I need your help!

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since a Hanna update. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much to tell. She has been sitting in the corner collecting dust. I could not get Touch Bionics, or my insurance company to help me out. So I have been keeping my thoughts to myself :)

But yesterday I had what I think is a GREAT idea!  I have been seeing many articles in the paper, online, etc about prosthetic hands and myoelectric devices. So I thought..."what if I write these people about my situation?" They obviously have an interest in the topic and maybe they know someone they could connect me with to help me get the hand I've always wanted.

Technology is changing so fast! They have started making hands that have the sense of touch!  That is so amazing!!!!!

So today I wrote 2 different people: one was a writer of an article in the Baltimore Sun about prosthetics and 3D printers, and the other was a Biomedical Engineer at Case Western Reserve University who has been involved in a study where they implant electrodes under your skin and attach it to an artificial hand.
Here is the study: https://bme.case.edu/Tyler/Research


So here's my shameless plug for help: if any of you happen to see any articles of interest, would you send them my way?
I would be forever grateful! :)
Love y'all!

Long overdue...

7/1/14
Happy Mericuh week everyone!

I have had several people ask me for a Hanna update.  To be honest, I have been reluctant to write anything due to frustration and the desire to stay positive. But here it goes...Caution: I will need some cheese with my whine...

After continuing to go back and forth with the company and my prosthetist, they still do not have a good solution for me and Hanna. My prosthetist has offered to try and make me a cover for Hanna, but Touch Bionics is not going to do anything for me. I am really frustrated with them because it seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot by not supporting their prosthetic users.

Remember their website I posted stating that I was "required" to have a cover? Yeah, well they quickly took that down once they heard from me. Haha

And they have decided to no longer make the clear finger covers and are only going to make the black finger covers. So I will have a bi-racial hand once I wear out my clear covers. Awesome.

So basically I can keep trying to wear Hanna and keep scratching everything and everyone or I can use her as a very expensive paperweight.

I am pretty discouraged because I thought was getting a tool that would look more skin-like and that would be helpful in everyday activities. But I am scared to use her as I keep scratching stuff.

I am still working with my prosthetist to try and find a good solution but he thinks that if he makes a cover it will look "grotesque". Has he seen my little hand? Haha

I just really want to look normal, but I am starting to realize that maybe that will never happen; that maybe how I look is my "normal".

I am really blessed in what I CAN do. I have been able to learn to play guitar, piano, dance, type, etc. I realize that there are folks that aren't able to do those things and that I am very lucky to be able to function like I do. 

So just wanted to keep you guys updated. Thanks for your prayers and support! I will keep working to make Hanna work for me.

Hope you all have a happy 4th! Don't set your house on fire with fireworks :)

Awkward Handshake

This is hilarious to me because it is my life...everytime I have a job interview or meet someone new.

Little tip: Go for the left handed shake...it's much less awkward than the chest bump :)

EndtheAwkward

More fun at OT

4/30/14

Hey ya'll

I just finished up another session of OT. Today I worked with cones, pins and my nemesis...flat rocks. Those darn rocks are slick and hard to pick up (they are like the craft rocks that are flat on one side) but I was able to do it eventually.  And I tied a bow today with Hanna! Woohoo!

So I am sending an email to my prosthetist today outlining why I need the covering. Prayers and good thoughts are appreciated.

I really hope they make a cover for me so I will not be afraid to use it. I keep scratching stuff like my gear shift, oven handle, etc.  I also keep getting dirt in the nooks and crannies of the hand...it's real attractive :)

So my fingers are crossed that I will be getting a skin colored covering soon!

Yesterday

4/25/14

Yesterday I had my OT session with Tracy and Christy from Touch Bionics. It was really good because I got a to share a lot of my concerns with Christy. For example:
1. a lot of my clothes don't fit over the hand, so it would be helpful if they could streamline the design.
2. I need a cover.
I live at the beach so I have sand, dust, pollen, etc that is getting into the gears and nooks and crannies of the device. So I have been afraid to use it a lot because if this.
 I thought I could get one that is flesh toned, but Christy informed me that they do not make a flesh toned cover for the digits device. The website is a little deceiving because it looks like all of the devices come with a covering. Check it out:

When I saw this I thought that this is what I would be getting. I texted my prosthetist and my OT this morning with this website to see what they think. Fingers crossed!

I know this is a brand spanking new technology so they are working out the kinks of the devices. And every device is different. But I am hoping that they can make this hand work better for me.

I felt like Christy really listened to me and my concerns and she promised me that my feedback was valuable and they were making changes based on my feedback.

Here is a picture of me trying to hold a fork yesterday. The fork is my enemy right now but I will beat this enemy!

I am really sore after wearing Hanna for 2.5 hours yesterday and using it the entire time. 2.5 hours doesn't seem like a lot, but when you are working muscles you are not used to working, it is. :)

Thanks for everyone's support and prayers!

