July Newsletter Vol. 6 Issue 7
New Patients at A Step Ahead
Captain Kimberly Fawcett (Above Knee) recently spent two weeks at A Step Ahead, where she was fitted for five new prosthetic legs. Captain Fawcett serves in the Canadian military as Special Advisor to the Chief of Military Personnel, Major General Walter Semianiw.
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Captain Kimberly Fawcett
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Pictured in the above photo from left to right are Captain Fawcett's cycling prosthesis, high activity walking prosthesis, running prosthesis, swim prosthesis and "dress" prosthesis.
Captain Fawcett was injured in a motor vehicle accident in 2006 while on duty in Canada. Following recovery from her injuries, she returned to full active duty in Afghanistan, competed at the 2008 International Triathlon Union World Championships, and climbed to the top of the highest mountain in Africa: Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet) in April of this year.
Travels with A Step Ahead Patients
In May 30th, Shlomo Nimrodi (Above Knee), his wife Michal and their daughter Tal, started a four-day journey across the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 8,000 ft above sea level, and is often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas."
Shlomo reflected on his trip: "After some debate, we decided that I would use my C-Leg considering the downhill walks I had to go through. Given the fact that we would not have any electricity during the hike, I faced the first challenge, figuring out a way to be able to charge my knee during the four days. After several attempts to find a proper solution I decided on getting a solar panel and a battery. So the plan was: carrying the solar panel on my back during the day while charging the battery and using the battery to charge the knee over night. It worked great."
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Shlomo Nimrodi on the Inca Trail in Peru
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"The first day of hiking was about nine kilometers - mostly flat with some up and down. The second day was a relatively short distance, only seve kilometers but a constant steep climb to almost 13,000 feet. This was the day I had altitude sickness. A good night sleep in the tent in the freezing cold, three layers of clothing, warm hat and gloves and a lot of coca leaves did the trick. I woke up the morning of the third day ready for the biggest day of all, a grueling seventeen kilometers of walking, including two climbs to 13,000 and 14,000 feet with many small ups and downs arriving at dark at the campsite. It was almost 12 hours of walking and by far the most difficult I had done so far. The last day was 12 kilometers mostly downhill, arriving at the breathtaking site of the Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate Temple. It made me feel great despite my sore body, especially my lower back. As far as the leg it was 100%! A bit sore, but overall better than expected. The scenery during this four-day hike was simply amazing. The leg I got from A Step Ahead well exceeded my expectations. I am certainly going to do some more challenging hikes in the future."
New Addition to A Step Ahead Staff
Amy Palmiero-Winters has accepted a full-time position as Director of Team A Step Ahead. Prior to accepting this position, Amy had been volunteering on a part-time basis in coordinating events and programs for the team while focusing on training and competing in road races and triathlons around the world. Amy holds numerous world records in running and triathlon for female amputees including the marathon, Ironman triathlon, Olympic distance triathlon, 10 kilometer run, and ultra-marathon.
Amy's position as Director of Team A Step Ahead will include coordinating and planning all events for adult and junior athletes, promotion of active lifestyle amputee programs, and development and expansion of all A Step Ahead community outreach programs.
Amy's new position will not preclude her from continuing to compete on a high level in running and triathlon. Her long-term athletic goals include running the famed Western States 100 mile trail run and qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
We welcome the addition of Amy to our full time staff and look forward to the continued growth of the Team A Step Ahead and community outreach programs.
The next ASPIRE amputee support group meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29th at 6:15 pm at the Hospital for Special Surgery located at 535 East 70th Street, NY. For more information, contact Charlie Steele at charlieatl@aol.com or (212) 877-7050.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital Amputee Education and Support Group meets on the first Friday of every month from 10am to 12 noon at the Neurological Institute, 8th Floor North Classroom (PT and OT Department) 710 W. 168th Street, contact Sharon Clark at 212-305-3964.
Rusk Rehab Amputee Support Group (34th Street/1st avenue) meets Thursday July 23rd at
6:00PM; contact Jeff Heckman at 631-873-6223 for details.
The Long Island Amputee Support Group meets the first Saturday of each month at South Side Hospital, 301 East Main Street in Bayshore. If you are interested in joining this group, contact Jodi Adler at 631-968-3330.
