The Best Prosthesis In The World...Or So We Say

The marketing of prosthetic devices is useful but can inevitably have it's pitfalls. Marketing is defined many different ways. If you were to ask several people to define marketing the answers will vary. My definition of marketing is, distributing information to an audience to try and effect behavior. Advertising can be subtle or strong. Marketing is a concept that is constantly changing. Ads, product placement, catch phrases, infomercials, on-line advertising, buzz words and other marketing ploys are so ingrained in our society it is often hard to gauge their effects.

Marketing be can be used for wonderful purposes. You can put out a health campaign that increases peoples quality of life or that helps prevent the spread of a disease through education. There are many helpful prosthetic devices that use marketing to reach the amputee community. We have all seen images of super light prosthetic running feet and high tech mechanical limbs. There are several professional and amateur amputee athletes that use and promote prosthetic equipment. In some ways amputee ad campaigns are more effective because they are an anomaly. Amputee athletes tend to be more noticeable than their able bodied counterparts, because they are rare.

The bad side of marketing can rear it's ugly head. Sometimes money becomes so important the effects on consumers can be overlooked. Who could ever approve of a campaign that promotes smoking to kids? Yet we all know that there have been some subtle and not so subtle ways smoking has been romanticized toward youth. Believe me, tobacco companies know the value of a consumer that begins smoking at a young age. What about fast food? It is very convenient and can be helpful when we are on the run. Fast food also is inexpensive and often has a pleasing (some would argue) addictive taste. We all know it isn't good for us to eat on a regular basis. I am not against anyone smoking or eating fast food if they choose to. I believe in personal choice and freedom of expression. Is there a place where we should draw the line? An individual should be allowed to make their own informed decisions shouldn't they? Of course they should. The problem is when a product or organization promotes itself as something that it isn't. Consumers are not allowed to make a decent choice without honest information.

The prosthetic industry is not immune to the same perils as other commercial enterprises. Often millions of dollars are sunk into research to make a device. Some prosthetic products are beneficial to certain people, but sometimes not as favorable as portrayed. Even when products are helpful to certain segments of the population they can be paired with individuals that receive little aid from them. There are large amounts of money involved and the prosthetic industry can be just as susceptible to abuse as other big corporations.

When someone 'qualifies' for a certain type of prosthetic device it does not necessarily mean they need that device. The type of product is often a judgment call between the Doctor, Amputee and Prosthetist. Judgment calls can be influenced by money and education. If the provided product education is flawed or sensationalized then it may not help someone make an informed decision. A medical professional makes money on reimbursement from the services and devices they provide. I would argue that the marketing done by some prosthetic manufacturers promotes their usefulness, at times, beyond their actual benefits. I do not blame the industry for this. I am certain that if I spent a lot of time, money and energy on something I would be very proud of it and espouse it's usefulness. I am also sure that many other industries such as fast food, pharmacy companies, soft drink manufacturers, hospitals, politicians, and other organizations energetically promote their benefits and diminish their weaknesses and flaws as well.

I am sure we can all think of products that we have thought would be great and soon found disappointment from. At one time or another we all have been sold something and realized it was not what it was portrayed to be. I still regret getting duped on those x-ray glasses as a kid.:)

Marketing has become more sophisticated over time. There have been millions of dollars spent on research, think tanks, human behavior studies, psychology reviews, and many other subjects relevant to marketing. It is a guarantee that all of this money and time would not be spent if marketing did not work. There are currently many companies that spend more money on advertising than they do on anything else, including making their products. I recently watched a film by documentarian Morgan Spurlock called The Greatest Movie Ever Sold . I found Spurlock's movie to be an interesting look at marketing and it's often unheralded influence on media and society as a whole.

What is promising is that effective marketing can be done by those of modest means more easily than any other time in history. With the ability to blog, post videos, and use social media the layman can arguably promote their own effective marketing strategy. A person of modest means certainly does not have the same advantage as a big corporate entity, but the tools are more effective at a cheaper price than ever.