Hanna is back!

4/24/14

Hanna flew back yesterday (well, I'm assuming she flew). :)
She has all new fingers and will be getting a new thumb later on this month. Crazy! This time the thumb will come from Ireland (that's what my prosthetist tells me anyway). Maybe it will be green and I can finally grow tomatoes LOL

Today I meet with Christy from Touch Bionics at my OT Tracy's office. I dressed up today and actually wore makeup AND curled my hair...just in case they take pictures.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Hanna has left me again

4/22/14
Yesterday Hanna left me...again. She is so fickle :)

sad face

My sweet hubby took her to Hanger to be sent back to Touch Bionics. My prosthetist did a "hand health check" and found that 2 wires were broken...that's why the 2 fingers are malfunctioning.  The weird thing is that I did not wear Hanna at all last week. She was sleeping in her case so I'm not sure how the wires could have broken.  Maybe Millie Belle the shih tzu has been playing with her? 
"Not me mom!"

Anyway...I hope to have her back before Thursday as they are sending someone to VB from Touch Bionics for training.

I have connected with an online support group called Empowering Amputees. (www.empoweringamputees.org)
I have been able to post about my hand and ask others if they are having the same experience as I am. It's cool to connect with folks all over the world.

On a happier note, it's Admin Professionals Week! Yay! That means lunch at Olive Garden today, flowers, candy, and all kinds of goodies made by our fabulous staff at LMS!

Hope everyone is having a great week! Be nice to your secretaries :)

Hanna needs to be resurrected today

Happy Easter everyone!

Hope everyone is having a nice holiday.  My in-laws are in town and I was excited about them meeting Hanna for the first time...but alas...she is malfunctioning again :(

This time the pointer finger and the middle finger are malfunctioning.  I am really bummed. I really am not using her all that much. In fact, I haven't used her at all this weekend. So I know the malfunctioning is not due to overuse.  I am so irritated that I can't use her right now.

Touch Bionics is supposed to be sending someone on Thursday to train my OT on the iLimb, but how is this person going to train her if Hanna is not working?????

Sigh.....

I need a resurrection miracle :)

Encouraged today

4/8/14

Awesome OT today!

Firstly, I learned that my OT's name is spelled Tracy, not Traci. (I looked at her name badge) :) Oops.

Secondly, I am semi-ok at block building :) Tracy built formations with blocks and I had to build the same thing. I did pretty good...just a little bumbly. It's like I'm back at preschool again :)

I kind of stink at puzzles though. But let's face it, puzzle skills are not life and death like block building skills :)

I had something happen last week that I forgot to blog about...but it's kind of a big deal. (Well, to me anyway).

I was parking the car and thought I was wearing Hanna and tried to open and close my hand in a certain way. Nothing happened and I looked down and lo and behold, I was not wearing the hand! It was the weirdest thing! So that must mean that my brain is adapting to having a new appendage.

So I went to Starbucks on my way back from OT...yes I have a problem...
I wanted to see if I was any better at holding the plastic cups that you get when you order an iced drink.  Today it is like 70 degrees and muggy so it is perfect for iced coffee.

Here is my result:

 

Hanna! Crushing Starbucks cups since Jan 2014!

Progress!

4/4/14

Howdy doody friends!

It's time for a Hanna update.

This is Hanna driving to OT today...Look out Virginia Beach!

 

OT is going well. Traci has me working on strengthening my right shoulder as it has been sore from using Hanna.  More weight = sore.

 

 

Touch Bionics is going to send someone down in a few weeks to train Traci (and whoever else wants to come) and they will also work with me too for a couple hours.  The challenge for them (and me) is that I have spent my entire life adapting to my "little hand" so I am having to re-learn how to do everything. I've had a lot of people ask me, "So why did you get a prosthetic device if you were already functional?"

 

Well...doctor's aren't really sure how my hand will function as I get older.  I can already tell that I have lost functionality over the years...and I can imagine it will only get worse. So I thought...why don't I start learning how to use a prosthetic now instead of waiting until I HAVE to learn?

 

 

So I stopped at Starbucks on the way back to work today.  Look what Hanna can do!



 

 

 

Happy Friday everyone!!!!!!

OT Day 2

3/26/2014

Today was my second day of OT. So far it is going great! Traci is helping me work out which grips to use for certain tasks. For example, when you get in your car in the morning and crank it up, how many different grips do you use? One to open the car door, one to close the door and put your seat belt on, one to put the key in the ignition, and another to turn the key...

I have never really thought about any of this so I will probably be doing some people watching (one of my favorite past times) to see how others do certain tasks.

I feel like a kid at OT because I get to "play games". There are balls, pegs, pins, marbles, etc...it's like one big playground and preschool all in one...except most of the people there are in their 80's :)

So far so great!

