It's happened, bionic legs have 'trickled down' enough I MIGHT be able to get one!
 

http://www.clegstories.com/index.php/

You gotta see this guy running! Now I doubt I can or will be able to run, but I would definitely be able to walk so much better with this leg component. I will know Friday what my chances are of getting it covered. So wish me luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPl74gRFrrI&NR=1

Video of it on youtube...;)

OMG pammie this is so exciting for you.
WOWOWOWO!!!!!!!
bizi

Dear Pam,
That is pretty cool.
M.

Pam,

This looks great. I hope things will work out for you to get one.

barbara

Thanks everyone! I will keep you posted on what the insurance says and hopefully things will work out so I can get out of the wheelchair. :D

I must say again how exciting this is...any idea when you might here back from them?

I had to change my appt to next week so it will be sometime then, something came up and I can't make tomorrow's appt. I can't wait to see what they will say, but it has to wait until thursday or friday next week. :)

Pam

If insurance tries to deny you then we will have to raise the money.
Or something else. Just keep on thinking its going to happen.

Donna:grouphug:

Thanks Donna! :D I really have a hope to get OUT of this chair, I hope I can make it happen NOW before I am 45 or 50. So I can get in better shape physically NOW rather then just slowly over time, to speed it up a little by walking. :D

Dear Pam,
I looked at your links but I still don't understand much.
What are the new legs like?
I mean -- they seem to have computer technology.
Mari

Yeah they have computer assisted processing power, they make like 50 calculations a second about what you're doing and make corrections about what to do next. It's like if you are about to fall it will know that from the angles of trajectory the knee is in and it will instantly stiffen to try to help you regain your balance.

This is a great video to show the differences between the current tech out there and the C-Leg, the greatest innovation is you can WALK Down stairs, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Y2o_ZybRs

Then there is this amazing video of a dude walking DOWN and UP Stairs, this is amazing, utterly amazing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzKcTW7RDc8

This is one of a guy with TWO c-legs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW-dOzYBFQM&NR=1

Pam,
Thanks. Ok now I get it.
That's some wonderful technology.
I'm going to watch the rest of the videos later.
M.

It's pretty incredible stuff, I had no idea before what? Tuesday when I called the prosthetist's office that I could even GET something like this now. I am pretty excited about it. I should know next week what the outlook is on it. :D

Dear Pam,
This is great news.
The videos showed people using the leg naturally almost right away.
M.

I know! I can hardly wait to see if they will cover one for me or not, next week I should know something one way or the other. :)

Wow! Look at this HD amputee!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je6ZceNpDIM

With a amazing hip joint that works WITH the c-leg! I am really impressed. :D THIS hip joint is what I need I think.

this is just amazing!!!!!! to think this could be you pammie....wowowowo!!!!!
heres to sending good positive thoughts your way.
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

I know! I am so psyched. I wish I knew already what the outcome was gonna be but I have to wait until Friday or Monday the following week to see what the Prosthetist says. I can hardly stand the suspense! :D

I think I have watched the youtube video about ten times. It's just amazing to me and I can't stop thinking about walking. :D

Pam

We are all saying extra prayers it works for you.

donna

Thanks Donna! I have a great hope that the new leg will get me up and out of this chair for good this time. If not I will just be crushed, I really WANT out of it now that I saw other amputees as bad off as myself walking. I really want it BAD. Hopefully will get in to the prosthetist's office at the end of the week, I'll let you know what he says when I get in and we talk components. :)

Having second thoughts about it...THinking I won't be able to rely on a new leg to walk because it will mean I have to take it off completely to drive or to use the restroom. THose are two major issues AND add to it using a cane and well I don't know that I would be any better off then I am now...I would be a lot slower moving and have those issues I am bringing up so I don't think I am gonna go through with it...:p

Dear Pam,
You can still wait and find out more.
You can have a consultation and talk to the experts a bit.
Information is usually good.
M.

Truly. I will probably still see the prosthetis and see what he says, but I just don't know about going for it because of what I brought up, it's scary to think of change. When I was walking in my 20's I didn't need a cane, I doubt I would be able to get rid of one now though twenty years later...

I am gonna try. I called and reset the appt for next thursday morning. I am gonna go in and ask for a socket like the one used to get me out of the chair and NOT The big buckety styled one like last time around that was next to useless for me. It's gonna be a LOT of hard work on my part but I figure if I could do it what, 14 years ago I can still do it now. Gonna get my @$$ on total gym and work OUT HARD. I really want to make it work. So I figure it's all up to me once I get the prosthetist on my side. :)

atta girl!

Pam,
Let us know how it goes next week.
M.

THanks Beth, Thanks Mari. I definitely will let you know here what the results are of my meeting with this new prosthetist. But I have decided I don't WANT a C-Leg, Too afraid the kiddo will screw it up somehow, so I am gonna get a non-powered knee, won't be able to walk UP or Down stairs but I should be just fine. :) Priced canes too, can get a nice sized one at walmart for under 12 bucks, we'll see how it goes. :D

just got all caught up with this Pam
 

All these prospects!

I'm really excited for you...

Why not leave options open until you talk to the prosthetist... about driving, restrooms, and the resilience (Jackie-proofness) of the C-leg before making any decisions. Ask every single question you can think of (maybe make a list before you go in).

