Patient Stories: Master Mearkle and Mr. Ewing at the Walk/Talk

September 21, 2019 the Dankmeyer Cumberland staff got to celebrate a special day! All of the Dankmeyer Cumberland team, including clinician Mark Treasure and Patient Services Representative Heather Iman with her two daughters Kayla and Sarah, were joined by Dankmeyer’s new Prosthetist Assistant Dawn Miranda in order to support Kaleb Mearkle at the Children’s League 2019 Walk/Talk event.

The Children’s League is an 85 year old non-profit that operates and manages the Cumberland Scottish Rite “Rite Care” Childhood Speech and Language Disorders Clinic as well as the Cumberland Cleft Clinic.

Kaleb invited Dankmeyer to participate several months ago, and when long time patient Mr. William “Bill” Ewing found out about it, he jumped at the chance to be a part of the event. Many years ago Mr. Ewing had been the beneficiary of the Children’s League’s services. Team Dankmeyer gathered at the Dankmeyer Western Maryland office on National Highway to start the morning with a cup of coffee and then off they headed to the Allegany County Health Department for the event.

The sun seemed to shine extra bright over the Children's League event. Team Dankmeyer arrived at the grounds ready to have fun and fellowship with a great organization and the families of special needs children. You could feel the children’s energy as they all donned their bright pink Tshirts. The children vote and choose the color each year and Dankmeyer was one of the proud Tshirt sponsors. The morning began with the line up of the teams and families to be ready for the walk. The national anthem was sung and when it finished the crowd clapped and prepared to walk the laps.

The Chick-fil-A cow, Buffalo Wild Wings mascot as well as the Cellular One phone mascot joined in the fun. There were balloon animals being made as well as face painting! Heather and Dawn took advantage of that to have the Dankmeyer green ribbon emblem painted on their faces! Children got to pet ferrets, touch a giant turtle and hold a sweet young alligator who loved to have his chin scratched. Refreshments were served by the Children's League volunteers. Prizes were given to teams at the end and closing words of thanks spoken. Team Dankmeyer vowed to gather again next fall for this very worthy cause! (Submitted by Dawn Miranda.)

Patient Stories: William Ewing and WCBC Radio

William “Bill” Ewing took some time out from his morning August 12, 2019 to do a morning radio interview with Cumberland office clinician, Mark Treasure, CP, BOCO on WCBC Radio AM 1270 with host Dave Norman. Following in fellow patient Diane Clark’s footsteps, Bill Ewing talks about his 60 years as an amputee after overcoming cancer as a teenager. In fact, Mark and Bill talk about Diane and an amputee support group that she is working on organizing in the Western Maryland area.

In the interview, Bill states that you are “not dead when you have an amputation” and talks about growing up on a “farmette” and being involved in forestry. He also belongs to a musical group called "The Notables” that plays in nursing homes and other facilities. He is a very active man who likes to work.

Bill, Mark and Dave continue to discuss current technology in prostheses, which they believe means fewer amputees end up in wheelchairs, like Dave Norman’s father did. Bill has a microprocessor ankle, which means that he has a lot more stability in his device than he had in the first prosthesis he had 58 years ago!

You can listen to the lively interview here.

Bill Ewing, Mark Treasure and Dave Norman WCBC

Patient Stories: Amputee Coalition National Conference 2019

So. Many. Stories. Attending the Amputee Coalition’s National Conference is like attending one big storytelling festival for those with limb loss and limb difference - along with lectures, exhibits, and a number of “first time” activities - such as swimming and dancing. With over 1000 attendees at the summer 2019 three day event, the theme of “People, Purpose, Passion” is one that resonates with the diverse crowd of amputees, family, friends and healthcare professionals.

The proceedings opened July 18, 2019 in San Antonio with a flair - featuring dancers in traditional costume performing a traditional dance to encouragement and cheers. Opening remarks featured a panel of those with limb loss and limb difference. Each had a story to tell. Motivational speaker, athlete, and amputee John Register shared his journey and uplifting message. These stories are often shared experiences of trauma and disease, fear and uncertainty, and ultimately triumph and hope! Shouts of “Amen”, cheers, whistles and clapping greeted the speakers as their words resonated in the meeting room. The message was clear. Become an educated consumer. Learn to be your own advocate and advocate for others. Create a new normal that leads to transformation. Share and learn from each other. Try new things. You are not alone!

A number of classes were available to encourage attendees to participate in their “First Swim” or “First Dance”, sponsored by OPAF. This organization believes in “Changing lives through adaptive recreation.” The First Dance class featured professional ballroom dancer and instructor Adrianne Haslet, who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon terrorist bombing. Lining up class members in two facing lines, she taught Rhumba and of course, the Texas Two-Step. The big closing event on Saturday is a dance party, and those who needed a little dancing class were being well prepared.

Breakout groups for amputees with similar levels of amputation were frank and personal, with people sharing anything and everything they could think of that might help the others. There were also classes for those who wanted to learn how to start or run support groups and also, the day before the conference started, Certified Peer Visitor (CPV) classes. Many attendees noted that if they had had access to a CPV, they would have been much comforted before undergoing their own amputation.

There were also several sessions that encouraged amputees to take the AC training courses to become a Lead Advocate - to be able to advocate at the local, state and federal level when called upon. Advocates play a vital role in changing policies for amputees - including insurance policies. A number of advocate roles are available, with an advocate program for non amputees also in the works. If you are interested in the training program and need more information, click here.