Love to all :)

First Day of OT

3/25/14

Today I am taking Hanna for our first day of Occupational Therapy...and I'm kind of nervous! Tracy (the OT) comes highly recommended and she happened to squeeze me in instead of putting me  on a waiting list to see her.  I really don't know what to expect since I've never done OT before. I'm thinking maybe it is similar to physical therapy?  Oh well...I will let you know how it goes! :)

Later...just got back from OT!
I am feeling very encouraged. Tracy was awesome...she said "Damn!" a lot and it cracked me up. I was able to put on my jacket with my hand on before I left!  I was not able to do this before because I couldn't figure out how to get the hand through the sleeve. Yippee!

We will be working on fine motor skills. Those of you who really know me know that I lack pretty much all motor skills and am incredibly clumsy...so I don't think she knows what she's in for with me :) I told her one of my goals was not to continue to crush Starbucks cups. She laughed...but I was serious.


Now I am back at work scarfing down a double cheeseburger combo from Mickey D's. Don't judge me.

 

This is me and Millie Belle on the balcony. It's really rainy today and I miss the sun...but I digress...

Thanks to all of my cheerleaders, well-wishers, prayer people and encouragers. I couldn't do this without y'all!

Cool site and other stuff

3/19/14

So I found this really cool site today:
http://www.thealternativelimbproject.com/

Check out this crystallized leg bling:

Pretty cool huh?
Maybe I need to add some bling to Hanna?

By the way, I made my first OT appointment today with Tracy at the Sentara Hand Therapy Clinic. Apparently she has a waiting list but they were able to work me in on April 8th.  I am finding that I need help figuring out how to use Hanna. Sometimes it is pretty counter intuitive.

But I hope to have more of a grip on it soon...LOL...grip...get it?
Love to all!

And the winner is....

So I had a lot of votes. Some liked Helen, there was an Anastasia, and a Bionica. I think the most creative was "Talktothe". But in the end I decided to name my hand....

Hanna!


Thanks for all of your help with names! :)

So Hanna came to work with me today. I practiced typing (I am still faster without Hanna). Hanna also worked the copy machine and helped count money.

Slowly but surely I am learning how to incorporate Hanna into my daily life.  I still have a long way to go! :)

Picking up my Hand Today!!!!!

3/6/14
I got a call from Ayana at the Hanger Clinic a little while ago and guess what????
I'M PICKING UP MY HAND TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not excited or anything :)

I am so ready to start working on my skills (or lack thereof) again!  I have Jenga and Mancala at the ready.

I have been thinking...my hand really needs a name.  I've just been calling it "hand" but I really think she needs a name.  Yes, she is a she because I am a girl and well that would be weird to be a girl with a boy's hand :)

So here are some of the contenders:

Hanna (get it?)

Hannaleigh

Harley

Harper

Helen

Hermione (LOL)

Hilary

Hildegarde

Helga

Gwyneth Paltrow?

I really have no idea. At first I thought she should have a name that starts with an "H", but now I'm not so sure.  I need your help!

Please vote for the name you think I should name my hand. It can be one that is not listed.  I just need some ideas.
Thanks friends!

Love to all!

Impending inclement weather

At about 5:30am I was awakened to the ringing of my phone to inform me that all students and teachers would not be reporting to school today due to the threat of inclement weather. Oh and P.S. ALL 12 month staff must report for normal hours.

 

What the what???? I really appreciate the wake up call before my alarm goes off to tell me that I do in fact have to go to work today. Thanks

 

I know many of you are tired of hearing complaints about school and weather...but this is a different kind of complaint.  ***Warning*** I will need some cheese with my wine after this post.

 

So this is the message on the school's web page:

Updated: 3/3/2014 5:16:38 AM

Due to the threat of inclement weather, schools are closed for students and instructional staff. Twelve month employees must report on time.

 

So what can I take away from this? Well...many things really.

 

1. 12 month employees are so important that the schools cannot run without us.

2. 12 month employees are the best drivers and the ones you definitley want on the road during inclement weather.

3. 12 month employees will have so much work to do on a day that neither teachers nor students will be at school.

4. 12 month employees would be bored on a snow day.

 

Hooray for fake snow days! LOL

 

Well at least I will catch up on my blogging today. Just kidding...I am really hard at work right now :)

 

 

***Hand update***

Hand is still in Ohio. He hasn't called. He hasn't written. He is probably hanging out at The Varsity Club without me. I miss him! Hopefully he will be home soon!

 

Love to all

 

 

 

 

Ohio we have a problem...

2/20/14

My hand was shipped back to Ohio yesterday...sad face

The pointer finger has been getting stuck and not working properly since I received the hand, so I had to send the hand back to its mother ship for surgery.

I'm really bummed about this because initially I had the motivation to wear it out in public and try new things and learn new ways to do things.  Now that I have not been using it, I'm afraid that I will lose this motivation.  Ugh!

