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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Knowlegde

I once found myself with out a good fitting prosthesis, no job and very little money. It was the end of 2006, I had been an amputee for less than a year and I was let go from the company I was working for with no notice. The socket to the leg I was wearing was so loose that I was wearing over 35 ply in prosthetic socks to keep it working properly. I had no medical insurance and I was scared.

Even though times were tough I have to tell you this was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned that with some determination and perspiration you can accomplish anything. From that day on I vowed never to be put in a powerless position again.

In less than a years time I did some incredible things...

I found a job with a startup company. In the year that I worked for this company I fabricated and adjusted my own prosthesis, I ran a half marathon, I completed a 100 mile bicycle ride, I was interviewed by the TV news, I had a couple of articles written about me in the news paper, I designed a company brochure, I built a website, I rode my bicycle from Austin TX to Atlanta GA and I created and edited my first YouTube video.

None of my projects has ever been perfect, but they have all been works of passion, some that I have been very proud of. The coolest thing about a project you decide to take on is that you have total control over it. The completion, success and failure of any of my creation always in in my own hands. So even though I may not be a professional editor, media expert, publisher or technician I put my heart into my work. I also always learn a lot in the process.

I have found that the more work you put into something the more you get out of it.


I get some criticism once in a while, some of it is warranted. I certainly have made and will continue to make my share of mistakes. I also get complemented a lot. Some of the best compliments have come from people in the medical community, patients, other amputees, and regular people. I have the occasional friend remind me of how cheesy I am from time to time to keep me grounded. :)

The very best compliment in the world is emulation. Some of my ideals have been "borrowed" from people. One individual I used to work with now uses the term 'Patient Advocate' in their title, which they did not use when I was working with them. I didn't coin the term, but I certainly started using it first. Another former employer started making YouTube videos not long after I began putting them out. Once again this is nothing new, but I am pretty sure my videos had something to do with motivating them to create their own. I had another marketing person that I used to work around that decided to run a half marathon after I did one. Once again I am not saying that they stole my ideal, but I am pretty sure I helped motivate or inspire them.

What can I say? I can be bitter and feel ripped off or I can be happy and glad that I helped motivate someone? Believe me, I have borrowed and continue to borrow ideals all the time. I draw inspiration from many different sources. In total honesty, imitation is the best form of flattery. So I feel honored and humbled that maybe I helped encourage someone to 'do' something or start their own project.  

I have learned over time that hoarding ideals is petty. No one owns ideals...ideals should be shared and used to build new ideals. This is how things advance. This is one reason why I am such an advocate for the free movement of information. Throughout this site I have made it a goal to form a lot of links that deal with open source software, streaming media, manuals, instructional videos and many other (sometimes unorthodox) informational links.

There is so much knowledge and information out there. If you have the time, means and passion why not build/design/start your own _______? [fill in the blank with something you have always wanted to do].  Life is for learning and growing. There is no reason why any of us should be held back from reaching our full potential by not engaging in something we are passionate about.

Of course you can always hire someone? There is always a good chance a person will have better equipment and more knowledge on how to do something. The real question is will they have your vision? To complete your project? The way you want?

The best way to empower yourself is through information. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it, because we can't do everything ourselves. I do think we should pursue what we are inspired by though.

You have to admit there is a beauty to taking things into your own hands.
Just look at the things I was able to accomplish in just one short year...

An Athletic Event Every Week

I have not worked out consistently since I have been living in Florida. There I said it! So now that it is out there maybe I will do something about it???

There are all kinds of reasons I can give. One being that I hurt myself and had to take some time off from training. Another, that my bike has been in the shop for some time. Yet another, that the weather has not been very good. Bottom line...I have been lazy. I got frustrated and quit training.

Instead of going to the gym to work off some steam I have been going to the bar.  I found a couple of nice wine bars here in the area to hang out at along with a couple of cool beach side tiki bars.  It is really a shame because there are so many nice places here in Florida to train. I have become a regular at the bar instead of at the gym. A gym employee recently commented that he had not seen me around much lately.

Unfortunately for me, something like a glass of wine should be enjoyed in moderation. Instead, binge drinking has become a weekly or bi-weekly event for me. It makes me sick to think of all the money I have blown going out drinking and eating unhealthy food. It's easy to want to slip into Margarita Ville out here in the land of beaches.Hopefully I will soon find more moderation in my life.

So here I am, a weight gain of about 10 to 15 lbs since I have moved out here. I was in decent shape from a ton of cycling when I came in late October. I still felt I was a good 15 lbs over what I consider a great weight for me, before my recent gain. I am currently sitting in the 215-220 lbs range. I feel my best when I am around 190-185 lbs.  

About two months ago I posted a running/work out schedule that I was following. I wanted to train for another half marathon this year. I got about a month into it and realized I wasn't making the gains I wanted to and I probably would not be ready for the event. So, instead of continuing to train I stopped.I pulled down the listings and progress reports in sheer embarrassment. In reality I probably took on more than I could handle. Getting ready for a half marathon in less than 3 months without already being in any kind of running shape was probably pushing it. I wasn't enjoying working out. Running until the pain stops doesn't work like it did in my 20's.

I really have let myself down. All I can do is try to start from scratch and start over.

So here is what I have decided to do.
Starting next weekend I am going to enter an athletic event of some type every weekend. Whether it is a 5k/10k run or  bike ride. I am going to post pics or video clips of the event on-line. I will also be linking a Public Google Calender that shows all events I will be participating in.

I really want accountability here. So those of you that are true and dear friends. I would love to hear from you...I usually don't ask for anything, but I need encouragement as well as chastising if I don't follow through.

I know an athletic event every week is a regular thing for some people out there, while for others it is an unheard of challenge.

Of course because of my current physical shape I will need to start small. As far as running goes, which is definitely my Achilles heel...lol...there are not many events shorter than a 5k, which I'm currently not in shape for either. The beginning is going to be a little painful. I do not expect to run anything faster than about 12-11minute miles for a while.

It is going to be a little expensive to pony up entry fees for these events, but I think it will pale in comparison to some of the bar and food tabs I have acquired lately.


My email is tyswilson@gmail.com

I really would love to hear from you with feedback, tips, words of encouragement or questions about what I am up to.

'An event a week keeps you from becoming weak' - Ty

4/12/11
I have encountered a little bit of a set back with training. There is more info on my 'Event A Week Results' page under a heading of 4/12/11. I am definitely not trowing in the towel...just taking some time to make sure I remian healthy for the long run.