Had the new cast done today and Boy are my leg, hips, back and arms TIRED!
 

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. :D 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. :D

AWESOME appt today overall! Just HAD to share my excitement! No photos yet, but hopefully I will once I have the C-leg 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. :D

Time for the turtle to dance.

I think you will be dancing soon.

Donna

THanks Donna! I am sure I will feel like dancing but it will take the c-leg to get me actually doing it I think. LOL!!! I am feeling so good today! Except for the physical fatigue I feel so happy! I just love this guy, he was so good through out the entire process, and was just as excited as I was that the cast came out so good. :D I tell ya the changes they've made in prosthetics is unbelievable! ANd so beneficial to both Prosthetist and Amputee, it's incredible! :D

Dear Pam,
This sounds so great! :D :) :D
I'm so happy to hear that that is working for you.
M.

I know it's fantastic isn't it Mari? :D I can't wait til Friday! :D :D :D

this is the best news of the day!!!!!!
thank youf or sharing!!!!!!!
yippee it is really happening for you!!!!!!
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Dear Pam,

Keep talking to us.
I like hearing good news. :) :) :) :Excited:

M.

It's so exciting, I am going to hate this waiting game until Friday, but if I just DO my daily routines it WILL pass and I will get it and walk on it before I know it. Today I have to go in and have an ultrasound, HATE IT, it's the transvaginal one. To check on things, but I have hope its better in there now. :)

Not gonna let any negativity get IN to my head right now, so the heck with it, I'll just manage to get through it and that's all there is to it! :D

Wonderful news, Pam
 

I'm excited for you! :):):)

whoohoooo!!! :p

~ waves ~

Thanks waves! It's going to be awesome! :D

Look at it this way, you got a ultrasound out of the way today. And another day out of the way.

See your one more day closer.

Donna

I feel better today, had a really crappy day, but I am feeling better. I go tomorrow at 1:30 pm to the office to walk and get the new leg set up tested for the first time. WIsh me luck!

Dear Pam,
'Sorry about the crappy day.

I hope tomorrow goes well for you.
Mari

I hope it does too. :D

Good Luck for tomorrow, Pammy!
 

Hope you have a GRRREAT day tomorrow... to make up for today as well! :)

Be sure and let us know how it goes too!

:heartthrob:

~ waves ~

I will. :)

I'm so glad you brought this thread back up. I needed to send some good
thoughts. I'll be gone over the weekend. Derrick is on fall break, my husband is laid off. And we are going to Chicago to some museums.

I'm surprised my husband is willing. He is going around telling everyone that he is going to set up at Walmart and have a tin can and get money.

Crazy and I'm tired of it. But life.

Donna

Dear Pam,
Sorry I have brain fog.
When do you get to go back again?
(I know you explained it once already. sorry )
M.

Have fun at Chicago Donna! :D

I go in TODAY! It's FRIDAY!! IT's FINALLY HERE!!!! HURRAY!!! I'll post when I get back, it will be late afternoon though because I have a 1:30 appt time and am planning on being there for 1-2 hours. HURRAY!! :D

Dear Pam,
I see that today is the big day.
I'm excited.
We'll be here for you to tell us how it goes.

M.

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! :D

Excellent, Pam!
 

Here's wishing you continued success in this process!!! :D

It really does sound like you found yourself an great prosthetist to work with too! And that's half the battle. ok, well maybe not half.. but ... well you know what i mean! ;):):)

:hug::hug::hug:

~ waves ~

What a great report pam!!!!
I am so happy for you that things are working out.
bizi

Dear Pam,
This is great news. :D :) :D
I'm happy that the steps in the process are going well.
Keep having good days.
M.

I know! It's awesome! But get this, what I didn't mention yesterday was how Jackie's SPOKE about it! I had the leg on and he wasn't phased at all by my wearing it and was pretty nice to me, gave me a hug, and GET THIS, while I was doing dishes, he said, "gibberish...Change," and I said "Yep, something things change," and he said, "You're standing."

I was speechless...:D

Then this morning already he gave me a hug as I am sitting here and said "Walking" while immitating me using the crutches! So sweet. "Go walking" he just said...AMazing! I am so happy I am doing this! :D

ohhhh Pam
 

Talk about the cherry on top! Make that a whole extra fudge sundae, on the side!