The Hanger Center said it would be a couple of weeks before I get it back...boo

So I will still probably be crushing Starbucks cups the next time you see me with the hand...but please know that it's not my fault! I will STILL be learning   :)

Please say a prayer for my hand that we would be reunited soon.

Love to all :)

I Wanna Hold Your Hand...

This past weekend was a pretty good one! Even though my pointer finger is still malfunctioning (my appointment is not until next week), I was still able to don it and use it.

On Friday night the hubs and I went to Shorebreak Pizza. I can't stay away from there. Their philly cheese steak is just too good!  I wore my hand the whole time!

Then we went to the River Room just down the street to hear our good friends Kerri & David sing for a coffee house show. They sounded awesome! I love hearing them sing together.

This was the first time showing them my new hand. The first thing Kerri asked me was "can I hold your hand?" I don't think she realized how much this meant to me.  You see, no one has really ever wanted to hold my hand before. People were usually repulsed by it or just scared of it. Dating was kind of a nightmare so it was a good thing I didn't do much of that. My husband was the first guy (other than my dad) that didn't mind holding my hand. That's how I knew he was the one for me! :)

So she was the first person I shook hands with. I'm still learning to do that so hopefully I will do better next time!

Sam is so funny. He always wants me to squeeze everyone's arm and ratchet down on them. Yes, my new hand ratchets! He's like "let her give you a squeeze!" LOL

I am still gaging my own strength. Step by step...little by little...inch by inch...I WILL get the hang of this!!!

Love to all :)

Group Shot!

I have been remiss...
Nate (one of the guys at Touch Bionics) sent me a group photo from the day we left.
Here it is:

So the gentleman on my left is Mr. Mitchell from Brooklyn. And the young guy on my right is Derek from Cleveland.  These were the 2 guys who were with me all week getting their hands. The tall guy in the white shirt with the goofy faces is my OT Steve Martin.

Ok...let me just go from left to right.

I don't know everyone's name because some of the employees do the behind the scenes stuff.

 

Back Row starting on the left: Guy whose name I don't know, but he helped build my hand; Steve Martin like the actor OT, 2 ladies behind me worked in the office not sure of their names but they brought yummy lunches everyday; Jeremy who is hiding aka Steve Wosniak prosthetist; Jeremy who helped build my hand.

 

Front Row: Lindsey OT, Mr. Mitchell, Moi, Derek

 

Don't you love our Jazz hands photo??!!

 

These people love their jobs and it really shows. They get to take these pictures every week! :)

 

I am so thankful for all of them and all of their hard work!

 

My hand is one week old today.  I think it might need a name...hmmmm

 

Happy Friday to everyone!

Feb 5 Hair Dos and Happy Hour

So I tried blow drying my hair with a round brush today holding the blow dryer with my new hand...and it worked!!!! I will have to work on my form a little bit but it is so much easier now. Hooray!

Finger update: my pointer finger has been malfunctioning. It hasn't been moving like the other fingers so I'm taking it in next week for a checkup. I know what you're thinking...yes I've only had it for a week...and no it's not my fault! Haha

Tonight I am going to happy hour with some of my current and former coworkers. Trust me when I say that we need this happy hour!

It has been a rough week and it's only Wednesday! 

I'm looking forward to holding my drink with my new hand. Hopefully I will not spill it in someones lap!

Hope y'all are having a better week than I am :)

Later on...

Just got back from Shorebreak...fun times with my friends and coworkers. I got to show off my new hand and lack of skills. LOL! There were a lot of requests for the middle finger and of course I had to oblige. I'm sure our server thought I was nuts.

My friend Ellen let me hold her wine glass. She is a brave woman! :) I did not drop it but had a hard time letting go, but let's face it...it's always hard to put down wine.

I really am blessed to have people around me cheering me on and encouraging me! This was a perfect end to a day that didn't start so well. My heart is full...and my belly.
Good night :)

Yesterday...First day back at work

So yesterday was my first day back at work after my trip. It was quite a blur of catching up. I didn't use my hand the whole day because my shoulder gets sore and I found that I can type faster without it. Funny huh?

People were interested to see it and I got to show it off a little. But it was a little stressful as I was trying to keep the same pace that I normally have, but my new hand slowed me down some.

And on top of that, our beloved office manager retired and we don't have a replacement yet so her duties have been divied up to the rest of us which equals more stress. But this too shall pass!

Last night I attempted to play Jenga with the hubby. The only problem with that is that I hadn't charged the hand in 2 days so the pointer finger got stuck. LOL. So it was a short game :)

I am going to the Hanger Clinic in Norfolk today to sign paperwork and show my doc my new hand since he hasn't seen it yet.

Have a great day everyone!

I'm home!

Hi everyone!

I'm finally home!!!! It is so good to sleep in my own bed and to be back with my hubby and fur baby.  Wow what a trip!

So I am easing into being back with a new hand. I am trying to take it slowly and not push myself too much.

