CEO of Hydraujoint Gets New Leg
By Stephen Kemp
. In December 2008 while asleep in bed, I was woken up suddenly by a loud noise.
The noise was the sound of a 4wheel drive with a driver asleep at the wheel crashing into the rear end of my newly purchased MX6.
I walked to the train station that morning to go to work, and everyday after that for approx 3 weeks.
Not realizing the impact these 1km walks would have on my artificial leg. I had been wearing the same prosthesis now for over 6 years and had resigned to the fact that this is as good as it gets.
Over a period of 3 weeks, the prosthesis started falling apart, all the glue came unstuck on the inner liner, the foot became squeaky and stiff.
So in January I attended a day clinic at St George Hospital. I met a few patients in the waiting room. All elderly people (to be expected when you see statistics). And all were concerned about clinic, travel and prosthesis costs.
I met with a surgeon and a prosthetic manufacturer and a new leg was applied for, in writing to the NSW Govt through ALS or Enable as they are now known.
It took nearly 3 months to get any idea of how that paperwork was going. Finally i received a letter from Enable stating that I had been turned down and the Australian Govt would not pay for my new limb as I was a non resident of Australia, previously from New Zealand.
However, with the assistance of some wonderful people it was decided that I was now going to be able to receive one here. Its a long story that I wont go into here.
The first appointment was canceled due to the Prosthetic manufacturer having a sick day. (Can't help those) So a new appointment was made for the following week.
I got a bus to the city and then walked on crutches for nearly 2km to the clinic.
On arrival I was asked if i owned a Healthcare card. I didn't' I only held a Medicare card.
This meant I was required to pay an additional $200 towards my limb as well as supply all my own socks at nearly $400 in order to be able to walk again.
A short conversation with the Prosthetic manufacturer in which I had explained that for the last 7 years I have been developing and donating my exercise machines to assist amputees with their rehabilitation that it was ironic that i was now the one asking for help that i was unable to receive.
The good people at Enable wavered the $200 surcharge and allowed the construction to go ahead.
Yesterday 26th August 2009 I picked up my new Limb, 9 months after first realising i would need it.
It is quite uncomfortable due to new pressures in spots i have not had pressure before. However i am confident i will learn to tolerate it the same as i have done in the past. I am now able to stand upright and hold a coffee at the same time again. (so important)
I would like to thank the good people at Enable and the Limb Centre I attended, (You know who you are) Thanks.
I appreciate the effort that you went to in assisting me, I will see you at the clinic in 2 weeks.
Now i am mobile again, back to assisting other amputees. If you are using one of my limbar machines, you will also be able to go from a long period of crutches to walking again in less than a week. Just like i have done.
I walked to the shops for milk this morning, approx 1km each direction. with no crutches.
Hydraujoint was developed to assist amputees with exercise and rehabilitation
see http://hydraujoint.com for more details on Stephens work.
. Stephen Kemp has been an below the knee amputee since 1985. Since that time Stephen has put an enormous effort into assisting himself and other amputees with specifically engineered Amputee Exercise Equipment and is the first to market clinically trialed rehabilitation exercise equipment.
The Limbar (TM) range of Amputee Exercise Equipment is also suitable for those aged people who have lost mobility and need to exercise in order to restore it. To see more information and a great resource of everything mobility, amputee and rehabilitation related.
Visit http://hydraujoint.com and be sure to say hi and visit the daily updated news and subscribe via our Amputee News RSS Feed at the blog.
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