In the solitude of the exam room of her vascular surgeon’s office, an eighty-six-year-old grandmother of ten tries to hide the tear forming at the corner of her eye. Her stoic strength has always been a lighthouse in the ebbing challenges facing her family. With her husband’s passing a few years ago, she has continued to carry the mantle of leadership for her clan. 

 

This is not her first visit in this place. Over the last year, she has undergone several attempts to arrest the degrading blood flow to her right leg. A couple of vascular procedures in the office, a few days in the hospital for a bypass, bi-weekly visits to Doppler the progress have filled many days in recent memory. In all, she has spent the better part of the last twelve months in a strangely unfamiliar place.

 

She has been focused on herself.

 

Focused on saving her leg.

 

She waits for the surgeon to come, but she already knows the message. The ominous and persistent odor that recently became part of the daily dressing changes that her daughter performs has foretold the loss.

 

In a few brief minutes, the surgeon explains, “We have made every attempt to restore blood flow. I am sorry, but we will have to amputate. I have scheduled the surgery for tomorrow morning at nine o’clock.” 

 

Despite her expectations, she is devastated. In just a few words, her independence has been ripped from her once-steady hands. Questions, fears sadness wash over her.

 

For many in our region, this is a much too personal experience. The incidence of limb loss is a frequent end to the complications of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. Unfortunately, the shear lack of awareness and education surrounding limb loss often compounds the shock surrounding these amputations. 

 

In truth, many of the participants in this segment of care are not aware that the giant leaps in prosthetic technology have an impact on patients such as the one described above. 

 

The positive side of such an impact is that research and development affords advancements that are directly applicable to devices across the spectrum of prosthetic care. The negative side is that the perception of patient prosthetic potentials is benchmarked against those very few high performers. At eighty-six, our anecdotal grandmother with several medical concerns has an uncertain future. Factually, the mortality rate associated with amputations like hers is surprisingly high. When evaluated over five post-amputation years, it is even higher. Many healthcare providers translate these truths into a lack of prosthetic potential.

 

This does not have to be the case. While a prosthesis, no matter how technologically advanced it becomes, will not add years to life, it will undoubtedly add life to years. The simple acts of standing eye-to-eye, independent toileting, self-transfers into bed, and walking into church can add immeasurable dignity and value to the waning years of one’s life.

 

Many conscientious providers may question the efficacy of prosthetic provision to someone like the one in our story. Medicare allows for provision of prosthetic devices of various general construction criteria across several functional levels. At the lowest end, K1 (functional level 1), a patient has no ability or potential to transfer or ambulate. At K4, amputees can exceed normal community ambulation with activities such as running, jumping, and high impact activities of daily living.

 

As a conscientious and caring provider of prosthetic devices, the companies of Graybeal Heritage Partners strive to understand a patient’s functional potential and to construct devices which balance ability and potential in ways that encourage advancement on the part of the patient. Our offices include locations in Morristown, Greeneville, Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol. If you, your patients, or your staff wish to understand the full spectrum of prosthetic provision criteria, please feel free to contact us.

 

 

 

921 Broad Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 • 423-246-3324

 

1457 W. Morris Blvd. • Morristown, TN 37813 • 423-586-4455