Today we went to Starbucks so I could practice putting the sleeve on my coffee cup...and to get coffee of course! Well my first attempt was almost a disaster as my grip was too strong and I popped the lid of the drink.  Only a little spillage though!  My hubby helped me reposition and try again. He is so patient! I found that if I grip the cup just to stabilize it, then I can pick it up with my left hand and slide on the cardboard sleeve.  The paper cup is just too easy to crush...or maybe I don't realize my new found strength! LOL

I'm pretty sure I had an audience by the time we left the Starbucks.  That is what makes me the most nervous...people staring. I know they will stare, and I hope they think the hand is cool instead of freakish.

Millie Belle is still a little unsure of the hand.  It makes noise so I think she is more afraid of the noise. But she will adjust.  She did lick my fingers today so that pretty much means that she likes it. :)

I'm nervous about going back to work tomorrow but it will be good to see my coworkers. I know I'm being hard on myself but I feel like I should have a better handle on using my new hand...but it will take some time. Step by step...

Stayed tuned for more shenanigans with my new hand... :)

Day 5

I'm coming home today!!!!

Yay!

Still waiting on my other digits to switch out. I just signed my life away in media release forms. I did this to further science. Haha! But seriously, I want to try and help others find out about this technology that maybe don't know about it. It seems like the majority of amputees that come here are men so they will need some examples of women with prosthetics.

Anyways I'll be here until a little after lunch time and by then my hand should be finished and then it's off to the airport!

I can't wait to get home to see the hubby and the fur baby!

Day 4 continued

Ok I am just a little bummed. The hand/arm is too big to try and wear a coat over it without some modifications . So I may have to have some of my coats tailored. The processor and batteries are situated on my forearm and they won't pass through my coat sleeve. Bummer! Well the silver lining is that maybe I will be able to improve my seamstress skills. :) Steve took some pictures of me trying to put on my coat and he is going to send these to the boss people to address my "skinny people problems". LOL

One of the other patients and myself are going to play games later. Connect 4 and Jenga. I am so nervous about this! #1 I'm not good at these games anyway. #2 I'm pretty sure I will knock the Jenga tower down immediately. I asked if I could have a coach for both games and they said yes! :)

Later on...

Another patient and I played Jenga. I lost of course, but we both did pretty well and played longer than we thought we would.  I may need to buy the Jenga game now as it is really good practice using the prosthetic hand.

We worked on a few things like how to hold shopping bags and heavier items. This seemed much easier today.

Steve let me take my prosthetic back to the hotel so I could practice using it and so I can let them know tomorrow if they need to make any changes. It comes with a special case that looks like something James Bond would carry.  I'm sure I will get some looks in the airport tomorrow!

Tomorrow...I can't believe I will be going home with my new hand tomorrow.  It has all gone by so fast!  I will definitely need to find an occupational therapist when I get home to help me figure out how to use my hand more efficiently.

Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts, prayers, encouragement and love this week!  It really helps to know that people are rooting for you!

Love to you all!

Day 4

It's been a waiting game this morning. They are currently putting my device back together so I can try it on before lunch. And then there will be more OT after lunch.

Here I am waiting with my goofy face.


Finger update!!!
2 of 5 of my fingers came in today.  The other 3 are currently in Cincinnati. Not sure if they stopped to get some chili or what. But they should be here by tomorrow. So I'm told that 2 of my fingers today will be the natural color and 3 will be black. Today I will have a bi-racial hand. :)

Here it is...my bi-racial hand:

Sweet!


Here are a few pictures of the office:

This is the workshop where the limbs are built, fingers are attached, etc.

This is the limb oven...kind of how I pictured the witch's oven in Hansel and Gretel to look like. Don't ask me what the hanging ropes and wires are. I have no idea.

This is where they shape and add the pigment to the limbs.

More to come later on...

Day 3 wrap-up

Day 4 Kids!

1/30/14
Day 4 (and a summary of day 3)

What I'm wearing since it is currently 10 but will be in the 30s today! Yippeeeee!
~Denim shirt from NY&Co
~Black skinnies from NY&Co (sensing a pattern)
~riding boots for the ice and snow
~houndstooth hat from Target that was on sale (score)
~warm jacket, gloves, and scarf

Yesterday was probably my hardest day...and I'm so glad Sam was here to talk me through it.  My frustration level was really high. It's funny to think of all of the things I can sort of do now...and then having to learn a totally new way to do them makes me want to revert back to the old way. For example, I could not zip up my cheer jacket with my new hand.  I couldn't quite get a grip on the zipper. In my defense, the zipper is quite small  and kind of the perfect size for my "little hand". I kind of felt like a big ogre trying to pick up a smurf. I will learn in time, but it is going to take a while. Here is a picture of me using the hand to clip my nails. This has always been a somewhat scary task for me. I am having to learn different grips that maybe are not the normal way, but it will work for me.

