Amputee B.S. Thread

I'm wondering if there are any other TW members that are amputees and love their trucks! I am a recent (5/9/14) left leg above-knee amputee. Long story short, I fought for 2 years to save my leg after taking ball bearings from an IED through my knee in Afghanistan. I am getting the Ottobock X-3 for my first prosthetic, after seeing how amazing this device functions for friends.

Are there any other Tacoma lovers like me?

 

Thank you for your service and so sorry about your leg. Hope your prosthetic serves you well and your able to get back there. (Not the battlefield, just life lol)

 

Thanks Drew! I have seen many friends thrive with the use of prosthetics, and am confident I will follow suit soon.

Is that '81 yota I see in your sig still going strong?

 

Yep! It's actually my daily driver! Love also every minute of it! Lol

Hasn't left me stranded yet, but it's about time for a full rebuild or 22re swap! It'll be getting a lift hopefully the weekend of the 28th. I have a build thread on here in the other builds section, though I don't update near enough!

 

Bump for traffic.

 

Thank you Sir for your service and sacrifice.

I was riding my mountain bike recently and ran into a guy with an above the knee amputation after an IED hit in Iraq. His prosthetic had a built in clipless pedal foot pad. He was absolutely killing it out on the trails! Jumping, blasting turns, really fast. No limits.....

Hang in there brother.

 

That's awesome Glueman! There are so many inspirational men and women out there that overcome disabilities. I'm glad to hear that guy is out there living it up! I can't wait to be limitless again. Patience...

 

Thanks Gelo! Friends are absolutely one of the best ways to help guys like me and your buddy keep fighting the good fight. My biggest support is and will always be my wife (newly wed). She's handled everything from long distance, deployments, and all the incredible life changes my injury has created.

 

Definitely not a disability. Be strong and don't stop.

 

My dad is a prosthetic tech at Balboa naval hospital in San Diego. The things accomplishments of the wounded warriors over there and the things they can overcome is amazing.

 

Conquering those challenges and watching others conquer their own is what drives me. There's always someone you think "has it worse" and you see how they fight on and it's about the most inspiring moments in life. But standing behind our own efforts are people like your dad who gives his time and effort to help better another person's physical life- their literal every moment of every day life. That is awesome! Thank your dad for me!

I'm working on a mechanical engineering degree to start working on prosthetic development and testing (figured who better to test a leg than someone who needs one). Plus i deem testing the limits and capabilities of one's self to be quite fun and exhilarating!

Peace Bro,
Heath

 

Heath, Thank you for your inspiring dedication and service.

 

Not an amputee, but very well could have been after crushing my femur in a motorcycle accident. I walk with a limp and have hardware.

On a different note, in college i studied recreation and did an internship at the National Sports Center for the Disabled. It's located in Winter Park, Colorado and they have a summer and winter program. They have learn to ski/board programs for both cognitive and physical disabilities. Then they have a competitive program and send all sorts of athletes to Paralympics Games.

I interned during a summer when i was there and lead downhill biking, camping, and a majority of rafting/kayaking. On one camp out, we drank beer out of one of the participants prosthetic leg. Haha.

You seem like a guy that can handle adversities, so don't let a prosthetic keep you from having fun outdoors, and i'm sure it wont.

 

This. You're a huge inspiration.

 

Recent picture from the other weekend when I was given an original M1 Garand. Trying to revive this thread and find that fellow amputee/Tacoma enthusiast that I know is lurking out there somewhere!

 

How goes it, I'm interested in hearing your experience (tho not an amputee) if you don't mind sharing.

I was just in the STL area for a few days last week... I was out by Eureka, what area are you located?

 

@Joe D I grew up out near Eureka and my mom still lives out that way.

As for my experience, its quite a lengthy tale. The short and concise version is I was hit by a dismounted IED in July 2011 in southern Afghanistan. Two ball bearings (about the size of marbles) found me; one through my left knee and one hit my lower back directly on my spine. Luckily the latter bearing went through my pack, the book "Gods and Generals", and a kevlar flap; slowing it enough that when it hit my L3 vertebrae it only ricochet back into my pack. That little miracle only left me with a permanent scar and a small indention in the bone, but did not penetrate deeper than the skin. However the second bearing entered just outside my left knee cap, shattered the upper condyle, split my femur, and exited diagonally from the crook of my knee (where you can feel that big tendon).

Needless to say it did some damage. Since my foot and ankle were perfectly fine and most of the damage was to bone, I opted to keep the leg and attempt to build a knew knee surgically. I lived for 13 months inpatient in a VA hospital doing 4-6 hours of physical therapy a day in between the many surgeries performed by Army doctors on post. Even after leaving the hospital, I continued my quest of regaining a functional leg for 3 years (and over a dozen surgeries) until I basically ran out of medical technology. At that point I opted for an above-knee amputation since prosthetic technology only continues to improve.

May 2014 I had the amputation. After some delayed healing, I finally began using a prosthetic in October 2014 and haven't slowed down since. Now I just live the stump life and make every jealous of my bionic baller status.

 

Thanks for sharing.

Heath it sounds like you've wrapped your mind around it and are living life...I hope so. I am sorry that you had to endure the challenges and (I'm sure like the others who will read this) can't thank you enough for your real sacrifice.

That's cool that mom live out near Eureka, I like the area. I've been visiting there for years and can't believe how much growth is going on out that direction.

 

Not an amputee but I rock Straight Legless Clothing T's...

I keep tabs on Derek Weida on Facebook, he is a great inspiration to anyone, if you don't know the name you should check him out!

 

Thanks for your service and truly awesome attitude! I really hope your road gets easier!
I have a close friend with lingering injuries from an ied, and a friend who lost lower leg in a motorcycle accident, both are doing pretty good.
I think I'm going to reread this thread everyday I think I'm having a bad day, get some inspiration from you Heath!
Thanks again, Diego