I've worked around physicians all my working life, and most will send you where they know you'll be treated well.

Don't: Take the word of a friend or family member about your Prosthetist! I am sorry, I don't mean to be cruel, but we're talking about you walking again! Your friends and family members mean well, but listen to common sense.

Do: If your doctor doesn't have a recommendation, contact the hospital you were in and ask for the Physical Thereapy department. Then ask for the Department Manager. Now, you can ask for their recommendation. Know, they work with amputees all the time, they hear the success stories and they hear the horror stories! They can be a wealth of information.

Don't: Be afraid to ask questions! Oh my!!! I can't express this more!!! Ask, ask again, and ask again the questions you need to have answered! This is your amputation, your life! Whether it's your doctor, your therapist, your prosthetist, ASK QUESTIONS! Examples:

1. How long will I have to wear my temporary prosthesis?
2. How many temporary prosthesis will I go through before I get my permanent one?
3. What are prosthetic socks? Do I need them?
4. When will I know when I need a new prosthesis?
5. How much will my new prosthesis cost?
6. My stump is shrinking? Is that good?
7. How long does my permanent prosthesis last before I need a new one?
8. I'm on a tight budget, where can I find prosthetic socks cheap?
9. Will you take monthly payments?
10. How much will it cost me for each fitting?

Do: Be Careful! Just because you have a new prosthesis doesn't mean you've suddenly grown immune to falling! You haven't! Now, just as in the beginning, you need to guard against falls.

When I got my very first prosthesis, my leg guy told me I could only wear my new leg 4 hours out of the day for the first week. I was stunned!! Hey, I had a new leg, and I was ready to dance!! But he was right! Carrying around the extra weight of my prosthesis was difficult in the beginning! My whole body ached from the adjustment and I had a backache I didn't think would ever go away! But it did. Your body will adjust to your new leg and it will get better.

The second week, he upped my 'leg-time' to 6 hours a day. On the third week he told me I could wear it 8-10 hours a day.

After that, he said I could wear it for as long as it was comfortable. It was much later than that when I began wearing my leg all day. From the time I got up in the morning, until I went to bed at night, I wore my leg. But in the beginning, I also used my walker with my prosthesis. With my body aches, my arms hurting I knew I couldn't withstand the strain on my stump as well. So I played it safe and used my walker for about a month. I gradually moved onto a quad cane and then a straight cane. Of course, I didn't do all of this overnight. It was a year and half later when I started using the straight cane.

  Do: Give yourself time! Your body has gone through a tramatic experience. Your life has changed. But with patience, support from those around you, you'll definately make it!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!! E-mail me, or leave a message on the Messsage Board.