My fear is that everyone will be expecting me to be able to fully use my new hand with no problems when I get back...like I've always had it or something.  Maybe I am projecting my high expectations onto others when they don't really have these expectations...I realize I am pretty hard on myself. I am a recovering perfectionist LOL...but I hope others will learn to have patience with me. And I hope I can have patience with myself.

So we went to the Ohio State game last night and it was fun! Although we did not emerge victorious (70-71) it was an exciting game. We lost in overtime to Penn State. Since I coach cheerleading I am always trying to get new ideas for stunts. Here is one cool stunt I saw...not sure if it is legal for middle school though.

Here is a pic of the arena. Pretty nice place!

After a stressful day, it was nice to let loose at the basketball game with my sweetie. He left this morning on a jet plane.  Sad face :( Somebody's got to take care of Millie Belle the shih tzu! But never fear! Mr. & Mrs. Wright will be reunited tomorrow evening :)

So I have no idea what to expect for today other than more OT. My final device won't be ready until tomorrow because...get this...they are shipping my fingers from Scotland!  I will have Scottish fingers. And they will be plaid. (Just kidding about the plaid part)

So I will keep y'all updated today as I continue in this prosthetic adventure.
Enjoy the snow for me! :)

Day Three

Day Three:

1/29/2014

Game Day!

What I am wearing:
Ohio State burnout baseball style tee
Gray cords
Leggings (for warmth)
Fake Uggs (for warmth)
Layers of coats, gloves and a hat :)

It was a balmy -6F this morning and it will be a heat wave of a day at a high of 18 degrees. I am so excited for the game tonight!

So I didn’t sleep that well last night and I’ll tell you for why:
My sweet hubby likes to mess with electronics to see how they work. There is a handy dandy MP3 clock radio in our bedroom at the hotel. He was fiddling with it before bed. I was not using said alarm clock because I like the alarm on my phone.  So when the classic rock station started blaring at 6am (my alarm is not supposed to go off until 7), I knew what had occurred. 
Sam finally got the radio shut off and then the fire alarm went off. (Not our fault,  but someone was probably burning breakfast in their room)

So needless to say, I did not go back to sleep. So I am a wee bit tired this morning. I think a nap may be in order before the game.

When we arrived at Touch Bionics this morning, I started the study that I signed up for yesterday. It is a study for amputees to measure overuse in the dominant hand. So I immersed my hand in water to for edemic measurement (don’t ask me...I have no idea). Then the lady measured my flexibility in my wrist and fingers.  Apparently my wrist is very flexible but my fingers...not so much. She said she sees carpal tunnel syndrome in my future...but gave me stretching exercises to help with that in the future.  Then I stacked blocks and flipped over checkers (timed activities). I feel like I’m back in kindergarten again. My left hand is very tired! LOL
Now Sam is doing the study even though he is not an amputee. Everyone has a dominant hand.  He is so competitive though. He is trying to beat my time with everything. I have never heard of block stacking trash talking...but he created it. 

So we have some downtime before lunch as they are tweaking my device currently. Then after lunch I will be doing more OT.

Hope all y’all in VA and NC are enjoying the Snowpocalypse!

Day 2 continued again!

Even later on...

Hubby got here this afternoon! Yay! So glad he was able to fly out before the Snowpocalypse that is happening in Virginia Beach at the moment. VB schools are out tomorrow. I'm sad that I'm missing a snow day. Oh well, I'm sure there will be some snow left when we get back.  And let's face it...there is plenty of snow here in OH to go around!

Sam met me at Touch Bionics this afternoon and got to see the prototype hand and got to ask all kinds of questions about my device. We loaded the biosim software on my iPhone and his computer. They are also giving me an iPod touch with the software on it. Lots of technology going on here.

I did more OT with Steve Martin today. I stacked things on a shelf, used the broom again, picked up items of varying weights.  One problem I kept running into was that my middle finger kept getting stuck.  LOL! They will be tweaking it to make sure the final device works properly.

I'm meeting an OSU student in the morning to take part in a research study for hand mobility. Sam might take part too.  Then more OT and a waiting game for the fabrication.

I walked by the fabrication shop and saw a model of my hand fresh out of the oven with the pigment added. Pretty cool!

So tonight Sam wanted to walk to Skyline Chili. Our friend Matt told us we had to eat at this place. It is only 0.4 miles away from the hotel...but it was 0 degrees F outside... so I really thought we would take a cab. But Sam insisted we walk. I will forgive him later :)

Skyline Chili was pretty dang good.
The waitress gave us a sample before we ordered.  I ended up having a 3 way baked potato which is basically a baked potato with the Skyline Chili on top and lots of cheddar cheese.
Here is a pic:

Sam had the 5 way chili and coney.  Our waitress asked if we needed bibs....of course we needed bibs!  She even tied them around our necks.  See here:

It was a great experience and I'm glad we went! We walked back in the 0 degree temps and almost froze. We stood in front of the fireplace in the hotel once we returned, picked up some snacks from the hotel store, and then hurried to the room where Sam warmed his hands over the stove top and I stood under the heat lamp in the bathroom. That's how we roll.

