Arm

[Deleted]

Has anyone had any experience with purely cosmeric and ultra realistic prosthetics for very high above elbow?

[cherylm]

Well...you know...leg amp here, so not personally. However, I've seen some lovely cosmetic arms out there. As with all prosthetics for high-level amps, there's a weight issue...but I assume that it would be less weight than all the mechanics for a functional arm. (I know that's the case for leg prostheses.) So if you're interested, check it out.....

[snowyh]

My experience from meeting other arm amputees is that in general, the higher the level of amputation the less likely they are to wear a prosthesis. As Cheryl pointed out, at issue is the lower functionality/control with less stump to work with, and increased discomfort with using a larger/heavier prosthesis. The only high-level arm amp I know who loves their pros and wears it daily had the osseointegration ("OI") procedure where a titanium rod is surgically implanted into the remaining humerus and extending through the skin, to which the prosthesis can later be attached/detached--but for him it's mostly functional. I don't know of any high-level arm amps that use a cosmetic-only arm prostheses. I don't know if you could ever have an "ultra realistic" cosmetic prosthesis, because if the arm doesn't move/function like a normal arm it's just not going to look ultra realistic. People will still notice that there's something odd about the way your arm never moves, even if your prosthesis looks like a real arm.

Helen

[Deleted]

Thanks Helen. That seems to be the consensus.

[snarfler]

It's a debate as old as the hills. Form vs. Function. When we first get a limb we want it to look like the limb we've lost. In time we realize that the weight of foam packing and rubber covers are not for our benefit at all but for the people who are looking at us and that's only based on what we think they see. I know what you're going through. I don't envy that time in my life. I felt desperate to look normal. We all did.

[Deleted]

So yoy are saying that, assuming there is no function possible at all, that I should think that maybe the posthetic is a part of the " denial" phase of grief.

And I could better spend the energy accepting my handicap.

Is that the idea? Expand. 

It is an important idea to me, and one that I hadn't thought of in quite those terms.

[Ann]

Personally Jill, as a woman who has used prosthetics for most of her life, the idea that maybe the 'prosthetic' is part of the "denial phase of grief", doesn't really sit with me very well, but I respect other peoples opinions too.

I don't know if this is more a female thing, but would  say the same thing be said to someone who wore glasses? most people who need glasses, including myself these days, go for a nice style and something they feel comfortable in ..... whats the problem with doing this with a prosthesis.

For me as a leg amputee, my prosthetics are functional though I would still prefer them to look good, whether that is foamed or laminated, just as I want the rest of me to look too. I don't see that as me grieving for lost limbs. I am not particularly trying to hide anything, but if I want to dress up and go out, I don't always want my prosthetics or lack of them to be focus, if that makes sense. Apologies, Jill, I don't know what level your arm amp is at, though I know for arm amputees their prosthesis is often functional too .... though should anyone want one purely for cosmesis purposes, I don't see the problem with that.

Sorry Snarfler, slight difference of opinion on this one, think you might be coming from a more male perspective.

[cherylm]

I'm tending to agree with Ann on this one...although I don't wear a cosmetic cover on my leg, I have no problem with anyone else wanting to do so. My take in your situation, Jill, (and you know...leg amp here) is that there may be an actual use for a purely cosmetic arm prosthesis, at least once in awhile. Perhaps Helen will be able to check back in, since she has so much more experience with this......

As someone who has a very functional prosthesis, I think they should be the ultimate goal for folks with limb loss...but I know that, in some cases, they're just really tough to fit and difficult to use if you're a high-level amp. And I know that, even though there's been some amazing work done with prosthetic hands and arms, balancing functionality with weight is still a struggle. Of the arm amps I've met, even those with a functional prosthesis tend to wear them only "as needed," often preferring to just deal with activities one-handed.

The difference I see between an arm amputee and my own missing leg is that a missing arm can seriously affect how clothing hangs...more so than a missing leg. And for us gals, that can be an actual concern. I know that I wore a cosmetic cover on my leg when I was still working...I just didn't want my prosthesis to be any sort of "issue" when dressed up for a meeting. When I retired, I lost the foam covering...but I still like having a "nice looking" leg and have had decorative designs laminated onto all of my sockets. I just think that anything that makes you feel good, or strong, or just makes you smile is worth doing if you can.

Ultimately, you'll figure out what "works" for you. I hope that it will ultimately be able to be a functional prosthesis...and I hope that you'll continue to adjust to your new body...but if a cosmetic arm interests you, I don't think it's necessarily an issue of denial and I think it doesn't help to look into one.

Okay...there's a variety of opinions for you!

[snarfler]

No. It's not a male/female thing at all. It's an engineering thing. Arms come in every venue from pirate hook to brain controlled bionics. Not a single one will be effective until Jill accepts Jill and not her handicap. She has to understand that she's the same person she was and always will be. Surviving an amputation or any other medical problem does not define you as a person. Having done that, we may continue from an engineering position asking the questions to choose the right products. Do we need a wrist? Does it need to rotate? Elbow? Interface? Shoulder harness? Or happier with no prostheses at all? She's not in the denial phase at all. I would call it the bargaining phase. With a little more education and product knowledge she'll find an arm that works for her and looks good as well.

[Deleted]

Good thoughts.

With a paralyzed, painful 3 inch ball shaped stump, it sure seems that even cosmetic results are a fantasy.

But it is sooooo tempting!

[snarfler]

Everything is possible. You have so much research to do before making a decision. I met these guys when I was a Chaplain at Walter Reed. I wish I knew more about arms but I'm a LBK. What happened obviously rocked your confidence but let me tell you this without the slightest reservation. You are still an attractive young girl with the same personality you had before the amputation. Trust me. I'm a man. Been a man must of my life.

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