SOMEBODY Got A Visit From The Prosthetist Today...

[jayjay]

The prosthetist (and you have no idea how tempted I am every time I type that word to go all Porky Pig) was in today with my fitting socket, which is an initial socket made from the cast of my stump and thigh he took last week. It's made from transparent plastic/resin/composite/whatever they make them from nowadays so they can see the contact between the residual limb and the socket. So I got to walk around on TWO LEGS today for a (very) short time.

On the way out, he said that I should have the final temporary prosthesis (the one I'll use for prosth training and until the final leg is made) by Thursday next week at the latest.

But most importantly...I GOT TO WALK AROUND ON TWO LEGS TODAY!

[jayjay]

I should note that this socket was the biggest, fattest damn socket I've ever seen. It looked like someone blew up one of those mouse-ear balloons to near-explosion and stuck it on the end of a metal rod.

And he put the wrong foot on the leg...I had two right feet for a little bit there. It didn't really matter, since my clodhoppers are so big the wrong-side foot slid right in.

[Glazer]

Have you thought about what kind of custom paint job you're going to get for it? Don't forget chrome and black powder coat accents. Remember you want kids to think it's way cool, not be scared by it. And it'll give you a reason to wear shorts.

[eleanorigby]

I cannot stop giggling at the wrong foot being on the end of that, JJ.

Glad you got up and about, a bit. Are you using crutches at all?

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by eleanorigby

I cannot stop giggling at the wrong foot being on the end of that, JJ.

Glad you got up and about, a bit. Are you using crutches at all?

The expression on his face when I pointed the foot out to him was priceless!

No, I've been mostly using a walker. We have a sling walker for the few times I"m not in my wheelchair, though we used a regular one today, obviously.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Glazer

Have you thought about what kind of custom paint job you're going to get for it? Don't forget chrome and black powder coat accents. Remember you want kids to think it's way cool, not be scared by it. And it'll give you a reason to wear shorts.

We haven't really talked about customization yet, since this isn't going to be the final leg...it's just going to be a temporary no-frills socket-rod-and-foot while they make the real one. I don't even know if I GET to customize it, since it's being paid for by my insurance, which may not allow for more expensive things in the name of cosmetics.

[Glazer]

Even though insurance is paying it's yours. It's not like they can take it and give it to somebody else. But wait till you get the final leg to decide on the bling. You'll want any artwork to flow with the shape.

[jali]

I went all Porky Pig. I can't stop saying it now.

This is great news dude!

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by jali

I went all Porky Pig. I can't stop saying it now.

This is great news dude!

Prostet...er, prosti...prosthan...*sigh*

Fake leg maker.

[stormie]

Yay Jayjay!

Having 2 Right feet has got to be better than having two Left feet. :P

[Veb]

Way to go, jayjay! And two right feet? Only really matters in ballroom dancing.

BTW, have you ever watched Best in Show? It features someone born w/ two right feet--and it came in very handy circling around a dog show ring.

[Scarlett67]

Originally Posted by Veb

BTW, have you ever watched Best in Show? It features someone born w/ two right feet--and it came in very handy circling around a dog show ring.

<psst> Two LEFT feet. (That was the joke: "He said he had two left feet. I thought he was kidding!")

[Wolf Larsen]

Can you have awesome weapons installed in the final one so that you can shoot fire from it or something? That would be cool.

[Chacoguy]

Some ideas.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Chacoguy

Some ideas.

Cool, although she has...well, I guess it's kind of weird to talk about her having "some advantages" due to being a double amputee, but in this context, it makes sense. I can't really change my height, for example, because the prosthetic has to match the real leg for me to be able to walk comfortably. Likewise with cool design stuff like cheetah legs or jellyfish legs...only one will be changeable. But that was a cool talk...I liked her point about Pamela Anderson having more prosthetics in her body than the speaker did, and nobody calls HER disabled.

[iampunha]

Originally Posted by jayjay

I can't really change my height, for example, because the prosthetic has to match the real leg for me to be able to walk comfortably.

Piffle.

The prosthetic leg and the bottom of your other shoe have to end at the same distance from your head.

How they do that is negotiable.