Amputees Believe

I'm been talking to some friends, my work and sponsors. I will coming out with a new Organization called Amputees Believe very soon.

Amputees Believe does not have a formal mission statement yet...but will definitely be dealing with inspiring amutees to live a more full life. I will be looking to host/attend amputee support groups, peer visit amputees, become involved in amputee related activities, and help amputees in need obtain funding for prosthetic devices.

Of course, this is all nothing new for me. I just want to put things in the forefront and form a serious brand to promote and obtain the cause I feel so strongly about. A name to get behind and promote amputee causes and awareness AMPUTEES BELIEVE

More details will be fourth coming! I will need a formal logo, to decide if I want to obtain non-profit status with my group and many, many other decisions. I am anxiously looking to taking things up to the next level.

For those that may have caught this blog earlier...After further discussion with management and others the name will be Amputees Believe instead of Ampu Believe. I think there was some worrying about people who are not as immersed in amputee related manners figuring out the name. So a compromise has been met. See that members of congress...how hard is it??...lol

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About the bike
I still have not forgotten about the last cycling instructional segment. Pre-production is still being done. I am hoping to complete video shoot and edit within a weeks time.

Advanced Amputee Cycling

Firstly, I wanted to take a minute and say thanks to all whom have checked out this site. I just passed the over 6,000 unique viewers landmark recently. I have only been keeping this blog for a little over a year now and knowing someone uses it once in a while is a great feeling. My latest instructional video also got over 600 hits in less than a months time! So, to say the least, it has been a landmark of sixes for me recently.

Seeing how the 2011 Tour de France is well underway I have become inspired enough to finish my series on Amputee Cycling. I have completed 2 instructional cycling segments. One series on 'Getting Started Cycling' that shows how to use a stationary spin bike and another on regular 'Everyday Cycling'. The last piece I have been planning to do has been on 'Advanced Cycling'. The advanced series will concentrate on using a road bike as an amputee. The series will be geared toward the amputee that would like to take cycling to the next level.

As I have always said cycling is one of the exercises that was instrumental in my recovery. Riding a bike was something I could sink into that helped me build confidence, improve overall health, work the range of motion in my residual limb, and so much more. It was also something I often could do as well as other "able bodied" individuals.

Speaking of the Tour de France, it has been a nail biter so far this year. My predictions appear to have some validity. George Hincapie has not won a stage yet, but has been looking very strong. The 16 time TDF competitor has done a remarkable job leading out for teammate and yellow jersey contender Cadel Evans. I am still looking at things to fall into place for Hincapie in a stage win.

Alberto Contador is not out of the running for yellow, but he is having a somewhat difficult tour. Last year Contador got ahead and then rode the wheel of his main rival. This year going into the mountains the Spaniard must make up a lot of crucial time. Gaining time in the mountains is often nothing new for yellow jersey hopefuls. Usually the sprint and flat stage type of riders have an edge and then fall behind once in the mountain stages of the race. This year due to crashes Contador finds himself behind other cyclist known as climbers. It should be a very interesting week.

Mentioning crashes, there have been some horrific wrecks this year, especially in stage 9. Dubbed as "The Tour de Carnage" by the media and "The Tour de Crash" by Tour announcer Phil Liggett there has been no shortage of downed cyclist this year. As witnessed by this unnerving WRECK Footage . Believe it or not both riders finished the stage! That is one reason why I find this race so epic. Can you imagine the courage and determination it must have taken to finish after a wreck like that?

Very sorry to take up so much of this blog talking about the TDF. It is such a roller coaster ride and test of human endurance. I encourage you to check it. The mountain stages are awe-inspiring. The first mountain stage starts

I hope to finish up the 'Advanced Cycling' segment by next blog. I plan on getting some video in the can this week. Once done with cycling I plan on putting together something on 'Amputee Running'.

May you be able to dig deep and reach the finish when the time calls - Ty

The 4TH

First off I want to mention that one of my favorite sporting events the 98TH Tour de France starts July 2nd.
Alberto Contador, the favorite to win, like many other riders is surrounded by a doping scandal. I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think Contador will fail to even reach the podium this year. Look for an unexpected stage win by veteran rider George Hincapie, he deserves it. I'm rooting for Andy Schleck to finish in yellow this year.

Secondly, very glad to see a few have checked out my 'Cleaning Your Prosthesis' video. It isn't perfect, but hopefully is helpful to some. Surprisingly, the video got a lot of hits on YouTube out of the gate.

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THE FOURTH OF JULY!! One of my very favorite holidays is quickly approaching.

I know, for some there is this feeling that possibly our best days as a country have passed. All the sometimes corny patriotic posturing aside, I can only express that I don't think it so. Long before I was around this country went through some remarkably tough times. Various wars, a civil war, corruption, scandal and periods of economic turmoil have often tested our country.