For more information on amputee support groups around the country, go to http://www.amputee-coalition.org/npn_about.html
Improve Running & Walking at Mobility Clinic
Join Dave Balsley, P.T. and Phil Kreuter, P.T. at the Jericho High School track on Long Island for their monthly mobility clinic at 10 am on Sunday, July 19th. They will provide instruction in gait training and running techniques as well as advanced mobility skills. Dave and Phil have extensive experience working with amputees of all ages and activity levels. Come work out with world class athletes and learn from experienced coaches and physical therapists. The setting is relaxed and enjoyable. There is no pressure; come learn and see what you can do to improve yourself or just to watch what others can do. For more information and directions to the mobility clinic, call the office at 516-681-3484.
Hope & Possibility 5 Mile Race
On Sunday, June 28th, 21 athletes from Team A Step Ahead & Junior Team A Step Ahead competed in the Achilles International 5 Mile Hope & Possibility race in Central Park, New York. Pictured below are the junior athletes: James Lozano (Bilateral Below Knee), Sofia Castillo (Above Knee), Jake Lillis (Bilateral Above Knee), Victoria Cutrone-Foley (Above Knee), Alexandra Capellini (Above Knee), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Above Knee), Julian Gonzalez (Below Knee), Julia Breitenbach (Above Knee), Cate Hughes (Below Knee), Davonni Baboolal (Below Knee), Tara Dunfee (Below Knee), David Gelfand (Above Knee), and Larry Mantilla (Above Knee).
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Junior Team A Step Ahead at the Hope and Possibility Race
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The junior team was assisted by Amy Palmiero-Winters (Below Knee), Shlomo Nimrodi (Above Knee), Nick Pascullo and Taylor Espinet. Adult athletes that competed in the 5 mile race included: Tommy Koehler (Below Knee), who took first place in the below knee category with a time of 31:49; Jack Ahrens (Below Knee) 43:39, Dave Kruysman (Below Knee) 49:09, Peter Bremberg (Van Ness) 1:07:19 and Lauren Peters (Below Knee) 46:13. John Tartaglio (Bilateral Hip Disarticulation) started the race one hour before the official start and used the hills of Central Park as a training run for his attempt to be the first bilateral hip disarticulation amputee to complete a marathon this year on the famed New York City Marathon course.
Running to the Summit of Mt. Washington
Supported by Junior Team A Step Ahead member Sofia Castillo (Above Knee), Amy Palmiero Winters (Below Knee) took on one of the toughest run challenges in the United States - the annual run up Mt. Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As the race director announces it's only one hill at the beginning of the race, the runners quickly realize that the one hill is 7.6 miles straight to the top with an average 12% grade of elevation, topping out at 22% at the finish line above the clouds at 6,288 feet.
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Sofia Castillo and Amy Palmiero-Winters at the top of Mt. Washington
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Athletes Triumph at Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon
Twelve athletes - supported by Team A Step Ahead and A Step Ahead Prosthetics - competed in one of the toughest triathlons in the United States, continuing to prove that people with limb loss can live life without limitations. The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon consisted of swimming 1.5 miles in 59-degree water through the San Francisco Bay, cycling eighteen hilly miles around the city and its parks, and running eight miles - including 400 steps of the famed beach ladder under the Golden Gate Bridge.
In the women's divison, Kelly Bruno (Below Knee) took first place in a time of 3:32:32, followed by Amy Palmiero-Winters (Below Knee) 3:45:56 and Sandy Dukat (Above Knee) with a time of 4:12.08. Sandy was the only above knee amputee to compete in this race.
In the men's divison, Paul Martin (Below Knee) took first place in a time of 2:53:19, followed by Tommy Koehler (Below Knee) in 3:01:32 and Jeff Glasbrenner (Below Knee) in third with a time of 3:05:32. Dave Kruysman (Below Knee), competing in his first triathlon, finished in 4:52:05. The relay team of Marcos Corti-Maderna (Below Knee) (swim), Jack Ahrens (Below Knee) (bike) and Jean Draper (Below Knee) (run) finished in 3:15:28, taking first place in the physically-challenged relay division.
A Step Ahead patients Sam Cila (Below Elbow) 3:33:54 and Andy Hatcher (Below Knee) 3:55:56 competed for the Operation Rebound team.
(some photos from the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon courtesy of Brightroom.com)
Rajesh Durbal (Bilateral Below Knee/Below Elbow) competed in his first triathlon at the Baldwin Park Sprint Triathlon in Orlando, Florida. Rajesh completed the .75K swim, 13.4 mile bike and 2.5 mile run in 1:47:41
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Rajesh Durbal
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Team A Step Ahead Upcoming Events:
- New York City Triathlon - Olympic distance triathlon - Sunday July 26th. 1.5 K Swim, 40k Bike, 10k Run.
