The Potomac Labrador Retriever Specialty

Posted by: Susan
Posted: Wed, April 29 2009 at 7:11am

I went to the Potomac Labrador Retriever Specialty in Frederick, Maryland last week. It’s the largest Labrador Specialty in the world with over 1000 Labradors entered.

I was a little apprehensive about being there all week, as I’ve been having some pain recently with my residual limb. I knew I would be walking a lot, while at the same time I would be responsible for the three dogs I was taking with me.

My 10-year-old yellow Labrador, Dazzle was entered in Advanced Rally. I was hoping to get her third leg to complete that title. Rally is a new sport in the American Kennel Club where you compete with your dog to complete a course that the judge sets up. Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience but a sense of teamwork is important in completing the 10 to 20 Stations, the judge sets up.

This would be Dazzle’s second Rally title since my amputation. Last fall, Dazzle completed her first Rally title; Rally Novice. It was the first time that we’d been back in the ring together since my above knee amputation in November 2006. That title was a milestone for both of us, as Dazzle has also had knee issues, needing cruciate surgery on one and then the other knee.

While I was in physical therapy after my amputation, Dazzle would come with me and then we would go to her own therapy, where she used an underwater treadmill to build up her strength. Part of my therapy in my mind was getting comfortable with walking a 70-pound dog again, who likes to pull on occasion. We made quite a pair!

The ring last week was a little hilly, but that didn’t stop us, even though I had to depend on my stance phase resistance on my C-leg while going down the slope while at the same time directing Dazzle to go over the jump, but we did it pretty smoothly!  It’s taken some time and self-training, but I’ve gotten pretty good with managing different terrain with my C-leg. Dazzle scored a perfect 100 points - yea! We received a third place because in the case of tie scores, the team completing the course in the least amount of time receives the higher placement. Not shabby at all, and our score was higher than eight others in our class.

My love for my dogs and my desire to continue to do dog training has been a big help in adjusting to my amputation. I was initially afraid to even walk my dogs, I felt so unsteady, and afraid that they would pull me over. I was determined to be able to control them — even wild child 80 pound Dougal who I own with my vet, and who doesn’t want to listen very well! My dogs have been a major motivator to help me push to do better and get better.

Leaving the show site Saturday in the pouring rain wasn’t fun, as I had to take down my exercise pens, walk the dogs and pack the car for my three hour trip home, but I felt proud to be able to take care of myself and my dogs, and that my amputation hasn’t stopped me from doing the things that I love.

Otto Bock HealthCare pays Susan a small fee for her essays.

Washington Lobby Day on March 10th: Arms and legs are not a luxury!

Posted by: Susan
Posted: Thu, April 02 2009 at 9:43am

I had a great time in Washington DC on Lobby Day on March 10th.  I went with almost 200 others to urge Congressional members to support a bill for fair insurance coverage for artificial arms and legs. The message is simple: Arms and legs are not a luxury!

The Amputee Coalition of America helped organize the event, and made appointments for us at Capital Hill.  We had a breakfast briefing and a debriefing afterwards. 

Instead of taking the bus down with the Amps in Action group, (the support group that I attend) I decided to participate in the side events that were going on – one Monday night at Walter Reed’s Mologne House, and one on Wednesday morning at the Walter Reed Hospital.  I drove down with Jean G., who is also an above knee amputee.  We stayed in Crystal City, and we got along great!

Monday night was we met some of our "Wounded Warriors" and their families.  God Bless them for what they have done for us.  We had something to eat there, and had a fun semi-reunion with several friends from ACA that I hadn’t seen since last year’s conference in Atlanta.  The weather was a balmy 55.  It was a good night. 

Tuesday was a long, tiring day, with a lot of walking. We met with several Senate and House members from our state (well, with their staffers anyway) but Morgan from the ACA said that it would still be impactful.  The Amps in Action group wore T-shirts that said, "Get a Life – or a prosthetist who will help you have one – Lobby for Change 2009."  We were hard to miss! 

There were about 20 of us— mostly amputees—in both Senator Lautenberg’s and in Congressman Andrew’s office. We also thanked Congressman Andrew’s staffer for the work he did in helping get the NJ legislation passed.  I’m glad we went, because I’m sure we made a difference. 

Our tour at Walter Reed on Wednesday morning was awesome. We didn’t really get to interact with soldiers a lot, but I was very impressed with their facility for their wounded warriors. They definitely have some major state of the art equipment, and seem to have a lot of their ducks in a row: psychiatric counseling for ALL - so no one is stigmatized; a sweet Therapy Dog in the Gym; and even group outings for warriors with limb loss to help them re-acclimate to the community. They had a few really, really cool simulators - one cost a million dollars and was one of three in the world - I wish I had access to that!

I had brought a portable DVD Player to donate to Ward 57, and though I wasn’t able to go to Ward 57 myself because of time constraints,  I was told by one of our guides that it would be given to a wounded warrior that could make good use of it.  A bunch of us stayed for lunch and had a chance to talk about our experiences.  It was good to be able to network more before going back to the "Real" world.

I think for only the 2nd year of "Lobby day, that it was a pretty successful event. There were a total of 199 participants from 34 states. Not shabby at all!

Otto Bock HealthCare pays Susan a small fee for her essays.

A day in the life…

Posted by: Nate
Posted: Thu, April 02 2009 at 5:46am

My name is Nate and this is a little background about me for this blog.

I lost my leg above the knee in 2001 to a very aggressive bone tumor in my right femur.  Now, years later I am healthy and able to enjoy my life.  Despite having only one leg I don’t just live, I thrive! 

Some of the things I remember most vividly are the days where I was able to go above and beyond my normal capabilities.  Like the day I walked 9 miles of trails on a wildlife area.  Or the day that I climbed a 35-foot free-standing telephone pole on a high ropes course and leapt from the top in triumph.  I also vividly remember rappelling down a 120-foot mountain face in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico. 

Admittedly these activities are not my everyday experiences—far from it.  My day to day life is much more docile and generally involves me keeping both feet on the ground.  I am able to get around each day walking from place to place doing what I need to without thinking about walking, concentrating on the obstacles in front of me, or worrying about falling.  I am able to do this because of my C-Leg®. 

I recall a visit to my prosthetist shortly after I became an amputee.  He showed me a product video for a knee I was looking at buying.  As I watched the video the people who wore the knee described walking as easy, requiring little effort, and they mentioned that they didn’t think about walking.  I asked my prosthetist about their comments; I wanted to know if an amputee could walk without concentrating on each step. 

Not wanting to get my hopes too high he gave a resigned “Well, it is a product video and they can be subject to a little embellishment.”  Undeterred I was fit with the knee and now have walked on this kind of knee for over almost seven years.  As I think back on that product video I watched I realize that not only do I not think about walking, but I spend most days not even thinking about the fact that I am an amputee.  I never thought that this level of comfort and confidence could be achieved with a prosthetic knee based on my earlier experiences with other knees.  While I still occasionally stop and think about how capable this knee has made me as an amputee, I don’t stop for long—after all I’ve got a lot of living to do!

Otto Bock HealthCare pays Nate a small fee for his essays.