Tonight we will try to ward off indigestion and stay inside, warm, while watching movies.

Until tomorrow...

Day 2 continued

This post is dedicated to food and fortunes.

This was my lunch. Tai hao le! ( too good)

This is my snack basket in my fitting room. Well it's not MY snack basket per se but I would like to think of it as mine.

This is my fortune from lunch. I really don't feel like it's for me so I'm posting it for one of you.

Laters...

Day Two

1/28/2014

Day Two:

Temp when I left the hotel: -15 degrees F

What I am wearing:

Pink skinny jeans from NY&Co (hubby calls them my sparkle pants)

Cuddle duds AKA long johns for girls

Cream sweater NY&Co (also with sparkles)

Riding boots to trudge through snow and ice

Really warm coat, gloves and hat

My friend Laurie Beth let me borrow her Columbia jacket which is mucho warm and I am so grateful!!!! (She also let me borrow matching gloves and a matching hat. She is a fashionista and my go to for fashion advice!) :)

We arrived at 9:03 at Touch Bionics and I started some more OT this morning, stacking cones. It’s interesting because depending on where I’m reaching to pick up the cones, it can be easier or harder to control the touch pad. When my palm is facing down, it is more difficult for me not to touch the touch pad that is between my fingers which means that if I am holding something, if I accidentally touch the touch pad, I will drop that item.  A way to get around this is to grab the item and then turn off the device. But the OT says the goal is to learn how to relax the hand and not touch the touchpad. I feel like I have so much to learn!

Last night we went to Carabbas for dinner. I had Lobster ravioli...yum! We all talked about how our new hands were going to be life changing for us. It is interesting because I am the only one here with a congenital birth defect. One gentleman lost his arm in the service. The other lost his fingers in a work accident. So we all have very different perspectives and I am learning so much about the human spirit and how others learn how to deal with what life has dealt them.

In a way I feel blessed that I was born with my “condition”. I’ve had 37 years to adapt to it whereas the other 2 guys have only had a short time to adapt. I don’t really know anything different whereas they have had to relearn everything. I admire them for their courage and for not giving up.

It’s nice to have people with you cheering you on. Speaking of that...my husband flies in today!!!!!!!!!

I am sooooooo happy that he is getting to come! I know he will be amazed at the process here and the fabrication. It is so high-tech...like out of a sci-fi movie. I can’t wait until he gets here!

Back to OT...the socket is really pushing on my knuckles this morning which is hurting so they are going to shave it down so it won’t be uncomfortable.  So I am waiting for them to do that and then I will work more with the OT on basic functional tasks.

It's starting to look more like a hand.

Later...

So I just finished my pre-fitting assessment. This is a questionnaire that I will be filling out every 3 months to assess the effectiveness of the hand.  Basically they want to make sure that the hand will be helpful to me and is functioning properly. When I complete these questionnaires, they will send me new finger covers, which is nice because I’m sure I will need them.

So my husband is on the plane now from Norfolk to Dulles.  I posted on Facebook this morning that the temperature was -15F and he said he was canceling his flight. Thankfully he decided that I was worth seeing so he is on his way :)

So Tim has been working on adding pigment to my silicone glove this morning to more closely  match my skin. It won’t be an exact match, but he said he can get it pretty close. Such a crazy process!

Until later friends....

Day One

1/27/14

Today was the official first day of training at Touch Bionics.  I went to the lobby for breakfast at the hotel but I was too nervous to eat. So I just drank my peppermint mocha via coffee and waited for the cab to arrive.

Well apparently  since the temperature dropped last night, there was a lot of black ice on the road so the cab was late getting to my hotel. But not to worry...there were 4 others waiting for the same cab: one patient, one OT, and the area manager Lorraine who I met last night.  So we all finally piled in the cab and arrived at the Touch Bionics office about a half an hour late...but it really wasn't a problem because they couldn't start without us! :)

This is me with my anticipatory face:

So everyone greeted us at the door. It's a pretty cool place, Nathan gave us a tour of all of the fabrication rooms and get this: ALL of the rooms have snacks of some sort!  Sweet!

Brian Monroe, my upper extremities specialist was there and had me try on the test socket.

After trying it on they had to make some modifications to it because it was rubbing and pinching my skin in some places.  It's pretty cool that they can do all the mods on site immediately!

Then they attached electrodes and fingers to the test socket:

This looks kind of like a science experiment!

There are touch pads between my 2 fingers, so when I squeeze, the hand/fingers close. And when I squeeze again, they open.