- SheRox Triathlon - Sprint distance triathlon for women and girls -Philadelphia, Sunday August 2nd.
From the Prosthetist: Spring & Summer
As summer approaches and the temperatures increase, several issues may develop with the fit of your prosthesis. Sweating may be a concern. If you wear a below-knee prosthesis, sweating can contribute to a loose fit with poor suspension. During the course of the day, you may have to take your prosthesis and silicone liner off and dry off both the liner and your skin. If you don't, you will be subjecting your limb to a wet and loose fit that may lead to skin breakdown and bone bruising. If drying off your limb does not help, there are anti-perspirants that can be applied to your limb.
If over-the-counter antiperspirants don't work, you should seek advice from a dermatologist regarding stronger prescription anti-perspirants. If you wear an above-knee prosthesis, we advise the same care if you use a silicone liner with a seal or lanyard. If your prosthesis is suspended by total suction, taking off your prosthesis, drying your limb, and applying a light coating of medicated powder would be a good first option. Another option would be to apply an anti-perspirant.
Another concern in the warm summer weather is volume fluctuation. Your residual limb may increase in size due to the heat. If you wear a below-the-knee prosthesis, this issue can be resolved easily by reducing sock ply. For above-the-knee amputees, an adjustment to your socket may be necessary. The heat may pose difficulty for donning an above knee prosthesis. Staying in a well air conditioned room for about 15- 20 minutes and then donning the prosthesis may make it easier. If you have more questions about how to manage the changes in temperature and how it affects your residual limb, call our office and speak to your prosthetist.
Now is the best time to consider making some changes and/or additions to your prosthesis. If you love the beach, the pool, or water sports, we can fabricate a customized waterproof prosthesis for you. If you have always had the desire to wear shorts and sandals in the summer, we can design and fabricate a custom silicone skin cover for you. Save your old prosthetics components and we can use them to make a waterproof prosthesis for all your warm weather activities. The Skin Tones System can even be designed to be used in the water as a fully waterproof prosthesis that can be submerged for swimming and other water sports. For more information about our Skin Tones System, visit our website and view our photo gallery or call to speak to one of our prosthetists.
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Above Knee Swim Prosthesis
with Skin Tones Cover
| Below Knee Prosthesis with Skin Tones
Cover |
Connect with A Step Ahead On Facebook and Our Blog
A Step Ahead's Facebook page continues to grow and is now over 100 members. We encourage you to visit our Facebook page and blog to participate in discussions and postings. We have launched both of these web pages to provide an opportunity for individuals with limb loss, health care professionals, family members, and others to have a forum for communication about news and issues that have an impact on people with limb loss. In addition, the blog and Facebook sites will allow A Step Ahead to increase its reach to the world providing our regular news and updates. To log on to the blog, go to http://astepaheadblog.blogspot.com/ To log on to the Facebook site go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128805480264&ref=nf We welcome your postings and comments at both of these sites, and look forward to seeing you there.
Healthcare Reform Moving in the Senate: Sen. Dodd recently introduced the "Affordable Health Choices Act" on behalf of Sen. Kennedy. The Senate HELP committee is working on marking up the bill. They have solicited comments and letters of support. The ACA submitted a letter on June 16th.
Parity Re-introduced in Congress: The Prosthetic & Custom Orthotic Act of 2009 (H.R.2575) was introduced in the House on May 21, 2009. The ACA is also working with Senator Snowe's office to get the bill introduced in the Senate as soon as possible. This bill will ensure amputees get the healthcare they need to live active, independent lives. To read the full text of the proposed federal legislation go to: http://www.thomas.gov/cgi- bin/query/z?c111:H.R.2575
Making Progress State by State: The ACA has already had several victories this year --- AR, VA, IA, MD, TX, MO and CT. They will continue to work hard to support these efforts in order to ensure that amputees get the care they need. The ACA is also working on pulling together organizing meetings throughout the summer to ramp up for 2010.
The ACA is grateful to the activists who have not only taken the lead but really gone above and beyond to push-start parity legislation through and support our congressional efforts. Our Advocacy Department is honored to work with such amazing people!
The ACA Launches "Arms and Legs Are Not a Luxury" The ACA recently unveiled a new web site to help spread the word about the need for prosthetic parity legislation at the state and federal level to protect access to care. The new site can be found at:
http://www.amputee-coalition.org/armsandlegsarenotaluxury/index.html
