My Happy Feet

Love your PT/OT/Case Manager!

Can there be any one more important in your rehabilitation than your Physical Therapist and/or Occupational Therapist?  At a given point I would argue no!  Properly trained, these individuals make your recovery quicker and more permanent.  Unlike the typical physical or personal trainer who focuses on a “well” body, your PT/OT is trained to work within the balance of what needs to be accomplished and the capabilities of the patient.  You probably have heard the old axiom of “exercise until it hurts”.  In many cases that is true.  Exercise is going to tear muscle structure which will recover when properly treated in post exercise.  But in cases of rehabilitation it is essential to consider the nature of the injury in the context of a carefully designed recovery plan.  Remember, the goal is to restore as much functionality as possible without aggravating the injury.

The PT/OT serves another critical role in the rehabilitation process.  In addition to the physical trauma, most patients deal with the emotional impact of their illness or injury.  Support groups, friends and family provide the first line of defense.  However, since the PT/OT is working with the patient soon after a medical event, they have a unique opportunity to affect their emotional as well as physical well being.  I proud of my PT April and OT Tracy.

Without question they both had the professional training that prepared them for their job.  For each however, the passion for their profession and love for their patients only magnified the chances for success.  Many of us are prone to just meet expectations whether from work or even non work situations.  I think that these professionals are grossly underpaid for what they do.  Those of us who have benefitted from their service owe them a debt of gratitude that I can find only one way to express.  Simply, “pass it on”.  April called me the other day and told me about a new amputee patient she was treating who was having a difficult time.  What better opportunity I thought than to go visit and share my experiences.  I met with April and her patient for an hour or so.  Let me tell you, it was me who received the blessing.

I also want to mention another person in the context of rehabilitation and hospital care.  This would be my case manager, Beth.  She was responsible for every detail of my hospital stay.  She never missed a thing and often went beyond the call of duty to insure that not only were my needs met but also my comfort was assured.  Take a moment to thank these people for the role they have played in you rehabilitation

On  Monday June 18,2012 my wife was rushed to the emergency room with a rapidly escalating staph infection.  We noticed a small bump the previous Friday but reasoned that it would be ok to wait until she could make a doctor’s visit after the weekend.  We learned a valuable lesson about MRSA.  MRSA disease is an infection caused by the bacteria MRSA, which is short for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is caused by Staphylococcus aureus or “Staph,” that has acquired an immunity or resistance to the penicillin type of antibiotics. MRSA can be acquired at a hospital or health care facility (HA-MRSA) or in the community in places like gyms, shopping centers, schools, etc.  MRSA can reappear and its growth rate is exponential.  Please refer to the following link for detailed information on MRSA.  http://www.staph-infection-resources.com/faq.html#whatismrsa

This post however, is not about my wife (who is doing fine) or MRSA.  It is about Gloria and “The Legacy of Jimmy”.  After my wife was admitted to the hospital we noticed a young Hispanic lady who was being treated in the room across the hall.  She was in a state of high anxiety and distress.  We listened to her all night and into the morning.  It appeared that her treatment was for a case of pneumonia.  She was having much difficulty breathing even with supplemental oxygen.  To further exasperate her situation, she was anxious over  the condition of her home bound mother and the lack of support from her siblings.  All of this made it difficult for the medical staff to calm her down and effect treatment.  You could sense their frustration as they tried every means posible to help Gloria.

I don’t know how to explain it other than to say I felt led by the spirit to do something.  I left our room and told my wife I would be back shortly.  Still without a plan I went to the hospital gift shop.  Once entering the shop I was drawn to a display that included lots of small stuffed animals.  Among those animals was a lion.  The story of “The Wizard of Oz” crossed my mind, in particularly the character of the lion.  You see, the lion was in search of courage.  As the story goes, he eventually discovered that he already had courage within, he just needed to call upon it.  I bought the little stuffed lion.

Returning to our hall, I went directly into Gloria’s room and introduced myself.  I offered her the stuffed animal while reminding her of his character in the “Wizard of Oz”.  I encouraged her to bring out her courage from within by squeezing the lion when she felt afraid.  From that moment on her demeanor changed 180 degrees.  She was able to relax and cooperate fully with the nurses attending her.  Later that day, she asked hospital staff what my name was.  She then named the lion “Jimmy” (my name is Jim).  She keep Jimmy by her side even during procedures that required her leaving the room.