Anyway i'm really excited it seems you will be able to get up and about again walking, to some extent at least... this is great! :) :) :)

~ waves ~

THanks waves! I have a lot of hope that it will work out for me. The reason I am giving up on the C-leg is I don't think my insurance will cover it for me, but I got an appt thursday so we'll see then. :D I'll keep you ll posted! :D

Pam

I see it more as it would be a big surprise if Insurance said yes. So you can
go for something they will for sure hopefully right now.

You could always ask it would be nice to know.

Donna

Yep, that's how I am looking at it, because I doubt they will cover a C-leg based on my walking ability which is so limited, now if I was about six inches longer of an AKA (above Knee Amputee) then I have no doubt I would get a c-leg covered with NO problem and I would NEVER have spent these long hard years I have in a chair. BUT I have long since accepted what I have left to me and I am GOING to get a new leg, but it's gonna be on my terms, an AKA socket and NOT this bogus HD (hip disartic_ socket style which was only good for standing...SO not what I need it for.

I also wanna get this:

http://www.fashionablecanes.com/3451.html

It's House's Flame Cane! And they are two hours away from me! I will be able to drive to get one when I am ready. Assuming I CAN make a new leg work well enough to justify 30 bucks on a cane. :D I plan to lose another 10-15 pounds when I have this broken tooth yanked the 15th, so I figure by my math and experience with getting legs made, I should have the initial casting session done around halloween, then be standing on the first leg with it's new components in November when they all get in after we've pinned down what I need to have, IMO a hydraulic knee will do just fine and they have decent prosthetic feet too so just those two components ordered and received will get me UP and standing.

Then I have to use my canadian crutchs until I get the Flame Cane probably in late January. I should be able to get down to one cane, but NOT before building up some tolerance to using it in early January. I really have great hope that this trial will be successful, I really WANT OUT of this darn chair. Even if it's just to stand and do dishes and cook successfully with it on, that would be ENOUGH.I hope to be able to work up to going to the local store, and then maybe to doing the super walmart, but I KNOW DARN well from experience NOT TO OVER DO IT, or else you can set yourself back by weeks, sometimes longer. I will increase the increments of use by 15 minutes at a time for a month, then up by 30 minutes like increasing by a week, one week 15 minutes, the next 30, the next 45, and then an hour. After that an hour and a half and then two hours, and so on until I am able to actively tolerate it for up to 6-8 hours a pop.

It's a long process, but I know I CAN do it. I was worried about Jackie, but I think he's gonna acclimate to my using a leg again quickly, and hopefully it will HELP with the pain I have in my calf muscle, it's always feeling strained from pulling my fat butt along in the chair, I hate it, but if I walked it would probably ache in a new way but I will deal with it when it happens. Thank you ALL for the encouragement to DO this for myself. I know I will probably have to argue with Jack over spending the gas to go to two weeks of therapy, and to all the fitings, but I think I am just gonna FORCE It because this could benefit me in so many ways, I want to DO this NOW not five more years later, I might not be up for it in five more years...I'd be 46 in five more years, and that's kinda old to be trying to get up after almost 30 years IN a chair. :)

I'll post about the meeting with the prosthetist after I see him thursday morning. :D

Thank you for posting pammie,
Did I read somewhere in another post that you have had another artificial leg before? Or will this be the first time for you?
very excited about all of this...it sounds like you are going to have this work out....what does jack think about this? I hope he is being supportive.
I will be waiting to hear your up date on thursday.
:hug::hug::hug:

I did have a functional artifical leg in 95'-98' and got out of the chair for those three years. :D I'm so happy to share my good news and appreciate all your encouragement Beth, you and the others here are so wonderful! I count myself lucky to have such good friends like you and Mari and Donna and waves and everyone else I love from NT. :D

sounds like you have a good plan
 

as far as taking it slow and not pushing yourself too hard at first. i have my fingers crossed for you about the prosthetist appointment and the insurance coverage, not to mention some decent support from Jack.

If he is fussy about helping you get to therapy remind him that part is brief, and just a transition... and besides...

HE can WALK!

YOU DESERVE TO as well, by George!!!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the Flame Cane, OMG OMG, I'm gonna call you Houster if you get that, LOL :D

i so hope all this works out... one thing at a time meanwhile... gulp...

:):circlelove::)

~ waves ~

Houster, I love it! And I'll use the flame cane in my siggy instead of the Turtlini for it! :D Oh man, I just pray this works out. :D Thanks waves for the support! :D I can hardly wait to see how THursday goes. :D

Dear Pam,
I hope Thursday comes soon.
Mostly, I hope it goes well for you. :trampoline:
M.

Thanks Mari! Today I dyed my hair blonde again, so it's a little lighter then what it was the first time last month. Much happier with it now. I can hardly stand the wait! I really need to get IN there to talk to this new prosthetis. It's gonna take a couple of months, but it will be worth it IF I Can make it work, even if it's just around the [h]ouse, (lol) it will be worth it. :D

Pam

We are there with you in spirit. And are rooting for you.

Donnna

Have everything crossed here hoping and praying for a positive outcome!!!

Even though I haven't posted, I have been following along and quietly wishing you well!!!

I'm very excited for you!!!
:hug:
Abbie

Thanks Donna! Thanks Abbie! It's coming, two more days and I'll be there in person talking about my options. I can't wait! :D