I am not here to condemn the free enterprise system. I definitely think capitalism is the best way to promote and develop products. Ultimately consumers tend to use or not use a product based on if they like it or not. My main advice to all when making important decisions is to be informed. There is nothing wrong with taking another look, doing your homework or getting a second opinion. As an amputee I caution you to be realistic. You have to have reasonable goals about your physical capabilities when choosing a prosthetic device. I can definitely attest that a prosthesis does not always have to be fancy and have all the bells and whistles to be effective. There have been many hills walked, runs run and lives changed by a simple, effective, and proper fitting prosthetic device.

The best marketing in the world is character. Word of mouth is still the best way a product get promoted. It is a good ideal to remember those that use your products or services also have access to the tools of the Internet. Which means anyone can use digital means to praise or complain about your products and services. As the saying goes, "A satisfied person will tell 3 friends a dissatisfied one will tell 30". Doing a good job, providing good products, being an upstanding individual, and having excellent customer service are still key to being a success.

Remember - Selling a positive attitude gives back an Invaluable return Ty

Speeding Into The Holidays

Wow! Time is flying by. In fact it is moving by so fast, and I have thought about it so much, that I did a slideshow presentation on it. Actually many different variations of this lecture have been in my arsenal for quite a while. I consolidated things down and put a simple power point together. It isn't the best, the audio is hideous. I smashed it together kind of hastily. I hope it gets across some key points.

Time is definitely one of my favorite subjects. Since being a young boy I have always held a fascinated with time and time travel. I know this is unorthodox material for a holiday month type of blog. I just kind of went with what I felt was good subject matter for me right now. Honestly I have had writers block about everything else but this project. I just wasn't going to be able to focus on anything until I got my thoughts on 'time' out there.

I do feel this is a very special period of the year. I wish the best to all. I hope everyone of us will make the time to be thankful and feel blessed. I know it can be very hard during the holidays for many of us. I also know that taking challenges head on can build inner strength and peace. The bottom line is that your happiness is up to you. You have to find it from within. There are tools out there to help you overcome anything...please never be shy about asking for help to find them.

Even though time is not directly related to being an amputee or prosthetics I do feel it is relevant. Time is what we all must deal with. Being patient, meeting deadlines, showing up for appointments, and so fourth. Time is meaningful to each and every one of us. The premise is simple. The longer we live, the faster time appears to be moving. The key question, "Is time really moving faster"? Well that depends on who you talk to. There are tons of theories on both sides of the argument. If time isn't moving faster why does it appear to be? That opens up a whole other line of questioning. Once again there are many ideals as to why this phenomenon appears to be happening.

Most people do feel that time is moving more rapidly. Yet a second appears to be a second...a minute a minute and so fourth. How often do we say things like "I can't believe it is Christmas already" or "so and so sure did grow up fast"? Time can seem to fly by in the blink of an eye.

I really don't know the answers. No one seems to be certain. My thoughts are that we are able to do more in a shorter amount of time. This ability to constantly have more power, more options and more choices make it appear things are moving faster. You can do so much more in a smaller amount of time than ever before. Think about how long it used to take to mail a letter or travel in the past compared to today. In the future as technology advances you will be capable of doing even more in a shorter span of time. Remember how slow the Internet used to be? Remember not having the Internet? So in many ways time is speeding up.

Yet another question is, will things get so fast that you won't be able to keep up with them some day? If things keep progressing like they are the definite answer is yes they absolutely will. Doesn't it seem like they already have sometimes?

Of course, all of this is theory. So who knows? Maybe you don't feel like time is getting faster to you? Maybe sigularity isn't happening? I personally feel optimistic about the future and feel privileged to be in these times. I feel some very important world events are on the near horizon. It is exciting to think you may be part of a whole new world paradigm.

I once heard a lecturer say, "That at some point all things that are possible will all happen at the same time". So what do you do then? Well the best advice I have heard is "Follow your intuition". If you can picture yourself being in a river with it flowing more and more rapidly. There you are hanging onto a branch along the side bank out of fear...Sooner or later you must let go, ride the current and be one with the water...

Letting Go Of Everything But Hope - Ty

Time Is Speeding Up

The Role of Advocacy

What is a real advocate? Well it is actually defined many different ways. Webster defines "advocacy" as the act of pleading, supporting or recommending. Wikipedia has a much longer definition that touches on influencing public policy and resource allocation for a certain cause.

