leftyf
SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
As Shakespeare was once heard to remark, " To MAS or not to MAS" there ain't no question. This ain't your Grandpa's peg leg. Things have really changed in the last 20 years.
Marlo Anatomical Socket
I'v been working on getting fitted for this socket since last year. As of yesterday, I think we are almost there. The white device is the socket the black is used to support and contain the plastic insert. I am currently on my 8th test socket. The little tab on the right is what my entire weight is balanced on. It and the raised portion on left is what allows me to walk. The apparatus is held on by suction between my remnant and the bottom of the socket. We are still working on the best way to don the socket. And, it is a bear. Removing the socket entails removing a plug and breaking the vacumn and doffing is fairly easy once the vacuum is removed. All and all, I'm getting pretty happy about the leg. My morale is up. And, it's been riding pretty low since before Thanksgiving.
Below is the socket for my training leg and my old walking leg. You can visually see the difference between the two sockets. This one works on the same principle as the first. But, the implementation is vastly different. This socket may be appropriate for many body types and varying degrees of ability...but, it's just not for me.
You can compare the two sockets and see the differences. This was the most uncomfortable socket that I ever worn. And, no amount of adjustment could ever make it fit correctly. The local prosthesis guy did not seem to want to make it fit correctly. I never got so tired of hearing, "There is alway going to be some irritation" or "You are just going to have to adjust and adapt to the pain." No, homey don't play that game. 
My response, besides a lot of profanity, was to find another company and talk to them. The problem is that until you have owned the leg for about a year before you even know what questions to ask. The more I looked at their work and discussed my current situation with Tidewater, the more I was convinced that they were the people to get my C-Leg working. So far, so good.
My biggest problem with my first vendor was to get him to believe this C-Leg was not operating properly. If the leg was going to shutdown because of some internal problem, there was no notice. You'd just go down. This situation doesn't lead to much confidence in your equipment. If the book says yes and your leg says no. Somethings broken.
My second vendor, Tidewater Prosthetics, has spent months getting the fitting correct. But, even they were hesitant to admit that there was any problem with the C-Leg. Probably because of liability issues.
I finally got the knee back to the manufacturer, but only after I offered to remove both their hearts with a spoon. When I went in Tuesday, they told me that the leg was broken, surprise, surprise. They could not set it up because their computer was down. After a little more prodding, on my part, they told me that Otto Bock had rebuilt the leg. The software was 18 months out of date. The version I was running had known problems. And, I had only had the leg a little over a year.
So, I've pretty much got a new leg. The only thing original in it is the plastic shell. All the hydraulics were replaced along with the valves, computer interface, and finally the compute itself with new chips and updated operating system. The bluetooth on this thing now works too. The last thing to check is to see if the warning "chirp" works. It never did before.
The first vendor had the leg for nearly 6 weeks...and in all that time truly did nothing to correct my complaints. When I picked up the leg, for the last time, he had not charged the battery. It's impossible to program the leg without the battery being charged. So, he either did not know what he is doing...or just plain did not give a whoop. Or worse, knew exactly what he was doing and lied about it fixing the leg. That's why I changed vendors. Too many incorrectly answered questions to chance it.
And, if I run into any problems with Tidewater Prosthetics, I'll find yet another vendor. The nice thing about working through the VA is that I can take my prosthetic to any vendor on the VA's approved list. It's a major benefit to me. I can keep moving until I find a company I feel good about.
I return in 2 weeks for another fitting and maybe bringing it home for a couple of weeks to play with the fit. I'll get a chance to find out more about it then.
Finally, while I personally prefer the Robocop look..others may want to play down the "Look! I'm different" aspect and go for a leg cover. If you notice the foot...they can make the entire leg look like that..and match it to your skin tone down to the freckle> I know one young lady that has the entire leg "tiger" striped. I had an American & Vietnamese flag on my first leg. Kind of like this:
Click here for the C-Leg wiki: My Leg Wiki--Read it, it makes sense
Marlo Anatomical Socket
I'v been working on getting fitted for this socket since last year. As of yesterday, I think we are almost there. The white device is the socket the black is used to support and contain the plastic insert. I am currently on my 8th test socket. The little tab on the right is what my entire weight is balanced on. It and the raised portion on left is what allows me to walk. The apparatus is held on by suction between my remnant and the bottom of the socket. We are still working on the best way to don the socket. And, it is a bear. Removing the socket entails removing a plug and breaking the vacumn and doffing is fairly easy once the vacuum is removed. All and all, I'm getting pretty happy about the leg. My morale is up. And, it's been riding pretty low since before Thanksgiving.
Below is the socket for my training leg and my old walking leg. You can visually see the difference between the two sockets. This one works on the same principle as the first. But, the implementation is vastly different. This socket may be appropriate for many body types and varying degrees of ability...but, it's just not for me.
My response, besides a lot of profanity, was to find another company and talk to them. The problem is that until you have owned the leg for about a year before you even know what questions to ask. The more I looked at their work and discussed my current situation with Tidewater, the more I was convinced that they were the people to get my C-Leg working. So far, so good.
My biggest problem with my first vendor was to get him to believe this C-Leg was not operating properly. If the leg was going to shutdown because of some internal problem, there was no notice. You'd just go down. This situation doesn't lead to much confidence in your equipment. If the book says yes and your leg says no. Somethings broken.
My second vendor, Tidewater Prosthetics, has spent months getting the fitting correct. But, even they were hesitant to admit that there was any problem with the C-Leg. Probably because of liability issues.
I finally got the knee back to the manufacturer, but only after I offered to remove both their hearts with a spoon. When I went in Tuesday, they told me that the leg was broken, surprise, surprise. They could not set it up because their computer was down. After a little more prodding, on my part, they told me that Otto Bock had rebuilt the leg. The software was 18 months out of date. The version I was running had known problems. And, I had only had the leg a little over a year.
So, I've pretty much got a new leg. The only thing original in it is the plastic shell. All the hydraulics were replaced along with the valves, computer interface, and finally the compute itself with new chips and updated operating system. The bluetooth on this thing now works too. The last thing to check is to see if the warning "chirp" works. It never did before.
The first vendor had the leg for nearly 6 weeks...and in all that time truly did nothing to correct my complaints. When I picked up the leg, for the last time, he had not charged the battery. It's impossible to program the leg without the battery being charged. So, he either did not know what he is doing...or just plain did not give a whoop. Or worse, knew exactly what he was doing and lied about it fixing the leg. That's why I changed vendors. Too many incorrectly answered questions to chance it.
And, if I run into any problems with Tidewater Prosthetics, I'll find yet another vendor. The nice thing about working through the VA is that I can take my prosthetic to any vendor on the VA's approved list. It's a major benefit to me. I can keep moving until I find a company I feel good about.
I return in 2 weeks for another fitting and maybe bringing it home for a couple of weeks to play with the fit. I'll get a chance to find out more about it then.
Finally, while I personally prefer the Robocop look..others may want to play down the "Look! I'm different" aspect and go for a leg cover. If you notice the foot...they can make the entire leg look like that..and match it to your skin tone down to the freckle> I know one young lady that has the entire leg "tiger" striped. I had an American & Vietnamese flag on my first leg. Kind of like this:
Click here for the C-Leg wiki: My Leg Wiki--Read it, it makes sense
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