Here is a video:

Then they used epoxy to attach each finger and the thumb.  My OT's name is Steve Martin, like the actor. (That's how he introduced himself). But he is much taller than Steve Martin and probably much more knowledgeable at occupational therapy. :)  He was also a jokester which is nice.  He had me picking up cups, cylinders, stacking blocks, etc.  He told me to pick up a cylinder and put it on my head. I picked up the cylinder and put it on my forehead. He said "now you're a unicorn". And I said "of course, everyone wants to be a unicorn". 

Tim Hahn is fabricating my hand. He will be putting pigment in the silicone so it will look more natural. 

They ordered lunch for all of us from Jason's Deli...yummy!  I sat with Brian and Steve at lunch and we talked basketball.

People keep asking me "how do you feel" or "is it everything you thought it would be?"  I am having trouble answering these questions because I feel like it won't really hit me until I see the finished product.  But let me tell you, when I picked up a plate with my right hand and put food on it and it didn't fall to the ground, it was pretty awesome. BBQs will now bow down to me!

After lunch, we did more occupational therapy. Lindsay, another OT, helped me hold a knife and fork, take things on and off shelves and sweep.  I told them that I would not be doing housework for free. :)

Everyone kept telling me how great I was doing and I thought they were just being nice.  But Lorraine came in and watched me stack blocks and she said that usually people aren't able to do this until day 3 or 4.  Wow!  I feel blessed!

Tonight the whole gang is going out to dinner.  Not sure where yet, but free food is free food!

Love y'all! Thanks for being part of my journey!

I have arrived!!!

1/26/2014

I am finally here! After almost missing my flight from Dulles to Columbus, I still made it here! I had to run to my gate though as they were calling my name over the loudspeaker. A lot of running just to sit beside a lady that took up part of my leg room due to her over sized bag that would not totally fit under the seat. Good thing I don't take up much room. haha

Airplane rides are awkward...just awkward. I try to say hello and smile to the people I'm sitting next to and they act like they don't speaka de Engrish. :) I'm just trying to be polite...not talk your ear off the whole flight. But I digress...

I have arrived in Hilliard Ohio. The airport roads were covered with ice so I am surprised that we were able to land. I called the cab company to pick me up and they told me that someone else from Touch Bionics would be riding with me to the hotel.  Her name is Lorraine and she works out of NY for Touch Bionics.  We stopped at Chipotle on the way to the hotel and she bought my dinner. Sweet! We got to the hotel and I unpacked and watched some HGTV while I ate my dinner. Not much different than normal, other than I am in a totally new place without my hubby. :(

Tomorrow morning I will ride with Lorraine to Touch Bionics and get the grand tour. This is my schedule:

Pretty packed schedule, but Lorraine said I should have some downtime on Wednesday.

Well kids, it's time for bed so I can be up and at em early tomorrow.

Until then...

Like a Glove!

1/21/14

Hi everyone!

I had another appointment at the Hanger Clinic this morning. Mr. Monroe had the initial silicone mold for me to try on. Here it is:

As you can see in the next picture, my skin was zipped up in it initially, OWWEE, so they are going to adjust the zipper.   It felt like it fit perfectly other than the zipper.

 

Check out the electrode thingies!

 

 

So they will use this mold to design the glove to go over my existing hand.  I can't wait to see what it will look like!!!!

 

The hubby is coming to Ohio for a couple of days so he can meet the folks at Touch Bionics and check out the facility with me.

We will also be going to the Ohio State vs. Penn State basketball game on Wednesday 1/29 at 7pm.  Look for us on TV!

 

Five more days...

Go Bucs!

I finally got my plane ticket information as well as my hotel registration and transportation info!  YAY!!!!

I will be staying at the Homewood Suites which is a Hilton hotel. The suite has a full kitchen, king size bed, living room...much swag! They are paying for my meals as long as I eat at the hotel restaurant which sounds good to me.  They are also paying for my cab rides from the airport and back and forth from the hotel to Touch Bionics.  I will be getting the rock star treatment! :)

So I looked at the map to see what is around the area and guess what is only 6.5 miles away????? OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY!  And the best part is that there is a game on Wed 1/29 there. Ohio State vs Penn State. I love college basketball. Those of you who really know me know that Duke is my team...but I root for Ohio State as well due to our friends Matt & Laurie.  It was part of our buddy friends contract...something like this: "In order to hang out with the cool kids, you must cheer for Ohio State always. If you choose to root against them, our friendship will be null and void." We really wanted to hang out with the cool kids so we are now OSU fans (but always Duke fans first!) LOL

So I am going to go to a game.  My hubby may be able to come to Ohio for a few days to see Touch Bionics and go to the game with me. But if we can't work it out, I will cheer for the Bucs all by myself! :) Look for me on TV 1/29 at 7pm. I'll be wearing red!

Now I need some WARM OSU gear. The temps are supposed to be in the teens and 20s. Brrrrrrrrr!