Since my lifetime we have encountered many uneasy times as well; Some being Vietnam, the Kennedy assassination, the King assassination, Watergate and 9/11.


If you take a look at the current news, everything seems to possess a gloomy outlook?? Even though times are tough, I don't buy into it.

As stated, we have faced several trying stages in our past and have prevailed. Often, we have grown, diversified and become stronger after being tested. There is not one doubt in my mind that the spirit which has always been deeply ingrained to face challenge still exist in America today.

My heart will be swelling deep with pride this 4TH. Over the holiday weekend I invite you to stop, at least for a moment, to acknowledge and celebrate this beautiful often imperfect, sometimes messy glorious experiment called the United States of America.

Beach Amputee

In Florida a common saying is 'Life's a beach'. I constantly see 'Salt Life' stickers on peoples back windshields. Florida has the longest coast line of any state. We love our beaches. Already this year I have done my share of visiting the beach, kayaking, running/walking at or near the beach and riding my bike along the Gulf Coast areas. I am just getting warmed up as summer is about to kick in full force soon.

So I wanted to do a post about prosthetic care in and around water. The salt water is harsh on everything here. So I wanted to give a few tips on dealing with beach conditions as an amputee.

From my prior experience and research one thing is very clear. Just about all prosthetist advise against wearing your prosthesis into the ocean. Most admitted that being in Florida makes this an almost impossible task, with at least some of their patients. So of course my next question was, "What advice would you give to someone that insist on going into the water?" I got a wide range of answers, but went with the ones that seemed to be most agreed upon. I hope you read on and hopefully take some of this advice into account...Even if it is with a grain of salt. (Yeah pretty cheesy I know 0_o)

Beach Amputee Advice Tip 1:
Wear an old leg if you have it. - This is by far the best advice. No matter what you do your prosthesis is likely going to suffer some damage from the salt water. My socket, bolts, foot and locking mechanism all have endured varying degrees of damage from ocean water. With the right care you can limit the damage quite a bit.

Beach Amputee Tip 2:
Spray your leg down down with a lubricant prior to entering the water to help protect it. - Wiping down your prosthesis with a coat of lube can go a long way, especially if you are just wading out a little ways. There are many different types of products on the market. Please be advised that some products may contain chemicals that can damage some of your prosthetic components/parts. My understanding is that many silicone based products can do damage to your shoe shell. One semi-affordable product I have seen that is made primarily for metal protection is AMSOIL . The stuff runs a little over $7 a bottle. I personally have never used any of these products, but I usually follow Tip #1 and wear an old leg, so damage doesn't make as much a difference to me. I do know that if I only had one leg I would probably do this. I'm a bit of an environment freak at times...oil spray in the water??? I suppose a light coat, if it helps protect your leg would probably be worth it? There are some green products out there. One company called Ecoline offers a wide array of 'eco-friendly' lubricant products.

Beach Amputee Tip 3:
Wading out into the water above waist level is ill advised. I have broken this tip before myself. What I will say is that a prosthesis is pretty useless at this point. Almost any type of artificial limb will become loose once totally submerged.(except of course ones made specifically for water). Once the water works its way into the barrier between you and the device most prosthetics start to really flop around and become unmanageable. My leg tends to take on water in the pylon, socket and shoe shell causing a lot of drag and weight. This is the same reason I do not swim with a prosthesis.

If you are an above the knee amputee, wading any higher than your mechanical knee is really frowned upon by most prosthetist. My thought is you would probably be better off with just a straight leg without a knee joint? My understanding is the knee isn't going to work real well submerged and the salt water will damage those moving parts.

If going way out the ideal situation is to leave the leg behind. One method is once you are out close to waist level have someone available to hand your leg to for safe keeping. When you get out of the water have them bring it to you. This isn't always an option. I have left or thrown my leg just past where the tide is so I can get to it after leaving the water before. So long as it is still there when you get out. :)

Beach Amputee Tip 4:
Clean your prosthesis with fresh water after a day at the beach. Paul Weott, the head prosthetist at OPC, advised me that cleaning with fresh, warm (or even hot) soapy water was the best. This is the most critical part of the whole ordeal. How well you clean your leg is going to affect it's life. I would advise breaking down (yeah all the prosthetist are wincing right now) the leg as much as possible and cleaning it as well as you can. This is going to vary a lot from person to person due to their mechanical skills. The main point is that you should clean your leg as best as you can.

Of course, once finished cleaning the leg it needs to dry. The best method is to air dry the device in a well ventilated area that receives indirect sunlight. If you have to wear the leg right away you have to do what you can to dry it. Towels and a hair dryer may be useful?

Beach Amputee Tip 5:
Visit your prosthetist before and after your beach visit. If you have only one leg I beg you to take this advice. It would be a shame to damage your main means of getting around, especially when it's avoidable. A lot of prosthetist can help you prepare for an outdoor trip. An O&P practitioner will have a full array of ideals to assist you. A prosthetist has expert knowledge on how to best maintain you prosthesis.