We were discharged from the hospital on Friday and I must say Gloria was in great spirits.  I wish here well and the hospital staff is enthusiastically perpetuating the “Legacy of Jimmy”.

I am not a NON-PROFIT but if I was I would make a habit of passing out ‘Jimmy” to patients who need to call on their inner courage to face the trials before them.  I hope you feel the same way too.

I just spent the weekend in Columbia, South Carolina watching the SC Gamecocks play the Oklahoma Sooners.  It was one of eight Super-Regional match-ups the winner advancing to the NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.  South Carolina has won the College World Series  for the last two years (2010, 2011) and now will participate in the series for a third straight year.

Ok, so some of you don’t know ((or care) about college baseball.  That’s fine because this article is about  doing something (anything).  Choose what interests you most, but do it.  All too often a handicap is more than just a physical obstacle.  True, the world assumes that we all have two arms, two legs, are comfortable around crowds and many other assumptions.  But YOU determine the extent to which you are willing to be limited by these realities.  The beauty of “going out” is in building your confidence to go out even more.

The reception I received from people encouraged me even more.  I had the opportunity to explain my situation to young and old alike.  Many people are interested and respond to a positive attitude.  Now is the time for people with “disabilities” to demonstrate “ability”.  I encourage you to post a comment relating your experiences in public places.

Let me tell you, my son and I have been baseball fans together for his whole life.  Not only did we go to baseball games but he played a lot.  Being on travel teams meant we were away from the rest of our family most weekends.  It was a steep price to pay but we kept everything in perspective including our faith.  By high school he had moved on to other athletics including football and lacrosse but baseball was still something we shared together.  Our favorite perspective was from behind the plate.  You see, he was a catcher.  On May 17,18, and 19, 2012 we shared a really special experience.

In 2011 I became a bi-lateral BK amputee.  The first of May, 2012 I received my definitive prosthesis.  We were able to attend The University of South Carolina vs. LSU college baseball seris in Columbia, SC.  Thanks to Coach Tanner, we were seated behind home plate.  What a gesture by the Coach and the University.  I just want the world to know that amputees like to site behind home plate too.

When we were planning my bi-lateral BK surgery in August 2011, my medical team asked me to set goal(s) for my post-surgery life.  Among those goals were to start a blog, which you are reading, write a book which when published I hope you will read and learn to play golf, which I started last week.  I don’t like to say (or hear) that “as an amputee I can do anything”.  The fact to the matter is before amputation there were things that I could not do.  I understand the intention of the words but I had rather think of it as encouragement to try doing things rather than using the physical limitation as an excuse not to.  So, I tried golf many years ago but never really developed an serious interest.  It is now even more important that I remain physically active.  Golf offers the perfect exercise and entertainment solution for me.  I encourage you to find something physical to do.  It will not only help you physically but emotionally as well.  My “golf goals” include tournament play but you don’t even have to keep score if you choose not to.  The shear enjoyment of chasing that little white ball around in the fresh air, over the green grass and perhaps in a little sand or water will lift your spirit sky high.  For a view of my golf outing look in the right hand side column under Links and click on YouTube Channel.

from News and Observer Friday March 16, 2012 article by Jay Price

Modern science in prosthetics is astounding but history provides interesting insight into its beginnings.  The book “Phantom Pain”  by Ansley Wegner chronicles North Carolina’s Reconstruction-era prosthetic limb program.

This is a really good read as it depicts the severity of limb injuries in the Civil War.  At the time, weaponry was becoming more advanced while battlefield techniques were outdated.  Soldiers still advanced in close lines making them easy targets.  According to the article the impact of the slow moving projectiles on human body parts resulted in destructive wounds rather than entry/exit.

Unfortunately the shear volume of injuries suffered on the battlefield and the limited number of surgeons caused many treatable woulds to end with amputation.  Unlike modern surguries, adequate attention was not given to providing adequate tissue coverage of remaining limbs.  As prosthetics were employed the residuals lacked the necessary padding for a comfortable fitting.  Even though the veterans were offered a free prosthetic, many chose a cash payment rather than the accept the uncomfortable and somewhat non-functional device.

The field experience did provide the basis for many medical advances.  Surgeons began to collect data and specimens which moved medicine into a more scientific approch.  If you get a chance read the full article from the link below or even better read the book  “Phantom Pain” by Ansley Wegner for an interesting perspective on a whole generation of amputees.

N.C. led in prosthetics for Confederate vets – Local/State – NewsObserver.com