It sounds like Jackie is making real progress with communication

and taking initiative with it
and reaching out to you
and the fact alone that the change is not throwing him off-kilter too is just....

wonderful! :D just wonderful. i'm very happy for you. just beyond words. :) :) :)

who would have thought huh... WOW. :D
:hug::hug::hug:

~ waves ~

I know! It's awesome! He's really okay with it, I think he remembers when he was a toddler how I walked on the old leg, it's probably very faint but I am sure he remembers it. He's going to do okay, better then okay I think! ANd it is the cherry on top and fudge on the side! It's just fantastic! :D Thanks for the support waves! :hug: :hug: :hug: :D

Sounds great Pam

Donna:grouphug:

SO I searched google images and found a couple that relate to my leg setup. THis first one is the powerbelt that is used to hold the socket to my body on top in it and the second is a silicone sleeve similar to my very SHORT looking sleeve. I have to call the Prosthetist today and see if he can get a new socket made for me for tomorrow. I can't wait to try the new socket he's gonna make. :D

ETA pics Doh'!

http://www.cyber-soup.com/pamster/powerbelt.jpg

http://www.cyber-soup.com/pamster/silconesleeve.jpg

Dear Pam,
Thanks for the pics! :)
I'm so happy.
M.

Me too, it's great! I am going to see him again tomorrow and will see about the adjustments he wants to make to the leg and then walk again on it some more. I hope I can get the pics off the camera and it won't reset on me in mid transfer, it's acting up these days...the computer is I mean. It might not work out too well. :( BUt the leg is moving forward today-they are making a new socket givingm e some more room on the meatball part and more padding on the inner thigh part. GO back tomorrow! HURRAY!! :D

hey Pam... it will happen...
 

one

step

at a time

(so to speak :D)


and another thing............. your computer can't reset on you EVERY time you try to upload pix.

and we're patient.

(and patients too :p)

~ waves ~

I am worried it's going to reset in mid transfer from the camera, to the computer, that might not let me keep the pics, I don't know. It's got pics on it of the turtle that now no longer justify his bigger size! I really need to try, I will give it a go soon. I have new batteries just in case it runs out of juice during the process. So anxious when it comes to this kind of thing....

I'll let you know how tomorrow goes, I go in the afternoon and we'll see he's gonna tweak some things and redo the foot ankle and other things....:D

transfer of pix
 

Hi Pam

when i take digital pix with my cellphone, i transfer them to my PC by infrared. i don't know if that is how you do it.

in any event. when i do the transfer, the pix actually stay on my cell phone - a copy is sent to my PC via infrared. so, even if my transfer fails, i always have the original pix. so, i would not lose them.

it sounds like you have a digital camera. sounds like the WORST case is you'd have to get them printed and then scanned. but hopefully not.

if you have trouble transferring larger pix, it might be because a memory buffer is required and you have insufficient memory remaining on the camera to handle the transfer buffer. should this be the case, what might work is to transfer some smaller pix first, and once assured they are successfully transferred to the PC (where you make an EXTRA COPY and set it to READ ONLY!) delete them from the camera. then, retry transferring the larger pix.

realize: i do not have a digital camera, much less yours, so i DO NOT KNOW how it will work, precisely. the MANUAL might be a good place to check for this type of thing, under troubleshooting.

wishing you well

~ waves ~

I am wearing the leg now and it's great! THe new socket was absolutely fantastic! I will have to see about downloading the camera contents now that I got the leg's new socket I am motivated to do it, but it will be tomorrow before I do...LOL! ;) Thanks for the suppotr waves and everyone, you all ROCK! :D

Glad its going so well Pam.

Donna:grouphug:

Dear Pam, :) :) :)
I'm glad that you are doing well.
M.

I was walking with one hand on the parallel bars! I am so thrilled it's working out better. Now to just build up tolerance to it and I'll be good to go! :D

YOu are doing so well pammy , i am so happy for yout hat this is working out.
thanks for keeping us updated!
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi

You bet I will! Might be doing a few pics of the liner and leg as it stands now if I can get some pics off it. :)