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There is no reason why a person should not be able to get out have some fun this summer. After all the whole point of having a prosthesis is to try and have a more independent lifestyle. With the proper preparation a day of fishing, kayaking, going to the beach, hunting and countless other activities is yours for the taking.


Video: Cleaning Your Prosthesis

Beach Amp - T

Amputee Coalition Blurb

I just wanted to post a quick update. I am in Kansas City attending the anual Amputee Coalition conference.

There are some amazing people out here! It is a certainty that blogs & pictures of my experience here will be forthcoming. I really love these types of events because they are inspiring, help foster new ideals and allow me to catch up with friends outside Florida.

On a side note major changes are about to take place with this site. As per usual I change things around here every six months or so. I'm a strong believer in change directly correlating with growth. I got some new layout ideals already in the works and expect to have things updated early next week.

Posted via cell phone :)

Serenity, Courage, and Acceptance

I finally got a chance to go for a run this last weekend. It was a little painful and I only got in about two miles. My arthritic foot and ankle have kept me sidelined for a while now. The pain has been pretty bad at times, but I have also used it as an excuse to be lazy. I have blown off several opportunities to do different types of exercise that are less stressful to my ankle such as cycling, swimming or lifting weights. While I have managed some workouts over the last few weeks, I definitely could have done more.

Of course, I have had a lot going on lately. I recently moved to beautiful Madeira Beach, FL. As most of you know moving can be a very time consuming and stressful ordeal I also have ended up spending a lot of my personal time hanging out with someone that I was dating. Through no fault of the other person, things got to the point where I did not spend enough time on myself. Predictably I became unhappy due to lack of workout time. Once I started to take time for myself on the weekends, to cycle and so fourth, we went our separate ways. Relationship or not, with good time management and determination, there should always be time to work out if you want to badly enough. It all comes down to priorities and discipline.

Overall, moving again has been worth it. I now can walk to the beach from my front door in less than 5 minutes. I have an awesome bay view out my back windows. Single and living by the beach, what more could a guy ask for? I truly feel lucky to be living where I am. I feel so fortunate that I have had to pinch myself each day to make sure I'm not dreaming. It still amazes me that everything I have ever tried to obtain for myself happens if I stay focused on it.

Okay, so back to the running thing...My situation with not being able to run, especially due to injury, was so frustrating to me. While I was sitting in someones office a few days ago, I saw a sign posted on the wall. What I saw was not new to me at all, but it was the perfect advice. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the saying or prayer that goes, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference." These words are some of the best advice to live by I have ever encountered.

After all, it may very well come to pass that I may never be able to run long distances again or even at all? In fact, eventually this will become a reality one day, one way or another. I should be doing my best and not wasting the opportunities I have by being lazy or making excuses due to frustration. Just because I am sidelined by one situation it is no reason to throw in the towel all together. After all, my motto has always been 'Work with what you got'. Having the determination to address what needs to be changed, be at peace with what you can't control and the focus to stay on task is invaluable. So I guess motivational posters do work sometimes!

May you thrive in peace, acceptance and good judgment.
TyW

One Legged Jax

I met a real character this week while in Bradenton, FL. His name is Jax, at least that is all he went by. He didn't really want to disclose his last name. I have listed him with his name spelled 'Jax' because there was a ton of search results for One Legged Jack, spelled the correct way :)  I thought this might give a little bit of a distinction when being Googled and what not.

What's special about Jax though isn't how his name is spelled, it is his ability to stay positive and be independent. Jax has been an amputee for over 35 years, He told me he had a motorcycle accident as a teenager. During his recovery he said he told the hospital staff  "You did your part, now it is time for me to do mine". Jax told me that he hoped someone might see his example and it would help motivate them. Despite being an amputee for so long, Jax is still a go getter.

I caught Jack out of the corner of my eye as I was going through a stop light. I saw an amputee on a bike and wanted to talk to him. As usual, I am always thinking about finding people to form an  amputee cycling team. [Any interested parties please contact me.!!!]


Anyway, I hunted this poor guy down to talk to him and realized he is on a motorized bicycle and not exactly cyclist team material. After talking to Jax for a few minutes I realized what a fun and positive guy he was. I wanted to give him his 15 minutes of YouTube fame.

So, for all the Jax's out there I dedicate this little clip.

Those of us that get out there (disabled or not) everyday,  do our little routine, keep our head held high and keep the boat afloat. Those that don't get down or if they do it ain't for very long.

Some people have a little 'it factor' about them. A little something extra that is pleasant, positive and happy. These types of folks come in all shapes, sizes, races, incomes and walks of life. I like to think that maybe I have some of these qualities. I sure as heck know Jax does.

I want to wish a every one a Happy Easter, Earth Day, Summer Solstice or whatever else you are into.

You are your state of mind - Ty

One Legged Jax