Attendees gathered together in groups and excitedly shared information about the exhibits, classes they had attended, or even their tourist experiences on the San Antonio Riverwalk. Colorful laminations featured glitter, unicorns, sports teams and other themes. Pediatric amputees who hadn’t known each other previously ran around in excited groups of instant new friends. It didn’t matter if you were upper or lower, bilateral, a toddler, a seasoned amputee, or still sorting out your first prosthesis and first steps, the ebb and flow of people and story filled the meeting spaces:

“Here, let me get that for you. We have to help each other.”

“Make a conscious effort to choose happiness.”

“How did you lose your leg?”

“I went from the amputee club to the cancer club.”

And humor that perhaps only amputees can appreciate:

“We just taped my skin back on.”

“An amputation extended my expire by date.”

“I always danced with two left feet.”

A T-shirt said “My other leg is on lay-away.”

“People, Purpose, Passion” is a theme that will be carried forward as attendees take this message and their enthusiasm back home to their families, coworkers, support groups and their local communities. This conference is a celebration of life, shared experience and purpose.

Next year’s conference will be held in Washington, DC.

Patient Stories: Douglas Brown, Sr.

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Douglas Brown, Sr. didn’t know he had diabetes until it was almost too late.  After not feeling well and having some foot pain, his good friend and his daughter became alarmed and forced him to go to the emergency room just days into 2018.  Suddenly, instead of looking for New Year’s resolutions, he was wondering how he was going to use the clutch on his tractor without the use of his left leg.

 As he tells it, the gangrene in his left foot came close to killing him very quickly, and if it weren’t for these two women in his life, that is probably what would have happened.  The operating surgeon, Dr. Hazen Elaviny, told him later (after his several hour surgery), that had he waited three more hours for treatment, he would have died… the infection had travelled that far up his leg artery.  As it was, Dr. Elaviny originally had planned to amputate Mr. Brown’s leg at the hip, but instead, he tried a groundbreaking new procedure. He performed a below knee amputation (BKA) on his left lower leg, and left the wound unclosed for several weeks to allow the infection to drain out.

Douglas’s diabetes is controlled by diet today, but the disease he didn’t know he had then could have easily taken his life.  He makes it very clear that “the whole process was very scary.”

 A very active man, Douglas knew that he wanted to get back to his work and hobbies as quickly as he could. As a farmer, he needed to be able to drive his tractor. Since he earned his living as a surveyor, he needed to be able to be on his feet for long periods of time.  But he was also a passionate Civil War re-enactor, and considered that he might have to change his roleplaying to be the soldier who got his leg amputated!  He made a quick recovery his mission.  Before he got his first temporary prosthesis he got on his Ferguson TO-20 and mowed 12 acres!

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Receiving his first prosthesis was a process in and of itself and took a little time - a journey that he was eager to embark on. First meeting with his prosthetist, as the sutures in his limb began to heal, he transitioned to wearing a shrinker sock to help reduce swelling and begin shaping his leg for prosthetic use.  He was eventually measured and casted for a prosthesis. Next, he began the fitting process, which allowed him to begin walking in the office and in a controlled environment. He eventually received his first prosthesis, almost a year ago, and quickly excelled beyond physical therapy, and walking in his home. He has progressed tremendously since receiving that first prosthetic leg a year ago and has moved on to his second prosthesis.  Now he is looking forward to incorporating new technology into his prosthetic leg as his lifestyle and activities increase. 

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Since then, this Harmony, Maryland resident has marched in parades, continued mowing the 20+ acres at the Eastern Shore Threshing Grounds on his tractor and spending time with other vintage tractor enthusiasts, and plans to resume playing tennis this spring. He is very proud that he returned to surveying only one year after his surgery.  As a rule, he doesn’t use any assistive devices – using the stairs in his two-story home while wearing his prosthetic leg.  When people ask him how he does all those activities and gets around wearing a prosthesis, he says, “You just put it on and go!”

Patient Stories: Diane Clark, Radio Personality!

Our Western Maryland office in Lavale now has a new radio personality in patient Diane Clark. Diane wrote one of our earliest patient stories (click here to read that story) and was recently joined by clinician Mark Treasure, CP, BOCO for a radio interview on WCBC 107.1, when they “appeared” in an early morning interview with host Dave Norman.

Dankmeyer’s Diane shares her name with the radio station’s meteorologist Diane Clark and they have a chuckle about that to start. During the interview, Dave reveals that he is familiar with Dankmeyer, having come to the office as a young athlete for an orthosis in the early Eighties, which he still has and uses! They discuss the improvements in orthotic and prosthetic fabrication that technology has provided. Diane’s first prosthesis in 1991 was constructed in a very different manner from her current prosthesis. Her prosthesis today is lighter and more durable than her earliest prostheses, of which she has had seven over her 28 years as a Dankmeyer patient. This is a good thing because Diane is very active. She says , “I’m very rough on my leg!”. She had one prosthesis so well fabricated that it made it through a motorcycle accident. Rough indeed!

Diane talks about the emotional process she went through when her leg was amputated as a young mother of two (as a result of a snowy day car accident). She strives to be supportive for other amputees with her positive attitude and active lifestyle.

Originally scheduled to last for three minutes, the three chatted for ten minutes. Diane and Mark certainly sound like naturals. You can listen to the interview by clicking here.

Clark, Treasure and Norman

WCBC Diane Clark, Mark Treasure & Dave Norman