Imagine growing up with your limbs incomplete. Whether you are born with lower limbs than normal or losing it due to an accident or infection, this could be devastating not only physically but also emotionally.
According to Serious Law, the main physical effect of amputation is the reduction of a person's mobility, stump and phantom limb pain, infection, muscle contractures, deep vein thrombosis, and fatigue.
Moreover, its emotional effect also includes trauma, difficulty in adapting to the loss of sensation in their missing limb, body image issues, and problems moving forward.
That is why prosthetics are invented to help amputees overcome these problems and help them live normal lives, just like the 4-year-old girl who receives a life-changing blade prosthetic leg, and a matching doll ahead of her birthday.
Spirit Leg: An Early Birthday Present
ABC Eyewitness News reported on Thursday that a 4-year-old girl received a new prosthetic leg that allows her to keep up with her brothers and twin sister. She received this special gift ahead of her birthday on June 22.
Heather Williams now has a fitted "blade" prosthetic leg, which she hopes will keep up with her. It was a monumental leap for Heather, who lost her limb when she was three months old due to complications from treatment for a heart condition.
Her mother, Rachel Washington, said that Heather's siblings call her blade prosthetic her spirit leg, and she thinks her daughter feels good to have the wonderful present.
Before receiving the blade prosthetics, the mother of four would see her daughter struggle at times with the heavier, older type of prosthetic. But with the new one, it is lighter, stronger, and can be re-attached to larger sockets twice a year as Heather grows.
According to Dr. Vikram Choudhary, When Heather is running, she is pushing down on the prosthetic leg and basically gives it the bounce, so the energy is stored, and it releases when she is taking off.
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A Vehicle of Mobility and Mental Health Through Self-expression
Modern prosthetics are not just ordinary limbs for patients. It has now become a vehicle for mobility and mental health through self-expression, as seen in models that the doctor is currently working for other patients.
In Heather's case, the doll with an identical blade is there so that she does not feel lacking something, psychologically it helps, says Dr. Vikram Choudhary.
Washington's chance encounter with a therapist in Indianapolis led her to the bionic clinic that is a lot closer to home. There, they customize and synthesize the elements of medicine, art, and mental health.
"If they're scared to climb up monkey bars, Heather is not. Heather has to prove she can do it, and she does," Washington told the news outlet.
According to her, the key to overcome tragedy is to focus on her child and not on her own pain. In a way, the doll also helps Heather in the same manner. As for the heart problem that led Heather to lose one leg, it turns out that it was nothing.