As a patient advocate I often wear many hats. I meet people to educate them on what living life as an amputee is like. I try to ease some of the uncertainty and fear that someone may feel that is facing or going through an amputation. I try to be involved in community events that revolve around amputee awareness. I also try to help amputees get access to resources that may help them live a better quality of life.

As with anything else I feel it is the small things that count. Things like taking a patients wallet to them because they left it at our office, stopping by and having a cup of coffee with someone, helping someone out that has errands to run, calling up to say 'hello' because you were thinking of a person...These little things seem to be the things that people remember.

There is a fine line that is often walked when doing advocacy work. You do have to have some personal boundaries, because you do have your own separate life. Admittedly as someone who is an amputee 24-7 it can be hard not to intertwine work and personal life. Learning to say no or when not to offer and help is also key. You want people to learn how to help themselves. You also can get to a point where you are taken advantage of.

The number one thing I try to do, when it comes to being an advocate, is lead by example. I strongly feel the best way to encourage another is to show them what is possible. Each day I get up and walk out the door to face the world with a positive attitude I feel is the very best thing I can do for advocacy.

Even after all this time I still notice the looks on people's faces once in a while as I am approaching them. I get a few double takes when out in town or in the gym. I think it is great! I feel it is encouraging for people to see someone that is 'disabled' doing the best they can.

After all they say the most rewarding life is the one where we give it our all every single day.

Little Things Help Build Dreams - Ty

Brian Gilmore - Handcrank Bicycle

I edited and posted a video on my friend Brain and his handcrank bicycle. This is a great form of exercise and recreation for a lower extremity amputee.

I am surprised by the amount of views his video has gotten. Since posting the video it has gained about 100 hits a day! Just goes to show you that it is hard to judge what people may be interested in.

Brain Gilmore Hadcrank Bicycle Video

Slightly Out Of Context

Recently I was part of an interview with NBC-2 news in Ft Myers, FL.

The reporter, Elizabeth Billingsley, was super nice, smart and friendly. We ran through a series of questions ranging from my name, occupation, my student loan experience and thoughts about President Obama's latest revisions to the federal student loan program.

I was a little shocked at the final result. The highly edited interview seems to imply I had to lose my leg in order to pay off my student loans?

The reality is I had a modest amount in student loans that I was repaying, along with other monthly bills at the time of my accident. I received a 'dismemburment' settlement after my accident and used the money to pay off all of my debt, including my student loans. At the time, I was hurt and did not know when I might be able to walk again, much less work. I decided it was wise to pay off everything so I would not have to worry about it.

None the less, it was fun to be part of the interview. As stated, I feel slightly misrepresented, but such is the world of small sound bites.

Here is the interview.

Projects In The Works

I slacked off on working out some this week. I think I took off from Friday to Saturday? Not really positive? The whole weekend kind of turned into a blur.

I did spend some time out this weekend working on some projects.

I finally got my vacuum system leg dialed in and working properly. The more I wear it the more I like it! I am in the beginning stages of putting together a presentation on how the leg works. How to properly don the leg, the different features of it and what I feel the pros and cons of the vacuum system are. I should have a video uploaded about my vacuum system prosthesis by the start of next week.

The leg will be the subject of the various support groups I will be running this week. I have 3 groups this week and one next week all along the gulf coast of the state. For more information on where and when the groups are check out the "Amputees United" link on my home page.

I also went for a bike ride with an above the knee amputee friend of mine this weekend. He rides a very special bike, that perfectly suits his current physical situation. I got some great video of him explaining a little about his bike and riding on the streets of Madeira Beach, FL. I have some editing to do, but it should be pretty straight forward (famous last words). His video should be posted before the end of the week.

So, a few things going on, which is what I like. I seem to click on all cylinders best when I am occupied.

Occupying Positive Street - Ty

PS I can't believe I am approaching 9,000 unique hits on this page!

Amputees United

Amputees United is a program that I have launched to Unite Amputees in the Florida gulf Coast Area. Our goal is to enrich and the lives of Amputees and help them reach their full potential through peer support, education and activism.

Please check out the link to the Amputees United page to find out more info about this program, support groups and other events we will be hosting.