Perhaps you have not been formally introduced to 3D-Too. Though he doesn’t officially work for Dankmeyer he can be found hanging out with his cousin 3DPO, our diminutive intern, on a fairly regular basis. He loves to lend a helping hand whenever he can. He came in during the summer to help with the exam space makeover.
His full time job is with a company that tests new prosthetic components. In his current configuration he is trying out a carbon-fiber running leg, but he also has tested a below-the-elbow myoelectric arm. Earlier this year he helped with the development of a new swim leg. He is very good at testing things for endurance because he can grab a fresh set of batteries and keep going where a human tester might tire and need to rest.
After all the coming and going of both 3DPO and Digit on various field trips, he welcomed the invitation to attend the annual meeting of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association with members of the Dankmeyer management team. He was personally escorted by Barbara Delorenzo, Accounting Manager. As an amputee, 3D-Too was very interested in attending any number of events and classes at the AOPA meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada the first week of September. Some classes were business oriented, some were product oriented (of a particular interest), there are papers presented, and many medical issues discussed as pertaining to both orthosis and prosthesis wearers. There was such to see and do.
On top of all that, it was the 100th anniversary for AOPA, and it was a World Congress, which meant professional attendees from all over the world, working together to share knowledge and further the cause for P&O professionals and wearers the world over. He met attendees from Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, Mexico, Canada, and many other countries. And there were some old friends of Dankmeyer, former employees that had moved out of the Maryland area, but were happy to reunite with Dankmeyer folks. (From L to R: Our Angie Bryl, CPO with Jennifer Richards, CPO who was with Dankmeyer for five years; Joe Delorenzo CP with Marcia Davis, CO who was with Dankmeyer for four years, and Barbara Delorenzo; Walter Afable, CPO who was with Dankmeyer for 3 years with our Mark Hopkins, CPO, PT, MBA.)
When he was not in a class, 3D-Too spent a lot of time on the exhibit floor, reviewing different products available to P&O practices world wide. There are so many increasingly high tech products and materials available for prosthesis and orthosis fabrication! In fact, there was so much to see and do that he became separated from Barbara and missed his flight home. After taking in a show and enjoying a few nice dinners with other attendees, he spent some time with Joe McTernan, AOPA's Director of Coding and Reimbursement Services, Education, and Programming at the AOPA booth. Once the exhibit was over, he first hitched a ride with the packed booth materials and was shipped on a pallet to AOPA in Virginia. Then, the AOPA staff kindly sent him home via UPS. He was happy to have attended, but happy to be back with his Dankmeyer friends.